The soaring prices of video games are leaving many players behind. In countries like Argentina, where hyperinflation has discouraged the act of playing and collecting games, access to these experiences is becoming a luxury. As physical copies become harder to purchase, subscription services like Xbox Game Pass are becoming a more affordable alternative. But these services aren’t just impacting how we pay for games, they’re also changing the way we think about games.
Reddit user uri_nrv wrote, “When a video game costs more than a quarter of your salary, you stop worrying about ownership and instead align yourself with playing the game and moving on.” It will become.”
I spoke to over 40 people on local subreddits and Facebook groups, and the overwhelming feeling about preservation was one of resignation. The ongoing economic crisis has made it nearly impossible to build a library that can survive license expirations and game delistings. The country is facing the reality that video games are more expensive than ever, forcing players to seek out alternatives they might not have considered before.
The predicament has been a test for the Argentine player, especially in recent months. In 2017, Steam introduced regional pricing. The company announced that starting November 20, 2023, prices will change back to US dollars, as “recent exchange rate fluctuations” have made it difficult for game developers to choose the right price for their games. did. This process will also affect Turkey at the same time. Steam also cited “foreign exchange fluctuations, fees, taxes, and logistical issues” as key factors in this setback.
Immediately after this announcement, people on social media shared their frustrations, lamenting the positive changes that have allowed the majority to build their digital libraries. This is not the first time pricing has been affected in the region. After Steam updates regional price recommendations in late 2022, third-party site SteamDB has run calculations that show prices will increase by up to almost 500%. This spilled over into most games, but it was still significantly cheaper as the local currency remained intact.
The November 20th update not only converted currencies, but also sporadically increased prices. A summary by TikTok user ShuxTeam had around 800,000 views and included several examples. far cry 5 It went from the equivalent of $2 USD to $49. stardew valley 50 cents to $15, Civilization VI It went from $1.50 to $60.
It is important to note that ARS to USD conversions are constantly changing due to devaluations, so all of these prices are estimates and are likely not current at the time you are reading this. Prices, excluding tax, ranged from more than 100% to 65% in a matter of weeks for online purchases.A more practical example is purchasing Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition The price on Steam is equivalent to 151,170 ARS. This is equivalent to his one month’s rent for a one-room apartment in Buenos Aires (on the cheaper side). As of December 29, Argentina’s monthly minimum wage was 156,000 ARS.
The people I spoke to had mixed opinions about subscription services like Game Pass. Almost half of them consider this service to be a viable alternative to purchasing games, physical or otherwise. Some people rely on Steam’s long-established presence out of habit. Preservation enthusiasts continue to pursue physical copies wherever possible, despite the high prices. DRM-free options like GOG can also help in that regard within the digital space. However, not all games are available on all platforms, and prices can vary widely between platforms.
In Argentina, the simple act of purchasing a game requires countless considerations. First of all, everyone approaches their hobbies in different ways. “Thanks to Game Pass, I was able to get her PC back from her son’s hands by using Cloud His games on the TV,” says Reddit user His Background-Advice-80. “All the equivalent of four packs of cigarettes.”
Although Argentina isn’t safe from the service’s recent price increases, in theory Game Pass remains a fairly economical option for those who want access to a large library of games with a variety of device options . At the time of publication, the basic tier was priced at about $7,000 ARS after tax, and his one tier, Ultimate, which includes cloud gaming, was about $11,000. Again, due to inflation, in the month since the interview, the equivalent amount has already exceeded 4 packs of cigarettes (current price about 1,600 ARS). But for example he is still far from paying his ARS of $57,000. star field With steam.
“Game Pass is great for games you don’t plan on buying because they’re too expensive.”
Some users are not looking to commit to a long-term subscription for now, choosing to pay monthly depending on the games available.Two people I talked to mentioned Yakuza Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name As a recent example. “It’s just like Netflix,” says user FZJavier. “Some people watch a lot of movies, and others only watch a few but aren’t interested in owning a physical copy of a movie. Game Pass is useful for games you don’t intend to buy because they’re expensive.” I was able to finish it. Side Story I unsubscribed within a month, and shortly thereafter. ”
Those who want to make a long-term bet on this service face certain obstacles. One of her is sporadic catalog retention. Xbox subscriptions offer an ever-changing library, and regular users don’t always know when a game they’re playing will leave the service. persona 4 golden and persona 3 portable The announcement that both full-length RPGs would be removed from the catalog came 11 days before the deadline.Of course there are remakes too persona 3 reload It will be available on Game Pass from day one. However, if you wanted to play the existing version, you’re out of luck as the remake basically replaces it.
