Civ3 release date: American - European alliance

[PGM]

Like most people here in Apolyton, besides being a big Civ fan, I have lots of other favourite games, including the Myst/Riven/Exile series.
Exile was released this May in Northern America, and would only be released in Europe on September. When the Myst community heard of this discrimination, a small group of americans offered to ship copies to european gamers, at no cost above the original game / shipping costs. This way, and thanks to a few people, many europeans, including myself, sent payment to the US, and were very happy to get their hands on a copy of Exile way before European release date.

So IF we could do the same for civ3, a lot of people (again, including myself) would really appreciate it. Obviously, the big problem with this has always been... how to get honest people in the US willing to do this for a bunch of fellow european civ3 fans, with no profit at all.
This would provide for us to get the game early, and not spend something like USD$100 to buy it from an american site (including the proper european tax).

Any thoughts about this?

[Provost Harrison]

I think that if games companies are willing to shaft a population of people depending on where they live like this, especially for a duration of many months, then they should take to warez and acquire it by other means. Their financial loss, after all People, vote with your feet!

[red_jon]

If only people on both sides of the Atlantic would agree to a boycott until it is accessable to Europeans and Americans.

[Simpleton]

Originally posted by red_jon
If only people on both sides of the Atlantic would agree to a boycott until it is accessable to Europeans and Americans.

I don't think you'll have much luck convincing Civ fanantics (including me) to put off buying Civ3 until it's available in both regions. I have to be honest with you. Once Civ3 is on the shelves I'm picking it up whether or not Europeans can or not. Sorry.

That being said I would have no problem shipping a copy to someone in Europe at not cost. Of course, I'm from Canada and I don't know if I count in this alliance....?

[August Borms]

Originally posted by Simpleton

Of course, I'm from Canada and I don't know if I count in this alliance....?

Sure, here in Europe we like Canadians much more than Americans

Anyway, this isn't some sort of North-American conspiracy to discriminate Europeans, hard/software is almost always released in one part of the world first, wether it's North-America, Europe, or Asia and you'll just need to learn to accept that.
Or you could act in a childish manner and download a warez copy... and be a thief...

[PGM]

Originally posted by Simpleton
I have to be honest with you. Once Civ3 is on the shelves I'm picking it up whether or not Europeans can or not. Sorry.

Obviously, I would do the same. My idea is not to deprive both americans and europeans of the game, exactly the contrary. The boycott idea is something to forget, let's focus on the "alliance" issue.

Originally posted by Simpleton
That being said I would have no problem shipping a copy to someone in Europe at not cost. Of course, I'm from Canada and I don't know if I count in this alliance....?

Of course you do count. By saying "american", I meant the whole northern continent.
And thanks, that's a start.

[GodSpawn]

I've not known many games that come out in Britain more than one or two weeks after the States. (The US versions are usually identical to the UK versions, and I guess the Australian, Canadian etc.) Usually they come out within days.

Isn't it really easy for for mainland Europeans to buy from UK online suppliers? I know of a good many people who bought Black and White that way.

[PGM]

Originally posted by GodSpawn
I've not known many games that come out in Britain more than one or two weeks after the States.

(From Amazon.uk): Release Date: 28 December, 2001

Originally posted by GodSpawn
Isn't it really easy for for mainland Europeans to buy from UK online suppliers?

I'd very much like to do so, but as you can see, Amazon UK will release it only near the end of the year, and for some warranty/etc. issues, many sites refuse to ship to some countries, including mine.

[korn469]

i'll do it

i have been here for over two years and i think a few of you might actually know of me

[Asesino_Virtual]

Ill wait until i get into Mexico the week 1-9 november. Ill check if the game is there, if its not, perhaps i would need some good man who send me the game.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
I think that if games companies are willing to shaft a population of people depending on where they live like this, especially for a duration of many months, then they should take to warez and acquire it by other means. Their financial loss, after all People, vote with your feet!

You vote with your feet by boycott, not robbery.

[cyril25376]

@pgm
I like your idea

[korn469]

i think i know how we could do this

instead of trying to send cash, you could send amazon.com gift certificates

they should be exempt from the VAT tax (correct me if i am wrong), and there wouldn't be a need to transfer money at all, you send two gift certificates, one for the price of the game (including shipping to the US location, but if that is split between many gamers it wouldn't be much) and then another gift certificate for the price of shipping it from the US to your location in europe, while this would require the person in the US to put up cash to pay for the shipping charges they would get their money back for those shipping costs in amazon.com gift certificates

does that sound like a good idea?

[Warm Beer]

Yup...

That sounds like a good idea, Korn. Althought I am not sure of the real logistics, it does sound like the best way to conduct the transaction without exchanging real money... cuts down on the "I got screwed" factor.

[Rince]

Is there any official info about the release date in europe? Release dates from online shops can never be trusted. I hope for some 5 days delay or so.

And if it is longer, then i hope for logistic reasons because when i bought Black and White here in Switzerland, i was able to do so one or two days after the North American release but the shop wasn't allowed to sell it. The shops should have kept it to wait for the official european release date! I'm talking of the localized version, not an import one. Luckily one shop 'forgot' about this restriction and sold me and many others a copy.

btw: If you are living in Switzerland (or are willing to travel), there is a good import shop: 'PCJoy' (aka 'Center-Shop'). The prices for imported games are high (about 100 CHF i would guess for Civ3) but spoiling the game experience by downloading a warez copy is probably worse than the 30 CHF extra spent.

Greetings,

Rince