Game prices expected to go up further in India

A change in the duty structure enforced by the Central Board of Excise and Customs along with unfavourable currency exchange rates will result in an increase in console and PC game prices across the board in India, MCV has learned.

EA upset many gamers recently by announcing that it was increasing the price of FIFA 13 by up to 80 per cent, even prompting calls for a boycott of EA releases on the publisher’s official Indian Facebook page.

However, multiple game distributors have told MCV that they too will soon have to raise game prices. Aside from the unfavourable currency exchange rates, there has been a change in the import duty structure levied on games, which will increase costs substantially.

While duties were earlier calculated based on cost, a part of the duty will now be charged on the game’s maximum retail price. This could see duties go up by 5-7 per cent.

It’s unclear how much of an increase in retail price this will result in, but these changes will affect both console and PC games. The drop in the value of the Rupee has already seen game prices go up, with console games that were earlier at Rs 2,499 nowpriced at anywhere from Rs 2,599 to Rs 2,799.

Sony recently revealed to MCV that it will begin manufacturing PS3 games in India this year; a move that will largely negate the impact of both customs duties and exchange rates.

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