These concerns are not completely resolved by purchasing games digitally. If Steam disappeared tomorrow, a user’s library of games would be unavailable due to DRM. Over the past few years, this has caused many people to give up and as a result more people just play what they have for as long as they can. “Lately, I feel like the only game that’s actually ‘my’ is his PS3, which I have on my bedside table,” says user GustavNZ.
The problem is that this signals a future where more and more people no longer have digital game licenses and no longer own physical copies of games. These concerns are tied to larger conservation concerns. Over the years, multiple games have become unavailable for purchase or completely delisted on Steam. dead pool, alpha protocoland Kane and Lynch: Dead Men is just one example. Other versions have been replaced by remasters as well as the original version. grand theft auto iii, Grand Theft Auto: Vice Cityand grand theft auto san andreasor the first two games Metro series.
All these factors combined with news like Best Buy removing physical media from stores across the United States will ultimately lead to more users turning to piracy. In 2020, I reported that Argentina was relying on piracy to enjoy this hobby, but rising prices and the release of next-generation gaming consoles wouldn’t keep pace. Over three years have passed and everything has become more expensive. It’s not just from a local perspective. The first-party title currently costs $69.99 on PlayStation and Xbox. NBA 2K series and baldur’s gate 3 Next lawsuit. These new industry practices are even worse in countries with hyperinflation.
“Greensteam” is a term recently coined by an Argentinian, alluding to the uTorrent logo. This issue has been mentioned frequently in recent months, and many people I spoke to suggested that piracy would become more prominent than before. “If you want to play legally, Game Pass is the best option,” says user Tyr9999. “If not, then there are pirated copies. And I’m not saying that just because it’s ‘free.’ Piracy is also a great way to preserve games.know star field This is not mine, but I also know that it has already been archived by a lot of people. ”
Aside from piracy, those who aren’t interested in new releases have a huge backlog, and this is something many people mentioned during interviews, especially those who didn’t buy Steam games in bulk when prices were ARS. It’s a sentiment shared by many who have been in the market for years, making holiday sales a great opportunity. I’ll do that.
“If you want to play legally, Game Pass is the best option. Otherwise, it’s copyright infringement.”
User-created tools like Impuestito (Spanish for “small tax”) are helping people who are willing to buy games. Lucas, a programmer based in Buenos Aires, has been working on this since late 2021. It started out as a convenient way to calculate taxes for services like Netflix and Spotify, and featured both a site and a browser plugin that automatically did the calculations for you. you. He recently released a new extension and his Discord bot that flags whenever a game on Steam becomes available on Game Pass. On average, a total of about 80,000 users visit the site every week, half of which are unique users.
It is difficult to know how many Argentine users are currently registered with Game Pass. In response to questions, Xbox spokesman Ludwig Kietzmann said it was against company policy to share region-specific numbers. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that the service had 34 million total subscribers.
Fundamentally, the way people pay (or don’t pay) for games influences how they think about games. When Steam had regional pricing, it was easier to buy smaller games, which made them more discoverable simply because they were cheaper. Nowadays, it’s becoming rare to buy multiple games at once, even during holiday sales. For Game Pass subscribers, curation is determined by Xbox, which decides what you can play and for how long, without any input from you.
Certainly, everyone has backlogs to tackle. However, in regions like Argentina, new releases will be difficult. Few people would buy a first-party game at full price, let alone an indie title, out of a genuine desire to support developers. For everyone else, playing video games is no different than watching Netflix. These experiences are meant to be consumed quickly, before they are inevitably shuffled around or lost altogether. The number of people looking to secure physical or DRM-free copies to store their media seems to be decreasing day by day.
User BraMMa_ concludes, “The amount of money I used to spend in over a year will now be spent on just one game I like.” “Times have changed…we will have to adapt.”
