SOE Increases Prices for European Customers
This one comes to us from Arkenor over at Ark's Ark:
I received the following email yesterday. SOE is increasing European prices for a variety of currencies, claiming currency fluctuations.
As a result of Sony Online Entertainment LLC’s ongoing commitment to our players to review global pricing and remain in line with exchange rate fluctuations, it is necessary for us to make adjustments to Membership pricing as outlined below.
In addition to Membership pricing, some Station Cash® prices will also be adjusted.
We are writing to notify you that these price changes will take effect on March 14th, 2013.
We truly appreciate your understanding in this matter.
Sony Online Entertainment LLC
Seeing as my podcast co-host, Petter, is Swedish, let’s see how he’ll be treated under the new pricing. A month of an SOE game will now cost 130 Swedish Krona. According to current exchange rates, that’s £13.03 in UK money, or $20.31 in US dollars. The same digital product costs $14.99 in the US.
The monthly pricing (before tax) for the named countries will now be as follows:
- Denmark : $19.72
- Euros: $17.38
- Sweden: $20.31
- United Kingdom: $14.06
- Norway: $19.72
- Switzerland: $17.37
I've confirmed Arkenor's math with a Currency Conversion site.
Increasing the prices is one thing, thinking we are stupid by providing an obviously flawed reason is a different story....
I am lost a bit... How exactly does Arkenor know those prices? Was it also written in the SOE email? Will those Euro players who pay with $ also see increase in prices? I haven't received such email yet...
That's still €12.99/month so nothing changes for the vast majority of European customers.
The prices were indeed in the email. Not everybody has received it. I have the full changes to monthly and extended subs listed in my post.
Well, thats approximatly the same as i already pay (im in sweden) seeing how the americans think that dollar and euro are the same ($ is switched to Euro in every mmo out there). Just think its ridiculous that i have to pay more in my money just because US economy is going down the drain.
The joys of staying with SOE the higher price?