Gaming sales wilt after Australian retail orgy

STEAM baby!

The figures don't include Steam! Over the past year the Australian dollar has reached 1:1 exchange rates with the US dollar. But games here still cost TWICE as much as they do in the USA. EG Call of Duty: Black Ops is $38 US on Amazon, and $AU 98 at EB Games locally. ARE THEY FREAKING KIDDING ME? Gamers are extremely well connected, we're not stupid, and if sales have slumped then I don't think there's any mystery as to why.

Incomplete Story

And what is the increase in imports? Why would I pay $100+ at EBGames/kmart/etc when I can import the game for a lot less. About half price.

I know for a fact the rate of import has increased over the last six months, as customs are getting slower and slower to clear things.

Otherwise this story is only half of the full picture. We, as a country, are fed up with paying double the price of the US. Take for example the $100 premium on the 3DS.

If the industry wants the money I send overseas, match their prices.

Sales of cars are down 16% since last February...

.... though this figure does not include the number of red cars sold.

Could also be...

The parity with the U.S. dollar means imports are much cheaper than buying locally. I know I've bought a lot from hmv uk since it's usally half price, even after shipping and the PS3 isn't region locked.

R18+

And it wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that the lack of an R18+ category for games means that the most popular games, aka LFD2 - Fallout2 etc are edited into FAIL, so that most rabid gamers now order their games from New Zealand. Who'd have thunk it, censorship restricting trade, oh dear.