Valve, the maker of the popular Steam gaming platform, has updated its minimum pricing policy for some non-USD currencies. These changes may impact the sale of games and expansions priced below $5, which could have far-reaching implications. Game makers received a warning. If they don’t change, games might not work in some places.
Fair Play or Price Hike? Valve’s Minimum Pricing Update
The main goal of these changes in the minimum pricing policy aligns with the suggested exchange rates Valve released in October last year. These adjustments reflect significant, long-term currency value changes. The new policy states that games or expansions need to have a minimum price of 99 cents, and discounted games or DLC cannot be under 49 cents. So, creators and sellers might need to rethink their prices for certain areas. Discounts also need to be carefully considered, especially for games that are regularly priced at $4.99 or less.
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Let’s use the video game Vampire Survivors as an example: According to SteamDB, the game is now $0.85 in Argentina. If Poncle wants to continue selling the game in Argentina, they will probably need to raise that price a little.
To help you navigate these intricacies, Valve has built price management and discount tools into the Steam platform.
These changes will also affect users who create multiple Steam accounts in different regions to take advantage of price differences between those regions. Big games might not change much, but players might not want to switch locations for cheaper indie games.
To end, Valve’s recent changes to minimum prices for some currencies aim for fair and steady pricing in Steam. To deal with money changes and make prices fair, Valve is matching minimum prices with suggested money swaps. Developers and publishers should utilize the tools on Steam to effectively adapt to these modifications. Ultimately, it’s important to maintain a balance between affordable pricing and reliable profits for everyone involved in the games industry.
