Countries with biggest rpg market?

[Kae'Yoss]

So...what does that mean? The price is fixed here as well, unless a store owner for some reason decides to give a discount, or you buy it from something like Amazon.

That's the difference. The "unless" part isn't.

 

[Storm Raven]

So...what does that mean? The price is fixed here as well, unless a store owner for some reason decides to give a discount, or you buy it from something like Amazon.

The difference is this: the manufacturer (publisher in this case) can suggest an MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price), but cannot enforce it if the retailer decides to sell the product for a different price.

In some other countries (like, apparently Germany), the MSRP is mandatory, and the retailer cannot deviate from it.

 

[Ranger REG]

In some other countries (like, apparently Germany), the MSRP is mandatory, and the retailer cannot deviate from it.

What happens to products with no MSRP attached?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

What happens to products with no MSRP attached?

They are seized and destroyed.

 

[Storm Raven]

What happens to products with no MSRP attached?

No idea. I'm not an expert on economic regulations in EU countries. I do know that most European countries have a level of economic regulation that most residents of the U.S. would find stunning: maximum work weeks, regulated store hours, regulated prices and so on. The specifics vary quite a bit from country to country, so researching the individual rules in each country would be a tedious process (one that I don't care to undertake).

I suspect that the mandatory pricing schemes may be related to the VAT, but I cannot say for certain (and I might be completely wrong).

 

[Sarellion]

The fixed price is the reason, german translations are often delivered in boxes.
The problem with Amigo Spiele was that the comapny sells all kinds of games, board games and CCG´s. These make a higher profit than roleplaying games, so the RPG sector was on lower priority.

Well, what I heard from Feder & Schwerts translation of Exalted was less than stellar, too.

 

[MonsterMash]

The difference is this: the manufacturer (publisher in this case) can suggest an MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price), but cannot enforce it if the retailer decides to sell the product for a different price.

In some other countries (like, apparently Germany), the MSRP is mandatory, and the retailer cannot deviate from it.

That used to be the case with Books in the UK too, until the 1990s when the Net Book Agreement was finally consigned to the dustbin.

I think it tends to mean that books are cheaper in the UK than most of the rest of the EU as we also have a special 0% rate of VAT (sales tax) on books and newspapers.

 

[Infernal Teddy]

Okay, according to "what I've heard", in europe, the situation is thus:

Germany has the number one seat. No, not just the papal one. RPG has been dropping massivly in the UK, and france seems to have the problem that, while the companys and the gamers are there, there're all concentrated in a few areas. One game that has, however, failed completely is D&D. Amigo's treatment absolutlely ruined every chance it ever had, and Feder & Schwert are, according to Oliver Hoffmann, "sceptical" as to if they can bring it back on course.

And, as to F&S's translations: well, to be polite, but most of the books they publish wouldn't make it through MS Word's spellchecker. Been there, worked for em.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

One game that has, however, failed completely is D&D. Amigo's treatment absolutlely ruined every chance it ever had, and Feder & Schwert are, according to Oliver Hoffmann, "sceptical" as to if they can bring it back on course.

I think there is a large enough fanbase, but very many use the English books rather than the German ones. The translations are one reason, the lack of material the other. I use the English stuff for both reasons: I can't stand their translations, and I'm a far too impatient person to wait for a translation (which might never come).

 

[Dakkareth]

Anyway, lots of people are sufficiently fluent in English to use the original rulebooks.

It's actually quite sad, for rules stuff we use English almost exclusively in my group.

Now this probably isn't representative, but among the 60 people in my grade (final days of school, yay!) there are about 7 regular gamers and a couple more, who play sometimes. Surprised me, it did ...