Buying Don Bradman Cricket in UK

[invisibleman18]

Fair enough. As pretty much every game seems to be available on ozgameshop and the like, do you know of other developers/publishers trying to stop them selling their game?

 

[Frostyvegi]

Fair enough. As pretty much every game seems to be available on ozgameshop and the like, do you know of other developers/publishers trying to stop them selling their game?

I don't think anyone can stop them selling the game.. otherwise the ACCC or the likes would get their noses in a twist.. it's more about making the standard retail path more attractive to the end client (pre-order bonuses through certain retailers, international same day release, more balanced price, etc). Unfortunately, as @Ross said, regional pricing does factor in.. (even then it doesn't appear cheap enough).

 

[MattW]

You have stated a number of times that you never discount your games and that if a retailer is selling it cheaper then they are wearing that discount themselves. Based on that, does it matter to you if someone like ozgameshop.com is selling it cheaper? Presumably they are paying the same for their stock as everyone else so they are wearing the difference aren't they?

Ozgameshop take advantage of the sales taxation rules. If you're a UK business exporting something, you don't need to pay the 20% VAT that a regular consumer within the UK would pay for a product. Then Australia doesn't charge its 10% GST on imports under $1000 - so you're essentially getting the product tax free, which means that you can take 20% off the starting price, before you eat into the retailer margin.

So in this case, the ?45 retail price in the UK, with tax removed becomes AU$65 - then they add in some cost for the 'free shipping' and sell it for $69.99 - undercutting the local retail stores by $20-30.

They've already cut into their own margins to get the pricing in the UK and India to the high end of what the market will accept - as discussed earlier, there's a huge import tariff on the game into India which eats into their margins there - so they want to protect the market in Australia, keeping the pricing near the $90-$100 the market here will accept and which delivers the best margin for Big Ant to make some money and keep making games.

 

[Biggs]

...and all that being said, $90 is a totally reasonable price to pay for a game anyway. Gaming is a privilege and a hobby, not a right. Otherwise, we'd all ride unicorns and shit...

 

[MattW]

Considering how much I've spent over the years on bad cricket games, $90 for the best one yet is pretty good.

 

[blockerdave]

What @MattW says makes a lot of sense but would also blow out the water @Ross statement right after the initial release that he hoped to give us the info early last week since that would never have been on the cards if Matt is right.

It also would make his posts that seemed to imply Game's date of the 4th was the one to listen to less than reliable.

 

[BigAntStudios]

blah blah blah

 

[blockerdave]

Would also point out I've been subjected to personal abuse for suggesting (repeatedly, admittedly) that there was more to it than waiting for the distributor to "approve"... Now he's trying to imply that is the case

But as was said above, it's a good distraction from the clusterf*** that is this release.

 

[BigAntStudios]

I don't think anyone can stop them selling the game.. otherwise the ACCC or the likes would get their noses in a twist.. it's more about making the standard retail path more attractive to the end client (pre-order bonuses through certain retailers, international same day release, more balanced price, etc). Unfortunately, as @Ross said, regional pricing does factor in.. (even then it doesn't appear cheap enough).

At the end of the day all I can do is make the game as best I can.

I have to leave the distribution to the experts. Tru Blu/HES have been in business for thirty years+, the numbers don't lie, they have outlasted ALL other Australian publishers and are the only one remaining. I trust them with the game and know it is in their interests to sell as many as possible for the highest price possible.

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This message is hidden because blockerdave is on your ignore list.

geez... you are one whining sniping bastard... someone told me you were apparently over it a few days ago and had moved on. LOL.

Cue vvvvv

 

[Biggs]

...it's also further proof my ambitions to work in Gaza leveraging a Middle East peace deal are baseless.

 

[MattW]

It also would make his posts that seemed to imply Game's date of the 4th was the one to listen to less than reliable.

Not necessarily. Perhaps it's simply that the preferred retailers are being supplied with limited stock earlier with the wider channel getting it on the 11th - maybe all the websites will say the 11th, but people will start seeing it in stores and getting shipped orders early.

It is hard to do what is seemingly being tried - give reliable information to consumers at the same time as attempting to disrupt a certain category of retailers.

