Civ 3 in Taiwan, price discriminiation?

Chow Yun Fat · September 29, 2001, 05:55

I've read from another web site stating that:

Infogrames Taiwan will have a simultaneous launch of Civ3 with the world. Right now Infogrames Taiwan is down.

Content is nearly the same as already stated in this forum. Except that the videotape of 'Making of Civ 3' is being replaced by a CD (I guess it's a Video CD which is popular in Asia).

And the most important thing, the price
TW$1280(US$37.3)
Order direct from Infograme Taiwan
TW$1024(US29.8) (with shipping)

Too bad they only take order within Taiwan.

All fact pending confirmation. Stay tuned.

Chow Yun Fat · September 29, 2001, 06:20

Sigh. I should have checked that web site long time ago!

Some information about Civ3 had been released on 10 September! X)

Release date: 30 October 2001
Package included:

Tech chart
designers's notes
Making of Civ 3 CD
2 special scenarios
Special tin box
Chinese manual (only in Taiwan)
Chinese version upgrade coupon

The information is posted by Taiwan Infogramme representative. Should be trustable.

I will ask about multi-player in that forum too. Hope she will have more information.

Urban Ranger · September 29, 2001, 10:24

Is that the price for the Limited Edition? That'd be good.

I can't handle them Taiwanese manual though, very strange form of Chinese.

Chow Yun Fat · September 29, 2001, 12:00

Urban Ranger,

Most likely the Taiwan version will contain both English and Chinese manuals. But pre-ordering is limited to Taiwan customers only. And yes, the version they are selling is limited edition (in English).

The normal Chinese version will be available on Dec 1. Suggested price: TW$890 (US$26)

Hong Kong is such a small place that it may not get any limited version. I will check with my favorite dealer tomorrow for availability.

It's strange that Europe will get limited edition late while US and Asia-Pacific having the same release date.

Ozymandous · September 29, 2001, 12:50

Hmm, amusing that the price for the game mentioned is almost 50% lower than it's selling for in the U.S.

I guess we're all a bunch of suckers...

Slax · September 29, 2001, 13:53

Do you think the "Chinese version upgrade coupon" has anything to do with a later release of MP, or is that standard practice?

Chow Yun Fat · September 29, 2001, 15:03

Ozymandous:
That's why I say that it is price discrimination. Average income per capita in Taiwan and Hong Kong is much lower than in US and Europe. Publisher just try their best to get profit by lowering price. Too bad that in Hong Kong, the software price is nearer to the US price rather than the Taiwan price.

Remember, average customers won't know about the lowered price in other places. So they won't feel agitated.

However, if you come to Taiwan at time Civ 3 release, remember to buy the limited edition as gifts for your friends.

Slax:
It is quite usual for Taiwan to release the Chinese version a bit later. Translation does take time. To stop hardcore gamers from getting pirated English version or parallel importing, the Taiwan publishers start to import a few English version and offer coupons for buyers to get the Chinese version later. They are quite successful in keeping hardcore gamers from using alternate ways to get the product.

J10 · October 7, 2001, 12:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Chow Yun Fat
Ozymandous:
That's why I say that it is price discrimination. Average income per capita in Taiwan and Hong Kong is much lower than in US and Europe.

http://www.photius.com/wfb1999/ranki..._capita_0.html

Ah Fat Gor, I'm from HK too. Our GDP per cap is the 6th highest among all countries in the world in 1999, I'm sure the data for 2000 is out somewhere but I'm not bothering, maybe we've dropped a little. Our average income per cap is actually considered (to be polite) quite high, sheeesh.

Of course, our gaming market is very, very limited, basically it's either "lo fran" or nothing, you know what I mean

As for pre-ordering, what's stopping you from ordering online? I'm pretty sure they would ship to HK, I previously worked for a gaming zine in the U.S and we worked with online gaming stores, all of them (gamestop, cb, eb) will ship to HK.

Urban Ranger · October 7, 2001, 14:08

Used to be mostly pirated stuff, but now the situation has improved.

