Indian PC Gamers Use Twitter to Protest EA Price Hike

By Catherine Cai
published

The Indian gaming scene is on the rise. To capitalize on rising sales, EA decided to raise its prices on games from Rs999-1499 (between $16-$25) to Rs2499-3499 ($41-$58) on its upcoming titles, which is approximately the same in price as Western markets.

EA may have altered its prices to prevent non-Indian customers from using VPN clients to pay for games at Indian prices via Origin.

Naturally, this price hike hasn't pleased Indian gamers, who have taken to Twitter to protest. Under the hashtag #EAPCIndia, gamers are complaining about EA's new policy. Many are threatening to boycott or pirate EA's games. "Back to TORRENTS for MOST," proclaimed one angry Twitter user. "So EA goes this way, gamers can try alternatives. Good opportunity for competitors [and] developers," stated another.

To give non-Indian residents a point of comparison for EA's new game prices, one of the protesters pointed out that his rent was only Rs9000, making the Rs3499 price point for a game absolutely outrageous.

Catherine Cai
Topics
Gaming
50 Comments Comment from the forums
  • spectrewind
    "prevent non-Indian customers from using VPN clients to pay for games at Indian prices via Origin"

    Guess I missed the boat on that one...
    Reply
  • JJ1217
    The VPN thing doesn't work too well. One of my mates bought a key for BO2 from Russia, and despite him using a VPN, they caught onto his playing in different countries and took the game off him. Just EA being more greedy.
    Reply
  • JJ1217
    and I find it funny, because India is a good place for business. If they have boycotters, they're gonna lose alot more money increasing prices then keeping them to acceptable prices.
    Reply
  • shwetanshu
    And then they complaint about the rampant piracy there.
    Reply
  • shwetanshu
    This will only lead to increased piracy.
    Reply
  • bryonhowley
    If US customers are paying $50 then so should every one else period. The price should be based on prices in the states and every country need to pay the same it is as simple as that.
    Reply
  • Chairman Ray
    Before everyone starts thinking that all countries should pay equally, the price set in each country is determined by the equilibrium at which the profit is the highest. Software is often cheaper in countries such as India and China because currency is exchanged unfavorably for them, and average income is also low. If everyone had to pay the exact same amount in USD, then those countries would not be a market at all. I'm still curious as the the actual reason EA hiked the prices, because I'm having trouble believing the VPN issue is much bigger than the Indian market.
    Reply
  • chimera201
    11141878 said:
    If US customers are paying $50 then so should every one else period. The price should be based on prices in the states and every country need to pay the same it is as simple as that.

    You are saying as if America rules the world.
    The cost of living in different countries is different and so will be the prices of video games.

    Reply
  • eklipz330
    11141878 said:
    If US customers are paying $50 then so should every one else period. The price should be based on prices in the states and every country need to pay the same it is as simple as that.

    wow typical idiot american is the reason the rest of the world hates us. do you realize the cost of living is different throughout the world? probably not.
    Reply
  • JJ1217
    11141878 said:
    If US customers are paying $50 then so should every one else period. The price should be based on prices in the states and every country need to pay the same it is as simple as that.

    I facepalmed. Not everyone earns the same wages. Considering the average pay from what I've heard is 35000-50000 rupees a year, 3500 rupees for single game would be 10% of their salary. Meaning maybe at top 1 game a year, ruling out other expenses.
    Reply