GalCiv II Download is Overpriced

from GalCiv2 Forums
A friend of mine has GalCiv 2 and told me its a great game and I should buy it. I downloaded the demo and see its a lot like MOO 2, except more complex. (I liked MOO2 a lot, so I should like this game too). Unfortunately, the demo ends when my game is just starting to get interesting, so I need to buy the game. I looked around for the Collector's edition in stores, but no one near me has it. Then I read on here that the only real difference between the Collector's and the regular game is the tech tree insert. Not a big difference.

What would be best is to download the game here direct from Stardock, except here the game costs $39.95 plus S/H for the box. Target sells the game for $29.99 and Amazon.com has it for $19.99 w/free shipping.

So it appears the most cost-effective thing to do is to order the game from Amazon.com and then download the patches here to bring it up to date. Before I do this, I just wanted to check here to make sure I wasn't missing something. Why is Stardock charging more for downloading the game here than it is selling at retail elsewhere?
8,426 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It has been explained in the past that Stardock is kinda required to sell at MSRP, while stores will cut the price at their own expense. If Stardock was to cut the price it would be seen in a bad light by retailers, like they were competing. So, if Stardock is to keep the game on store shelves they have to keep the retailers happy.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I just wanted to check here to make sure I wasn't missing something

No, you aren't missing anything. Just buy it at the retailer of your choice and use the serial number to download the updates.

Stardock is kinda required to sell at MSRP, while stores will cut the price at their own expense

Absolutely true. This is no different than the arraingment between manufacturer and retailer in any other industry.

Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The only real difference is buying directly from Stardock puts more money in their own pockets, and not the pockets of the big chain stores.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Target sells the game for $29.99 and Amazon.com has it for $19.99 w/free shipping.

Are you sure it is first hand version? Because the latest patches requires that your serial Id is not already registred. You should take a look at this thread https://forums.galciv2.com/?forumid=162&aid=122873 about the activation problem.

More, there could be difference in pricing when the Dark Avatar expansion will be released, since Draginol/Frogboy has stated that he doesn't want that somebody needs to pay 70$ to get CG2 + DA when DA will be released.

 

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
well what i did was buy 10 tokens from totalgaming.net which allowed me
to get GCII + GC:DA. PLus the entirety of earth 2150 and nexagon deathmatch
So thats 6 games for 69.95. Granted i don't have physical copies of the games
but i do have serials and can download them where ever or when ever i want.

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
The Collector's Edition is just about sold out. You may still be able to find it at some Wal*Mart stores in the U.S., though.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You may still be able to find it at some Wal*Mart stores in the U.S., though.


My local Walmart had two or three about a week ago.

If they're getting rare, maybe I should buy them up and offer them on Ebay for big $. Joking, of course.  
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The Collector's Edition has:

1) Ton of extra ship jewelry
2) The ability to type in numbers in the trade screen rather than use the slider
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
2) The ability to type in numbers in the trade screen rather than use the slider


O_o say what?
No fair, put that in DA... NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
2) The ability to type in numbers in the trade screen rather than use the slider


No, that was added in the first patch (the "bonus pack"), which was available to anyone. And before anyone runs off to use that and break their game, the change is included in all latter patches as well.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A friend of mine has GalCiv 2 and told me its a great game and I should buy it. I downloaded the demo and see its a lot like MOO 2, except more complex.


I would say that Galciv 2 is far, *far* less complex than MOO 2, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse.

The Collector's Edition is just about sold out. You may still be able to find it at some Wal*Mart stores in the U.S., though.


I bought the standard version at Wal*mart, at the time I had no idea that a collectors edition was available or I would have bought that, but mine for some reason had a collectors edition serial key in it, so I got the extra ship parts

Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

More, there could be difference in pricing when the Dark Avatar expansion will be released, since Draginol/Frogboy has stated that he doesn't want that somebody needs to pay 70$ to get CG2 + DA when DA will be released.


If this is the case, then Stardock should make an option available now to pay $40-$50 to get a digital version of the original game and a Pre-order of the expansion pack combined. Since it includes a pre-order, it shouldn't bother the retailers. I'd consider this option, especially if it let me into the Beta early. Without this option, it seems my best bet is to buy the regular game at retail.