I certainly don't know how to best advise people on what to do in the UK to get the game as soon as possible - I wish there was some, it's been 11 days since the Big Ant Studios twitter said "Stay tuned for UK news." a simple direct answer from Tru Blu on how to get the game as soon as possible in the UK - such as highlighting their official retailers or something would be a step forward.

Would also point out I've been subjected to personal abuse for suggesting (repeatedly, admittedly) that there was more to it than waiting for the distributor to "approve"... Now he's trying to imply that is the case

I would suggest that the reaction was due to the inference you took that it meant there was no deal and it would be months.

While it took a bit of time to understand things - everything Ross said was true - they had an agreement for distribution, copies were on their way, but the distributor didn't want to be named at the time.

I'm happy to therefore also believe the other things Ross is saying about the release in good faith - that people in the UK will receive it as near to the 4th April as possible. His suggestion that GAME might have it right was either correct in that it might well be available from them on the 4th, or at the very least in the context that it's certainly not going to be the 17th April or even mid-May dates that most retailers had at that time.

 

[BigAntStudios]

Not necessarily. Perhaps it's simply that the preferred retailers are being supplied with limited stock earlier with the wider channel getting it on the 11th - maybe all the websites will say the 11th, but people will start seeing it in stores and getting shipped orders early.

It is hard to do what is seemingly being tried - give reliable information to consumers at the same time as attempting to disrupt a certain category of retailers.

I certainly don't know how to best advise people on what to do in the UK to get the game as soon as possible - I wish there was some, it's been 11 days since the Big Ant Studios twitter said "Stay tuned for UK news." a simple direct answer from Tru Blu on how to get the game as soon as possible in the UK - such as highlighting their official retailers or something would be a step forward.


I would suggest that the reaction was due to the inference you took that it meant there was no deal and it would be months.

While it took a bit of time to understand things - everything Ross said was true - they had an agreement for distribution, copies were on their way, but the distributor didn't want to be named at the time.

I'm happy to therefore also believe the other things Ross is saying about the release in good faith - that people in the UK will receive it as near to the 4th April as possible. His suggestion that GAME might have it right was either correct in that it might well be available from them on the 4th, or at the very least in the context that it's certainly not going to be the 17th April or even mid-May dates that most retailers had at that time.

I have a constant email trail back and forth with Tru Blu/HES about what I can say. I made the product however I am not responsible marketing or distributing the retail versions. Part of the deal is I have to hand over that responsibility and let them do their job.

I can only say what I am told and even then to the limit of an NDA. I have pushed the boundaries as far as I am prepared too and already have had "the call".

Just in case people are not reading the other thread, there is good news, the USA/Canada will have local distribution, there is bad news, unfortunately USA/Canada distributors do not have Steelbooks - sorry

Edit: it wasn't an "inference" it's apparently a statement of blocker-fact, as stubborn and as immovable as a constipated elephant he cannot bear to think he could be wrong even though it's obvious to all that at best he has to be guessing as he is not involved in the transaction, which oddly enough neither am I.

cue the guy that's apparently over it and moved on vvvvv

 

[supasachin]

I have a constant email trail back and forth with Tru Blu/HES about what I can say. I made the product however I am not responsible marketing or distributing the retail versions. Part of the deal is I have to hand over that responsibility and let them do their job.

I can only say what I am told and even then to the limit of an NDA. I have pushed the boundaries as far as I am prepared too and already have had "the call".

Just in case people are not reading the other thread, there is good news, the USA/Canada will have local distribution, there is bad news, unfortunately USA/Canada distributors do not have Steelbooks - sorry

Edit: it wasn't an "inference" it's apparently a statement of blocker-fact, as stubborn and as immovable as a constipated elephant he cannot bear to think he could be wrong even though it's obvious to all that at best he has to be guessing as he is not involved in the transaction, which oddly enough neither am I.

When can we expect the info on the local distribution

 

[BigAntStudios]

When can we expect the info on the local distribution

Whenever Tru Blu/HES announce it.

 

[supasachin]

Whenever Tru Blu/HES announce it.

Fair enough. Sorry, one last stupid question...by local distributor you mean a shop or a website?