Is importing cheaper for you?

[Corranga]

I did import a lot in the last generation, though a lot of that was down to me having a JAP/US modded GC way prior to the UK release.

Thanks to the excellent exchange rate, and competitive pricing from US/Canadian companies like DVDSoon, DVDBO, fiocco on eBay -> VG+, even importmadness (who I think were actually importers rather than exporters...) then later, and more for DS stuff movietyme.

25 quid for a brand new GC game wasn't uncommon, and a couple of months prior to the £35-40 UK release

DS Wise, similar thing, play/yes asia for a couple of Phoenix Wright titles, often coming in between 12 and 18 quid and months before UK release, and movietyme were almost always <20quid for a brand new DS game. My original DS was a JAP import too so that obviously lead to some purchases.

Some of the asian sites used to have some fantastic sales too. Slitherlink on DS for less than a fiver has to be one of the best (new) game bargains i've ever had

Now, it's way too expensive, and i've done what I can to not find out about JAP/US exclusives to prevent me buying them!

Chris

[Btang84]

I still regularly import. I normally go to Hong Kong on numerous occasions in a year and will pick up a few things on the way. If you know your way around and can price things off the top of your head, bargains can be had very easily.

Last time, I picked up the Hori VX-SA arcade stick for ?70. Some of you guys were estimating it to cost ?150 by import! Luckily enough, my sister flies to Hong Kong every week so I can easily get her to get my stuff. Whether I do import a game or not depends on the price. If the price is a good ?10 cheaper there, I'm happy to get her to get it. Last game I must have imported was Bad Company 2.

Other than that, I'm more than happy to wait for price drops over here.

[speedlolita]

I.. only really play imports, cept SFIV/SSFIV.

[kryss]

Looking at how much cheaper games in the UK are now does get on my nerves. $55 for Dead Space Extraction anywhere in Canada while Gameplay had it for 11 quid. Be able to check prices in Akihabara is as annoying and makes me wonder why I do it.

I'll still be importing DS games for the foreseeable future as there are so many interesting titles that will never see a release in the rest of the world.

I'll import wherever I live, but the money wins out in the end.

[Vince]

I import if i have to ie Japanese shooters, but as a rule its much cheaper to buy here. That said I think new release DS and PSP games still work out cheaper from the US, so I often by them from there.

[slangman]

Being an American Wii owner I find in some ways importing cheaper. American Wii points are far cheaper on Ebay than in the shops over here in the UK which only costs around ?11-?13 compared to ?20 in the shops.

Sadly with retail games I hardly import American games since they are just too expensive compared to the PAL UK versions. Espically in the pre-owned section.

[kernow]

I've never been one for importing, hardly buy anything that way apart from maybe arcade stuff. I'll just wait for someone to sell a copy cheap on the forum. Plus I prefer my games in english, and cheap.

oh hey guys I just spent &#163;50 for something thats 30 over here brand new but I'm not going to play it for 3 months therefore defeating the object, plus I can't read it!

With modern games, I buy used and as cheap as possible, they aren't rare or collectable and quite often 'throw away' after one or two plays. I feel no need to amass a shelf full of common, throwaway games.

[Mayhem]

As noted earlier, most of the reasons for importing have reduced over the years. It's still way cheaper to get DS games from the US than Europe in general though, a lot of new DS games are $30 compared to say 30 quid here in the UK. And I just grabbed a new copy of Gunpay for $5 here at the moment. Wii wise... different matter at times now. Although I have managed to get new copies of Dead Space Extraction and Phantom Brave for $20, and NMH2 is down to $30. If you are prepared to wait 2-3 months, then prices usually do get cut over here...

[dataDave]

Importing during the last generation (DC, PS2, GCN, GBA) was massive fun, and good value. I used to love getting DC games up to two weeks before they were even released in Japan.

...Then everything seemed to instantly die.