I'll check with my dealer to see if I can get a copy of the LE if the regular edition won't come out until December

J10,

Our median income sucks though. Just because we have a bunch of tycoons such as Mr Lee and his sons doesn't mean the rest of us can afford much...

Chow Yun Fat · October 8, 2001, 01:51

J10:

Sorry I've mispresented Hong Kong income per capita. I am not aware that Hong Kong is among the highest ranked in GDP per capita. However, I tend to believe that median household income and if possible, median disposable household income represents purchasing power of citizens more accurately.

According to HK government ((http://www.info.gov.hk/hkfacts/popula.pdf),
the median monthly household income was estimated to be HK$17,500 (US$2,000) in year 2000. Guess that there won't be much spare to spend on computer games for an average household with our high housing cost.

Buying new games directly from US costs about the same as buying from Hong Kong. 2nd-hand and old games market are extremely small, maybe due to the huge pirated game CD market.

Nice to see another HK fellow here.

Urban Ranger:
The owner of the game shop that I usually visits says that he will be importing the US version rather than getting it from Infogramme Asia-Pacific. So most likely you will see the game at the same time as the US fellows. I am checking if my friends can purchase the LE version from Taiwan for me. So I probably can get the game two or three weeks later than normal.

J10 · October 8, 2001, 02:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Chow Yun Fat
J10:

However, I tend to believe that median household income and if possible, median disposable household income represents purchasing power of citizens more accurately.

So true, my disposable income for last month was a negative number

But having worked and lived in Canada and the U.S for several years, I understand that even median household income could not represent the purchasing power of a country clearly for one reason, tax. Do we pay tax when we buy a candybar? No. We don't pay sales tax when we buy this game neither, we pay as much as the price tag says. But A game that's $USD 39.99 would become $42.78 in Michigan (7%). In Ontario it's 15%! Not to mention the income tax, America's income tax is unbelievably high for me to adjust at first, in many Euro countries the citizens virtually work for the gov't.

On average, our living standard seem lower, but that's because we pay for example 8x on gas and other goods and products, and the f--king apartment is costing more than an arm and a leg; But if a product is of the same price I believe we have the same purchasing power than they have and thus there's no price discrimination there.

Sarxis · October 8, 2001, 04:12

Hey, if lowering the price in Taiwan will stimulate sales, so be it!

Welcome along on the journey that is CivIII our Taiwanese brethren!

Diva · October 8, 2001, 06:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Chow Yun Fat
J10:

According to HK government ((http://www.info.gov.hk/hkfacts/popula.pdf),
the median monthly household income was estimated to be HK$17,500 (US$2,000) in year 2000

That high? I thought it would be more like $8000. Or was that the mode?

Urban Ranger · October 8, 2001, 06:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Chow Yun Fat
The owner of the game shop that I usually visits says that he will be importing the US version rather than getting it from Infogramme Asia-Pacific. So most likely you will see the game at the same time as the US fellows.

That's all right then. Which shop do you go to? I usually visit the one on second floor of Wanchai Computer City. Mac something rather.

J10 · October 8, 2001, 13:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Diva

That high? I thought it would be more like $8000. Or was that the mode?

$8000 per HOUSEHOLD? I seriously doubt if that'd be possible. Most household's mortgage payment per month's higher than that. I don't know any individual who made less than $8000/mth myself, but I understand that time is rough.

The average of 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 108 is 2+5+8+9+10+11+108=153, 153/7=21.857...

Median of 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 108 is 9. That's why in HK's case, median is more accurate, since we have quite a few tycoons.

CYF: $17500 is NOT equal to $2,000 USD. Remember our currency is pegged to the greenback? $17500/7.8 = $USD2243, you lowered the currency exchange rate by 11%...

Urban Ranger: 298 Computer city?

Urban Ranger · October 9, 2001, 01:05

J10:

Don't forget all those people who are living in Government Subsidised Housing. Many people are making $4000 or less a month

though I don't personally know any of them.

Also Diva was talking about the mode, which corresponds to the longest bar on a bar chart.

Not 298. The other one, Wanchai Computer City. The one that's just outside Wanchai MTR station, right next to a Commercial Press store.