Due to differences in regional currencies outside of the United States, older EA games have become incredibly overpriced.
Following EA’s grand return to Steam, spreading their library over their own Origin and Valve’s digital marketplace, it seems that due to some inconsistencies with global currencies many older games have received a hike in price.
It’s worth mentioning that the increases in price aren’t all small either…some are pretty gigantic. While certain regions are facing a minimal increase some countries have been smacked with a whopping price hike of upwards of 100%. It even looks like some games have been blessed with a decrease in price.
Initially spotted by reddit user “MJuniorDC9”, the Steam prices for a number of EA games already on Steam have been fluctuating since Wednesday. Perhaps the best example is The Mass Effect Collection, which has increased from £23 to £30 while the Swiss Franc was only increased from CHF 33.50 to CHF 35.00. The Australian Dollar dropped by 8% and the South African Rand? Games have seen a Dollar price adjustment as well as a currency adjustment. The result is most EA games have gone up nearly 50% across the board for South Africans. Compared to the Origin pricing for those games, it’s even worse. Dead Space, as one example, is R149 on Origin, but R349 on Steam. Same old games, new high price.
Although let us all utter a quiet prayer of thanks that we’re not Brazil as the Brazilian Real has been smacked with 300% increase on games such as Medal of Honour, Dead Space 1 and 2 and Mirror’s Edge. While the changes in price have not affected EA’s more modern games, such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, it’s interesting that these fluctuations have only hit the Steam versions of the above-mentioned games, alongside others, while over on Origin the games have all remained the same price which is probably for the best because they were all cheaper on Origin anyway.
EA has yet to comment on why these price differences are occurring but it seems that the fluctuations have largely settled down over the course of the weekend.
Last Updated: February 10, 2020
Pariah
February 10, 2020 at 10:06
How do you even justify that? I’d understand a 30% increase vs Origin, due to the Steam cut. It’d be a dick move even then, but completely understandable. But up to 300% in some regions? wtf?
Son of Banana Jim
February 10, 2020 at 10:22
EA: “Now, just hang on a minute, you’re all hating Blizzard all of a sudden…? And you’re ignoring me? No… uh huh… I will not play second fiddle to a bunch of elf-shaggers and devil worshipers. What’s my name? ELECTRONIC ARTS, bitch! Remember it!!”
*drops mic*
*Raises game prices on old games*
Son of Banana Jim
February 10, 2020 at 10:22
EA: “Now, just hang on a minute, you’re all hating Blizzard all of a sudden…? And you’re ignoring me? No… uh huh… I will not play second fiddle to a bunch of elf-shaggers and devil worshipers. What’s my name? ELECTRONIC ARTS, bitch! Remember it!!”
*drops mic*
*Raises game prices on old games*
justlikemo
February 10, 2020 at 10:32
Yehhhhh, for those old games, this is a situation where you troll online for physical copies, like ebay or bt games, and you would probably pick them up for under a 100
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 10, 2020 at 11:58
Maybe they forgot to raise the prices on Origin.
justlikemo
February 10, 2020 at 10:32
Yehhhhh, for those old games, this is a situation where you troll online for physical copies, like ebay or bt games, and you would probably pick them up for under a 100
BradeLunner
February 10, 2020 at 12:03
Bet Brazil is wishing they’d cleared their backlog already
Skyblue
February 10, 2020 at 19:30
EA is a mess. Picked up Fallen Order in December for like 200 bucks on special from the Epic Store while EA were still selling their own game at 1k.