Video games are an expensive hobby, and while console gaming is a cheaper alternative to PC gaming, buying a PS4 or an Xbox One and a couple of games isn’t exactly the smallest investment.
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And if you’re in a few South American countries and on a PlayStation system, gaming is getting a bit more pricey.
Apparently, Sony Interactive Entertainment has been sending emails to PlayStation console owners in Uruguay and Colombia announcing that there will be a 20 percent tax on games purchased via the PlayStation Store as a result of government regulations.
If you want, you can read more about why PlayStation is adding the 20 percent tax by clicking here. The page is in Spanish, but there’s a translate option if you’re curious on the specifics and don’t speak Spanish.
It’s worth noting that the price increase goes beyond just games. It extends to everything on the PlayStation Store. That means avatars, themes, and renewal of your PlayStation Plus subscription. So while a 20 percent tax may not seem that big of a deal on the surface, it quickly adds up.
Basically, Colombians and Uruguayans are now getting five new AAA games for the same price that normally would have netted them six.
As mentioned above, gaming isn’t a cheap hobby, despite making great leaps in affordability compared to the past. Not only are systems as cheap as ever, but games too. However, in certain parts of the world, due to a variety of different reasons, it remains very expensive to participate in the growing global pastime of hogtying raiders and then dragging them through an alligator infested swamp.
Buying games in South America is already more expensive than North America, where games are considerably cheaper than in most parts of the world. So, an additional tax hike for Colombians and Uruguayans will be felt even worse than would be if games cost an extra 20 percent in the states.
At the moment, it’s unclear if this type of tax will extend to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, but given it’s a government regulation thing, it presumably will, if it hasn’t already.
Thanks, ResetEra.
