It's nice than an EA representative took the time to comment, but - and I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he didn't know this - there is no magic tax on digital products for sale in NZ that would increase the product's value by so much. There is a working group in Australia looking into why Australians are continually charged in excess for digital content - movies, music, and games - than they should be. New Zealand government is also looking into this but, from what I can gather, was waiting to see what happened as a result of the Australian investigation to determine what path they would follow themselves in this regard.
The fact that both governments are concerned about the pricing levied upon Aussies and Kiwis indicates that the ridiculous pricing is due to corporate greed. Pricing discrimination. They charge us what they like simply because they can. Basically, we are penalised because of our geographical location.
I think it is more than reasonable for all countries everywhere to pay the same price - $20 USD. I don't know why this doesn't happen. They would still make their ridiculous profits. In fact, I don't understand why they don't do this for ALL games. I, for one, would buy a whole heap more of their games if I thought I wasn't being ripped off... and I, too, have purchased every single sims 1,2, and 3 game, stuff pack, and expansion pack (except Sweet Treats), and spent hundreds more on the Sims 3 store. (Not to mention, the quite ridiculous $120 for Mass Effect 3).
After already having paid EA thousands of my hard earned dollars, I have had enough. I'm not paying you a single cent more, EA, until you treat us FAIRLY, and charge us the SAME as what our fellow US simmers pay. I can only hope that other Kiwis and Aussies feel the same.
