Really upset how Valve treat Vietnam!!

U can submit ticket to steam support that will be better

Support tickets won't help, try creating a petition or something.

Move :D

Try to support other platforms even if you sacrifice the so called convenience that Steam brings.
GOG is a good option with some sacrifices, and I don't know how is their pricing there at Vietnam.
Cheers.

Vietnamese here
Glad that I met you (another Vietnamese) here on steamgifts !^^

i asked twice why my country is region-locked to SA while i pay US prices, the reply was always a useless automated message.

i'm now wondering if i should send a request to have my account locked to US, since i pay ROW prices...

oh look, i found them:

original ticket

hi,
I have noticed in the past months that all games that i try to buy with my account are region locked to south america, more specifically to:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Bahamas, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Paraguay, Suriname, El Salvador, Uruguay and Venezuela.

I understand the reason to restrict games regionally, but why am I limited to gift these games to people from south america if I'm still paying USA prices for everything?
I know that Brazil and Mexico have lower prices, and region-locking them makes sense as locking Russia-CIS customers.

My question is:
Why is Uruguay using USA prices and being region-locked?
Is this based on my country laws, Steam ToS or game developers?
Is there anything that can be done to either remove the region-locking or start applying lower prices to the games I can buy?

first reply from valve (Feb 15 2015)

Hello M,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.

Please follow the link below for information:

Title: Region Restrictions on Steam
Link: http://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1266-QFZC-2141

If you have any further questions, please let us know.

my reply

Thanks for the heads-up, but that doesn't really answer any of my questions.

- Why is Uruguay using USA prices and being region-locked?
- Is this based on my country laws, Steam ToS or game developers?
- Is there anything that can be done to either remove the region-locking or start applying lower prices to the games I can buy?

Thanks in advance. 

second reply from valve (Feb 19 2015)

Hello M,

The information on the Steam Storefront is the only available information at this time.

Please refer to the Steam News section for the latest news and updates on upcoming Steam titles and content.

Steam News
http://store.steampowered.com/news/

Thank you for your interest. 

frustrating, isn't it?

My best advice for you is to trade with other SEA steam users who pay much cheaper prices (Thailand is one example) compared to Vietnam.

Steam is great, until you need something or there is a problem and then their support is pretty awful. Not the solution you probably want, but I'd suggest buying keys on other sites such as Green Man Gaming, Humble Store, etc if you want to give them away.

Off topic, but I was in Vietnam recently and loved it. It was by far the best part of my trip to SEA, looking forward to going back.

Wow I thought if the country is given a region lock, the currency would be used but guess i was wrong. I agree that it is not fair at all and steam should do something about it.

time to dig tunnels again.

my country is exactly the same, i pay ROW prices for South-American restricted games, so i just buy games on steam during sales, any other time i buy then on Nuuvem.

I pray for Vietnam to get their own currency on steam and get the lowest price in entire SEA.
So I can get games with the lowest price. :D

Notice the currency value, and stop complaining the nonsense !

Hope the price will adjusted soon... Usd is too strong for sea...
When Vietnam get region locked..? It is recently..?

Don't buy games directly through the Steam Store and as an temporary & alternative way you should find traders that selling SEA region restricted games.

It's not the solution for your problem but at least it's better than paying in US Dollar while you will receive region restricted Gifts !

:))

Bomb them

for some reason i believe ur currency will come and will much more cheaper than the others SEA countries

Similar problem for me being in Belarus (CIS region, neighboring Russia) Valve produses their price level recommendations to publishers based on monitoring retail game prices in a given country/region. In my Belarus most people have income 2-3 times lower than our russian neighbors and most people use pirated software (games either) as nobody really cares! So those few who decided continue lisensed are either from <5 % rich people buying from local enormously taxed retailers (at nearly US/EU prices) or getting their software through neighboring Russia (which isn't counted by valve's methods completely). As a result we are to pay 1.5 - 2 times more than russians for most items on Steam store!
Must notice that you mix two issues you shouldn't : wallet currency and price level. In my situation having steam vallet in $ is a great benefit as government robs our people through local currency devaluation on a regular basis. Prices policy on other hand should be adjusted if one wants for our people switch from piracy.
You definitely shouldn't adress support. The productive way is to create a petition and accumulate a significant amount of locals supporting it. They like money, but money should be worth an effort (

Cái đó cũng hơi khó thím à. chắc vn ít vẫn còn ít người mua game trực tiếp trên store nên steam nó chưa để mắt tới :(

Hello, my fellow Vietnamese!! I recently moved back to Vietnam, so I'm in the same boat as you. I can think of one thing but I'm not sure if it's the best solution. Maybe we could try G2A.com? You can buy global keys for cheaper. Ofc there is a high risk there, but it's an option. Let me know what you think! Cheers!

bh VN phải có một ông lớn bảo kê thì mới được trợ giá cơ, nhưng mấy bố VNG VTC chỉ thích hút máu trẻ con thoi

Well, your country (or the southern half) DID help get Nixon elected.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/notes-indicate-nixon-interfered-1968-peace-talks-180961627/
Note: Just kidding around. I'm glad you're here and on Steam! Though Nixon WAS an awful President.