Despite the Australian dollar steadily maintaining parity with the US dollar for quite some time now, most videogame prices still remain painfully high. In what comes as welcome news, Macquarie Bank consumer analyst Rob Blythe predicts people in Australia will not have to fork over mountains of cash for their videogames for much longer. On the back of a consumer report into online spending in Australia, Blythe believes that the disconnection between the dollar's parity and high game prices will soon be something of the past:
Australia has been slow to adapt to international pricing for games, yes, but I think in the second half of this year or at the very least by early 2012 we will start to see game prices in Australia coming down. From my estimates, I predict they'll drop from around A$120 to somewhere around A$70.
If this eventuates, it counts as another success of Australia being brought into line with other countries in terms of interactive entertainment. There's still a long way to go, however. Game delays and other factors remain valid reasons for the importing market to flourish while brick-and-mortar establishments become less enticing. With this price drop, perhaps that will also become nothing but a memory.
Aussie Game Prices To Drop By End Of Year: Analyst [Gamespot Australia]
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Contest:
6:00 AM on 08.17.2011 | 
Whether this 'prediction' the analyst made has actually come into effect, only retailers are turning it into a faux sale to get consumers to purchase more games is unknown. I can't honestly imagine seeing new console releases going under $90. Although apparently once upon a time Virtua Fighter cost $170, and I vaguely recall new release PS1 games stretching to $80 at the most. So who knows.
For all you conspiracy theorists out there.
It's about damn time.
No M/18 rating and $120 games are two major things that put me off.
Dear Australia, sort your shit out and I'll think about coming to live there again.
Thanks.
EB do good sales. The problem is when you see things like new versions of games being CHEAPER than used copies. And the fact that Call of Duty 4, which is now nearly five years old, is still being sold for $70. Shit like that makes me puke.