The VAT hike comes into effect

[Flabio]

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-7220-UK-Game-Prices-Jump-Following-VAT-Hike.html

New games up to 41 from 40 basically. If you've pre-ordered then it looks like they're honoring the original pre-order price.

[Baseley09]

Why would a person pay £40 for a videogame, let alone £41

[Rep]

Surely retailers will use it as an excuse to charge RRP for a while now?

[Neon Ignition]

More likely even more titles will mysteriously launch at retail at ?44.99

Ah well, with the rate that games are dropping in price post-launch it's not something that will affect things much.

[abigsmurf]

It's only fair, after all, they were gracious enough to pass on the 15% rate to consumers.

[egparadigm]

85p on top of a game at £40 inc the old 17.5% rate, to be precise. The actual increase to VAT-inclusive prices, which is after all what most of us are familiar with, is 2.13%.

[112]

I would have assumed a lot of companies would absorb the diffence in VAT in order to get the much needed sales after new years.......

Obviously larger companies coud do the above, whilst smaller one may struggle. Then again the spending habbits of the general population is a nighmare to forcast, as they fluctuate with what goes on in the media....... Remember how no one apparently brought music when Lady Diana left us?

112

[Sketcz]

Why would a person pay £40 for a videogame, let alone £41

This. Always this. And the same for people who complain about $60 games. There are special offers, second hand, discounts, clearances, forum sales of mint condition stuff, cheap imports if a foreign country has a clearance sale, not to mention trading in of previous already reduced games. I haven't paid £40 in years.

Unless you're one of those people who must have it on release day, there is never a reason to pay full whack.

Besides which, if you wait a while they'll release patches fixing any bugs, guides will be online, and word of mouth will be around the internet to guarantee that you're investing in a good game (as opposed to a polished turd).

I thought we had reached an age where we'd moved beyond first day full price purchases? God, I'm still trying to clear my 2009 backlog.