darkSpyro

So, it's probably a known fact I complain to no end about how it was taking forever for Skylanders Trap Team to be released in my country. A few weeks ago I contacted Neoplay, who distributes Activison games in here, and though for the longest time it seemed I was going to get no response, I got one today: there are no plans to distribute the game here.

What does that mean for most people in Darkspyro? Nothing, at least for now. But if the series is getting discontinued in Brazil(it got a next gen only translation, but the VAs are so misplaced and the filters are so nonexistent in it that you'd think it's shovelware), it might mean it might be getting discontinued in more places as it's not the only country where the job of releasing figures is absolutely horrendous; from variants being mysteriously absent to entire waves just never showing up.
However, it could be linked to Nintendo also discontinuing their services in the country due to the laughable taxes imposed in games in here and not with Acti's plans at all. Unless it's on Steam, it's bound to be triple if not four times the price of the product in the US or Europe, and pirating is pretty much the norm because no one is stupid enough to pay that much. Skylanders is horribly overpriced here,with the 10 dollar figure costing somewhere around 25, or even 35 if it looks even remotely rare(Lighcores, gimmicklanders). If that's the case, then it's definately not Acti not discontinuing the series in other countries; just Brazil being Brazil once again shooting itself in the foot when it comes to the games market to the point no one sees the profit.

(this also means that I'm now pretty much restricted to buying the figures on Ebay - Amazon takes the taxing up to eleven(110% over the original price on video games when sending to Brazil), if you must know)

well, if shipping costs arent outrageous, have you considered importing? I'm not sure what costs look like for shipping stuff there

Importing is still kinda expensive, but it's actually what I usually do since even with the crazy international shipping prices it's cheaper by quite a bit. Just wanted to spread the news of international skylanders stuff,really.

It definitely looks like not a franchise problem but a country problem. I take it the benefits of living there outweighs these import problems?

Kinda, never lived anywhere else but for me there's still a balance between those two just like any other country, like the weather or the sorta-great public university services(though I still have dreams of moving for places where game art is an actual job and not a thing indie devs forget over existing assets). But on the game market? Brazil has a rating system that kind of works,everything else is mind blowingly ridiculous.
Our biggest game convention is a joke and a disguise for a LoL tournament,taxes are double whatever else gets, and the last attempt of revolutionizing the market had the only politician on the side of the movement sell out to keep things as they are(even if in the day where game taxes were nearly removed for experiment, the stores were wiped clean in my state).It's just sad for someone that likes console gaming and the only alternative is importing, Steam or pirating, and the latter doesn't work for Skylanders because of the physical DLC(not that I'd try, but parents with a kid obsessed with the game and don't want to pay outrageous prices in our local ebay expy will).

That really is a shame that tax policy is pushing out unique products like Skylanders and Nintendo games. If this becomes a trend, I wonder if the government would consider lowering the import tax.

You should move to the U.S. or UK bro.

Quote: Friendzie

That really is a shame that tax policy is pushing out unique products like Skylanders and Nintendo games. If this becomes a trend, I wonder if the government would consider lowering the import tax.

We have a saying here where the government "waits until the water is up their waist" or something(don't quote me on direct translations), because everyone waits until a tragedy or at the verge of one to change anything. There are even a few cities having real drought issues since last year, but nope, we won't start any methods to save water until our reserves end.It'll take a boycott from more companies for them to go 'oh, this is actually important to the economy".

Moving to the US is out of plans, but really wish I was lucky like a few friends of mine and had relatives that live there. It's pretty common to ask for "gifts",read get all your console games from said relative when they visit and even pay to bring some more expensive stuff. But if when I'm done with majors I find an opportunity, definately not staying here(couldn't even if I wanted to,at least if I want my career to go anywhere).