Rockstar? More like CO-

-MPANY THAT DOES STUPID THINGS TO GET MORE MONEY.
...
What, were you expecting something else?

Anywho, Rockstar has provided yet another scummy move to the PC crowd of GTA V, by removing the ability to purchase the game on its own and replacing it with bundles so they can still technically sell GTA V at full price during the summer sale.

That's low, Rockstar. Real low.

They also upped the price of the actual game by $10 to add insult to injury.


EDIT: Actually, now that I think about it I think they added $20 to the price. Because retail price for video games is $70 in Canada.

Totally saw this and thought it was hilarious.

But I mean- I guess I get it. The game just came out for PC, I understand them wanting to keep the price tag at 60. But 60 with some bonuses, I'd say they're technically being nice.

Upping the price right before a sale to maintain full price is illegal in many countries.

I guess, but if someone has Max Payne and San Andreas and doesn't intend on playing GTAO (or tries it and doesn't like it) they may as well have waited for the Summer Sale to end.

And there's simply no excuse what-so-goddamn-ever to raising the price of GTA V so you can keep it close to retail price. That is simply shallow anti-consumer bullshit.

It honestly would've been better if they hadn't participated in the sale at all.

Also, I'd just like to point out, a bunch of reviews are going negative because of this, to the point where all the front reviews are calling it out.
Good on you, Steam reviewers. ^_^7

Sooner or later this will correct itself. Take Two or whoever is responsible is going to realize that Rockstar is on a razor's edge PR-wise and owning GTA doesn't make you invincible.

I'm gonna call you on this one, sorry.

Scummy it may be, but people need to stop throwing around the word "illegal" without being able to back it up.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...12-pricing-practices-guidance-for-traders.pdf
Section 1.2.6 reads:

EDIT: Looks like Rockstar have now added a non-discounted version of just the base game at £39.99 to comply with this.

They never raised the price of the base game? It's still 60$ on US Steam.

What the hell people. They never HAD to discount the game

Essentially people are mad that they're giving bonus DLC / games on the summer sale, when they're not obligated to do anything at all.

It's still 89.98 to me, which as I said isn't normal price.
Actually wait, no it isn't, but it was, the probably changed it because of the **** they were getting.

DLC != in-game currency.

It's still basically free content. Good ol' consumers acting like companies are being greedy when in fact they are. =P

Don't worry we all do it ;P

I don't care what it is when it's still the same price...

It really isn't...
The games are free content, but again there are people who probably own both games, or even people who don't and would just like to buy GTA V alone without the subsidiary nonsense so they can save money on the purchase.

Then don't download the extra games? Again, they don't HAVE TO discount their product. People wanting a discounted game != them being scummy

The in game cash is bonus free stuff too! Besides if you already own the other games said games go into your inventory as gifts afaik. You can buy the regular game for 60 bucks and you can buy the game with extra free stuff for 60 bucks too.

People are being ridiculous because they expected a game that came out just a little while ago for PC to go on sale.

Actually, by discounting their game they get a spot on the Steam front page among the sale items. Doing it this way means they essentially get free marketing at the expense of other games.

As noted, the practice of hiking then claiming a discount is illegal in many jurisdictions because it is deliberately misleading to consumers.

It doesn't bother me about the lack of discount - I bought the game at full price. But this is an extremely shady business tactic and I think it's right to highlight and call out companies that do this.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but none of that is legally-binding, nor is it a good case for legal action. Additionally, regulations like this really struggle with the online market and how said market forces have been changing in the past five years.

As a further thing, it's entirely probably that Valve are forcing sales on these games. Shadiness or otherwise (and personally I think shadiness, but I like exploring options), it could be a legal / unregulated way of dealing with Valve forcing them to impose a sales cut.

In the UK those regulations are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, who can impose legally-binding sanctions on companies which breach these guidelines and engage in misleading practices like this which harm consumers.

On your second point, I'd highly doubt Valve have the capacity to force any game to sell below its RRP.

Why would you doubt it? The content is being sold on their store through their systems. Developers have to sign contractually-binding documents to publish through Steam, or sell on Steam.

And yes, sanctions can be imposed. But that doesn't make the action in of itself illegal. Is it wrong? More than likely. Is it illegal? No, and people need to stop overusing that word.