Matrix Games Announces the 2008 Holiday Sale!

[Marc von Martial]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins In no case did prices go up, yet we have complaints.

This is exactly the point.

[Gem35]

Raise your prices matrix, we still will buy these great games. If you can't afford to play video games , maybe some of you need to either get a second method of income or marry a rich lady.[;)]

[MikeBrough]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

In no case did prices go up, yet we have complaints. - Erik

Wrong, I'm afraid. Random example, first entry on th WW II page, Across the Dnepr is now £10.99 for DD and it was previously £8.99.

[MikeBrough]

ORIGINAL: Gem35

Raise your prices matrix, we still will buy these great games.

Sycophantic toady. Oops, forgot my smiley. [:'(] Obviously money is no object for some.

If you can't afford to play video games , maybe some of you need to either get a second method of income or marry a rich lady.[;)]

I'll continue to buy computer games, probably not so many Matrix games, though. Most other publishers recognise that the average UK gameplayer isn't as well-off as their average US equivalent and adjust prices downwards. I believe Matrix do the same in Poland. But the UK£ prices (pre-tax) are actually higher than the US$ prices. Go figure.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: MikeBrough Wrong, I'm afraid. Random example, first entry on th WW II page, Across the Dnepr is now £10.99 for DD and it was previously £8.99.

Good point - the titles that were NOT in the holiday sale (either because they were already $19.99 or less or because they were released in the last six months) are relatively more expensive due to the updated currency conversion.

In any case though, I think I've explained why I was surprised at the negative comments in response to our biggest sale ever, since for 90% of our products, even if you had a currency conversion rate change, the price either stayed the same or went down. If we hadn't held this sale, the price would have gone up 30% then! I mean, if you've been ordering anything else that's converted from US dollars, you would already have been paying higher conversion rates for a few months. I guess for you guys, this ended up being an announcement that the "ongoing sale" you've been enjoying due to us being slow to update the conversion rates will eventually end come January, but really how could expect it not to? I just don't see how we are realistically expected to not update our currency conversion rates.

The conversion rates are also still lower than they've been for most of our history as a company, so again I guess I just don't see how this would get _me_ worked up and thus I don't understand why other folks are getting worked up about it. International currency conversion rates are entirely out of our control or your control. It's like being disappointed that there's also inflation every year (speaking of which, have any of you noticed that PC wargame prices have NOT gone up with inflation since the 80s?).

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: MikeBrough I'll continue to buy computer games, probably not so many Matrix games, though. Most other publishers recognise that the average UK gameplayer isn't as well-off as their average US equivalent and adjust prices downwards. I believe Matrix do the same in Poland. But the UK£ prices (pre-tax) are actually higher than the US$ prices. Go figure.

Ok, this is starting to get ridiculous. Who adjusts their UK prices downward? Every mainstream company I've dealt with in gaming does not do this? Poland was a one-time experiment for us and frankly, it was not a success as far as the bottom line goes, though I'm glad some Polish wargamers got access to our games. Are you seriously comparing the UK to Poland in terms of per capita income?

Also, we do a straight currency conversion to UK pounds, the only "rounding" that happens is based on getting to XX.99, which should be trivial. You're giving the impression that we're somehow trying to gouge UK customers which astounds me. We've always been fair in pricing our games to customers around the world at exactly the same price as the US price, just converted based on current currency rates.

What do you think happens when you buy a game from us in the UK? Your payment gets converted through those same conversion rates (after your government takes out their taxes and DR takes their cut) and what's left in dollars is what we get to share with our developer. It's simply the way the world works and how folks can use this as a negative against us is beyond me.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

I realize I'm probably seeming a bit stubborn on this, so I want to be clear about a few things.

First, we realize times are tough for folks all around the world. We're not exactly exempt from the economy either. Our goal with having our biggest holiday sale EVER was specifically to make the holidays a bit more cheerful by making our games, which are not normally a big expense, still more affordable.

When doing a store-wide price change, we have to take the newest currency conversion rates into account. We can't change what happens with international currency conversion rates, we can only use them. So please take into account that the world is what it is, and in the middle of all that, we're having a huge holiday sale. Anything apart from the 30% discount is really out of our control.

Regards,

- Erik

[MikeBrough]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Ok, this is starting to get ridiculous. Who adjusts their UK prices downward? Every mainstream company I've dealt with in gaming does not do this?

Every distributor selling in the UK does. There's a price point of £29.99 above which they will not go. If that means EA getting fewer dollars per sale given the conversion rate, they live with it. Better a sale with $2 profit than no sale at all.

Poland was a one-time experiment for us and frankly, it was not a success as far as the bottom line goes, though I'm glad some Polish wargamers got access to our games. Are you seriously comparing the UK to Poland in terms of per capita income?

We've established the principle, now we're haggling over the price. [:D]

Also, we do a straight currency conversion to UK pounds, the only "rounding" that happens is based on getting to XX.99, which should be trivial.

I've selected a few of your more expensive games at random and the US price for DD is $49.99. UK price is £33.99. Gives an exchange rate of £1 = $1.47. All prices are pre-tax. Exchange rates over the past few months only hit 1.47 on 2 days in the last month. 1-month average has been 1.53.

You're giving the impression that we're somehow trying to gouge UK customers which astounds me. We've always been fair in pricing our games to customers around the world at exactly the same price as the US price, just converted based on current currency rates.

