The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Taken from bbc.co.uk
*****************
"Nintendo has been fined 146m euros (£92.1m) by the European Commission for trying to rig the computer game market.
The firm has been, with seven distributors, found guilty by commission anti-trust officials of attempting to keep prices artificially high in some EU states between 1991 and 1998.
The severity of the fine, the fourth highest ever meted out by commission trade watchdogs for a single offence, reflected Nintendo's role as "the driving force behind the illicit behaviour", the commission said.
The distributors, including Scotland-based John Menzies, were fined 21m euros.
Appeal:
But Nintendo said it would fight the penalty.
"In view of the size of the fine, which Nintendo finds surprising, Nintendo will lodge an appeal," the company said.
While accepting that it had broken EU rules, the firm said it had reformed its practices.
John Menzies, which said its fine of £5.4m was "totally disproportionate", said it was considering legal options.
The firm was implicated through its THE Games unit between 1995 and 1997.
"We feel that the commission has not fully recognised... [its] earlier acceptance that this was a mistake, not a deliberate transgression; that THE Games was more victim than villain," Menzies chief executive, David Mackay said.
Price differences:
The fines follow a two-year probe by the commission into claims that Nintendo prevented distributors from selling goods from low-cost countries in states where prices were higher.
Prices of Nintendo products were up to 65% higher in Germany or the Netherlands than in Britain.
"Every year, millions of European families spend large amounts of money on video games," Competition Commissioner Mario Monti said.
"They have the right to buy the games and consoles at the lowest price the market can possibly offer.
"We will not tolerate... behaviour intended to keep prices artificially high in the European single market.""
Discuss.
*****************
"Nintendo has been fined 146m euros (£92.1m) by the European Commission for trying to rig the computer game market.
The firm has been, with seven distributors, found guilty by commission anti-trust officials of attempting to keep prices artificially high in some EU states between 1991 and 1998.
The severity of the fine, the fourth highest ever meted out by commission trade watchdogs for a single offence, reflected Nintendo's role as "the driving force behind the illicit behaviour", the commission said.
The distributors, including Scotland-based John Menzies, were fined 21m euros.
Appeal:
But Nintendo said it would fight the penalty.
"In view of the size of the fine, which Nintendo finds surprising, Nintendo will lodge an appeal," the company said.
While accepting that it had broken EU rules, the firm said it had reformed its practices.
John Menzies, which said its fine of £5.4m was "totally disproportionate", said it was considering legal options.
The firm was implicated through its THE Games unit between 1995 and 1997.
"We feel that the commission has not fully recognised... [its] earlier acceptance that this was a mistake, not a deliberate transgression; that THE Games was more victim than villain," Menzies chief executive, David Mackay said.
Price differences:
The fines follow a two-year probe by the commission into claims that Nintendo prevented distributors from selling goods from low-cost countries in states where prices were higher.
Prices of Nintendo products were up to 65% higher in Germany or the Netherlands than in Britain.
"Every year, millions of European families spend large amounts of money on video games," Competition Commissioner Mario Monti said.
"They have the right to buy the games and consoles at the lowest price the market can possibly offer.
"We will not tolerate... behaviour intended to keep prices artificially high in the European single market.""
Discuss.
Page:
Yeah, I know the boycott is the main part, but the petition should be signed as well.
Even if you don't want to hurt the retailers by boycotting, this petition is a more retailer-friendly way of doing things.
Even if you don't want to hurt the retailers by boycotting, this petition is a more retailer-friendly way of doing things.
Strafex wrote:
> Which is why I demand you all sign this petition:
>
> http://www.petitiononline.com/FairPlay/petition.html
Strafex mate: http://www.fairplay-campaign.co.uk/front.htm
There's the hub of the whole thing. ;)
Essentially, all they want us to do, is not buy any games on the week of Dec 8th. Before or after is fine, they just want the sales for that one week to be very poor, sort of a warning shot; to make the companies pay attention.
As I stated earlier, the founderof the site and cause is obviously a journalist, as the quotes he uses to "prove" his case are quotes from HIS magazine (now defunct), and outdated interviews with publishers (5yrs old). The principle, however, is legitimate enough. ;)
> Which is why I demand you all sign this petition:
>
> http://www.petitiononline.com/FairPlay/petition.html
Strafex mate: http://www.fairplay-campaign.co.uk/front.htm
There's the hub of the whole thing. ;)
Essentially, all they want us to do, is not buy any games on the week of Dec 8th. Before or after is fine, they just want the sales for that one week to be very poor, sort of a warning shot; to make the companies pay attention.
As I stated earlier, the founderof the site and cause is obviously a journalist, as the quotes he uses to "prove" his case are quotes from HIS magazine (now defunct), and outdated interviews with publishers (5yrs old). The principle, however, is legitimate enough. ;)
Indeed.
Top Score, stop being a ponce and sign that petition.
It benefits you as well you know!
It benefits you as well you know!
Well it was good enough to out do the Playstation without the expansion pack, but Nintendo STILL wanted to make their games even better...
Oh dear it came with an expansion pack wow pity the N64 was not good enough to run it without then.
Just sifned. I am the 8741th or whatever..........oooo.....European petition!
:D
:D
All games companies are doing this:
Sega, MS, Nintendo, Sony...
The only reason why Nintendo got busted is that they did it WITHIN the EU where the law is against it. All companies get away with charging us double what the US gamers pay.
Which is why I demand you all sign this petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/FairPlay/petition.html
Even if you don't agree with boycotting, this doesn't affect the retailers (like SR), this tells the Gaming industry to even things out because games are VERY overpriced, especially when you compare them to films and the like, which cost just as much to produce and advertise.
Sega, MS, Nintendo, Sony...
The only reason why Nintendo got busted is that they did it WITHIN the EU where the law is against it. All companies get away with charging us double what the US gamers pay.
Which is why I demand you all sign this petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/FairPlay/petition.html
Even if you don't agree with boycotting, this doesn't affect the retailers (like SR), this tells the Gaming industry to even things out because games are VERY overpriced, especially when you compare them to films and the like, which cost just as much to produce and advertise.
Top score wrote:
> Charging £64.99 for most of the top titles like donkey kong 64 (if you could call that a top title)
I paid £60 for Dk64 (a title that was superb) with an Expansion Pack.
I never paid over £35 for another N64 game. Fine for me!
> Charging £64.99 for most of the top titles like donkey kong 64 (if you could call that a top title)
I paid £60 for Dk64 (a title that was superb) with an Expansion Pack.
I never paid over £35 for another N64 game. Fine for me!
Indeed. Region free would be cool.
Page: