Death Stranding Regional Pricing is Angering International Gamers

Published: March 20, 2020 2:35 PM /

By:


Death Stranding regional pricing

Now that the Steam Store page for Death Stranding lists its price, some gamers around the world are getting a rude awakening. Death Stranding regional pricing is much higher than expected in some regions, with some users reporting increases higher than 300% in certain regions compared to Steam recommended prices.

Regional pricing has always been tricky business, but it seems like 505 Games may have gotten things particularly wrong. A Reddit submission and Steam Community discussion highlights the disparities between the Western World and elsewhere, although our look into the matter didn't paint quite that clear of a picture.

How Much Higher is Death Stranding Regional Pricing?

Using SteamDB.info, we've compared the prices in some regions with a recent popular release. DOOM Eternal is priced the same as Death Stranding in the West at $59.99, but that's clearly not true for all regions.

That said, Death Stranding is not universally more expensive across the board when compared against a relatively recent release at the same Western price point:


Region DOOM Eternal Death Stranding

United States $59.99 $59.99

Brazil R$ 199,00 R$ 239,00

Chile CLP$ 45450 CLP$ 41999

China ¥ 199 ¥ 298

Israel ₪259.00  ₪329.00

Japan ¥ 8618 ¥ 7590

Mexico Mex$ 1399.00 Mex$ 1146.00

Russia 1999 ₽ 3499 ₽

South Korea ₩ 67000  ₩ 64800

Turkey ₺199,00 ₺399,00

Data for this table was taken from Steam DB's pages for DOOM Eternal and Death Stranding.

Death Stranding regional pricing slice

More Than Meets the Eye

Our own data shows what you might expect from two different games released by two different companies: the international prices are the same in some areas, lower for some areas, and higher in others.

The problem, however, is not just the differences in prices alone but how they were calculated. Several Redditors note that these prices are absurdly high when compared to other offerings in their country.

"Me paying 3,999 [INR] in India for death stranding is equivalent to American with median income paying 350$ for [the] same game," one Redditor stated, with another adding that Half Life: Alyx is only 1,169 INR.

Russia, in particular, has been highlighted for its "ridiculous" price hike.

"About Russian Ruble: The typical price that most developers decide to roll with on a AAA game is 2000, only a few follow Steam [recommendations] and do around the number [you're] provided," explained another Redditor. "That[,] though[,] is a reason to support the developer and not pirate the game."

"But even comparing 2000 to 3500, this is a ridiculous hike," the same users continued. "Just imagine that you wake up and your wanted $60 games all of a sudden cost at least $100 or [something]."

It's not an easy prospect for game publishers to understand what the best price is for a particular region, although they can gain some measure of data from comparable games. The gut feeling from many fans is that 505 Games has gotten things wrong this time around. One hopes that 505 Games recognizes the issue and makes things a little better for international customers.

We've reached out to 505 Games and will update this article when we receive a reply.

What do you think of Death Stranding regional pricing? How has your country been affected? Let us know in the comments below!

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
| Senior Writer

One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N

More Info About This Game
Learn more about Death Stranding
Game Page Death Stranding
Developer
Kojima Productions
Platforms
PC, PlayStation 4
Release Date
November 8, 2019 (Calendar)
Purchase (Some links may be affiliated)