What do you think happens when you buy a game from us in the UK? Your payment gets converted through those same conversion rates (after your government takes out their taxes and DR takes their cut) and what's left in dollars is what we get to share with our developer. It's simply the way the world works and how folks can use this as a negative against us is beyond me.

Regards,

- Erik

I suspect your MI will show UK sales falling off faster than US sales in this depression. Again, would you rather have 3 or 4 sales at a dollar profit each or no sales at all?

I understand your point of view on this but see it from mine - you announce a sale, I check the prices, and they're either static or have gone up!

[McGlu]

I have no complaints about this sale at all. Granted, I am in the US, but I don't see why everyone is so upset about the exchange rate. That's just the way our world economy works. I've been paying way too much for European stuff for quite some time now. It's good to see things swinging the other way.

Thanks for the great promotion! I will definitely be grabbing something!

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: MikeBrough

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Ok, this is starting to get ridiculous. Who adjusts their UK prices downward? Every mainstream company I've dealt with in gaming does not do this?

Every distributor selling in the UK does. There's a price point of £29.99 above which they will not go. If that means EA getting fewer dollars per sale given the conversion rate, they live with it. Better a sale with $2 profit than no sale at all.

Exactly. I don't know where you get your ideas about the UK market from, Erik, but you need to revise them pronto. Marc is just as bad.. he claimed in another thread that major games publishers sold in the UK on a pound for dollar basis, something he was unable to back-up when challenged; unsurprisingly as it is completely untrue.

I won't speak for anybody else, but I'm not 'grumbling' about exchange rates. I've bought over 20 Matrix games over the last six years and, exchange rate wise, have taken the rough with the smooth. I'm merely explaining that if you believe that

UK prices for example are already affordable compared to many retail PC games

you are wrong, at least if "affordable" is to be interpreted as "competitively priced with". Your games are not, currently, competitively priced with mainstream releases on sale in the UK, or anything like it. You are sheltered to a significant extent in that, with the exception of the AGEOD stuff, very few 'proper' wargames are available off the shelf, but even so the sort of price differential I described in my last post will inevitably hurt your sales and hence profits, particularly in what is now a confirmed recession. Rather more so, I venture to suggest, than pricing according to market, at least for the duration.

[Gem35]

I would like to know why you folks are even here if you can't afford to buy the games? Must be here to argue, we have enough of you stuffed shirts on this forum already. Oh and Happy Holidays and all that.[:)]

[scout1]

Interesting that Karkov is on sale but Gary Grisby's War between the States is not (even though is released prior to Karkov ....)

Why the difference ?

[Adam Parker]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

How much is a GMT board game down there? Over here it's about the same price or higher than one of our PC wargames.

Import prices have just gone up because of the dollar but for the price of a CC WaR download I'm getting FAB Bulge and my apologies, for a few dollars more, the LnL Closet Clearing Pack (store has heaps unsold) at a good price - all less my frequent shopper's discount. That's another nice retail touch.

Things don't sell, prices go down in retail. So that's how I based that buying decision: CaC WaR from Matrix at great risk due to bugs, vs in hand cardboard, plastic and wood. I really would have loved CaC WaR but too risky to write off $60AUD.

Another example: The store is selling every Axis and Allies boardgame at $25AUD! I bought a set of Bulge and Europe for less than an SSG Digital Dowload of Normandy - on special, as Xmas gifts.

[Lützow]

Whatever you do, people will bitch about. It's an unwritten law of the internet. [8|]

Would consider to use this discount sale if I did not own all Matrix titles already I'm interested in. With the exception of CoG maybe, but then again the Emperor Edition is due in Q 1/2009.

[Helpless]

ORIGINAL: scout1

Interesting that Karkov is on sale but Gary Grisby's War between the States is not (even though is released prior to Karkov ....)

Why the difference ?

PzC:Kharkov which was released before GG:WBtS is on sale. SSG's Kharkov is not. Two different games.

Edit: oops..

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: Gem35

I would like to know why you folks are even here if you can't afford to buy the games? Must be here to argue, we have enough of you stuffed shirts on this forum already.

Yeah... that's right. After 22 Matrix titles I've now fallen on hard times and can't afford any more. I'm just here now to salvage whatever pitiful little thrills I can from winding up heroes of the boards such as yourself.

Muppet. [8|]

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: scout1 Interesting that Karkov is on sale but Gary Grisby's War between the States is not (even though is released prior to Karkov ....)

Err... whoops. If that's the case then it looks like we got our dates confused.

[Gem35]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

ORIGINAL: Gem35

I would like to know why you folks are even here if you can't afford to buy the games? Must be here to argue, we have enough of you stuffed shirts on this forum already.

Yeah... that's right. After 22 Matrix titles I've now fallen on hard times and can't afford any more. I'm just here now to salvage whatever pitiful little thrills I can from winding up heroes of the boards such as yourself.

Muppet. [8|]

You are thrilling me Herston. But you are my hero actually, I only have a few games, not 22. Perhaps I should take advantage of the holiday sale.[:)]

[bbmike]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: scout1 Interesting that Karkov is on sale but Gary Grisby's War between the States is not (even though is released prior to Karkov ....)

Err... whoops. If that's the case then it looks like we got our dates confused.

bbmike crosses fingers and waits for Gary Grisby's War between the States to go on sale...

[Ron Belcher]

yay!  pip pip !!!  I'm going to buy my 3rd copy of WiTP now =)  God Bless you all at Matrix Games !   (...& helping my Wife understand a good $ale on your games too! ---Merry Christmas!)   -= Tac =-