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Considering regional pricing is one of the reasons that indie developers earn so much respect in gaming. Unfortunately, it’s the larger corporations such as PlayStation that find it difficult to consider this aspect, and the proof is really in the pudding. A recent look at Sony’s games in Turkey sees that they now cost roughly $85, or 2.799,00 TL, which is a whopping 20% of the median salary.
For western audiences, the range of $50-$90 for a game is technically affordable, despite how expensive they are in reality. We’re fortunate in the United Kingdom and across the pond as our game prices are realistic in comparison to our salaries. Unfortunately for Turkish gamers where the minimum wage is roughly the equivalent of $500, a new AAA game from PlayStation will cost you almost a fifth of that.
This was first raised as an issue by SynthPotato on Twitter, who was outraged at the lack of considerate pricing for Turkish customers relating to Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. “These prices have to be illegal,” they wrote, going on to provide evidence of the title being “$25-$30 cheaper on PC and Xbox.” It is 2,050 TL on Xbox, and 1,799 TL from Ubisoft.
“As a Turkish citizen, I wonder what made Sony think it would be reasonable to sell games here for €80. We have the same prices as EU, but we earn nowhere close to what they do. Meanwhile, despite the recent price hike, Microsoft still offers GP for affordable prices in Turkey.”
Umut Can Günay
Taking a look at other titles reveals an equally disturbing pricing structure. God of War: Ragnarok costs exactly the same – 2,799 Turkish Lyra. This is a game that released in 2022, while the Star Wars: Jedi Survivor Deluxe Bundle would set you back 3,600 TL (roughly $110).
There are likely global issues at play, import taxes and such, which see the prices of these games inflated heavily, though it doesn’t change the reality that being a console gamer in some countries is nearly impossible.
The same goes for gamers in Brazil, for example. Games are priced standard to American retail, so a new game would cost roughly $60, despite the fact that 90% of Brazilians earn less than $800. In terms of a rare Xbox victory, it makes the $80 Xbox (Controller, Game Pass sub, Fire TV Stick) bundle a lot less of a joke.
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