While searching for info about steams rip-off pricing i found this script that you can use to show just how much Steam is ripping you off. It turns out that steam is pricing some/all games at the rate of 1€ = 1$.
In late 2008 Valve’s Steam online games store implemented a new regional pricing system. Prices had formerly been the same across all regions, and USD was the only currency accepted for payments. After the change, prices were presented in USD, GBP or EUR depending on the user’s geographical region. Steam employed an exchange rate of 1€ = 1$ when setting the new European prices, which compared to the formed USD-only sytem made prices go up by more than 40% in Europe. Many games were now significantly more expensive on Steam than in European retail stores. Wasn’t the whole point of using download stores like Steam that they should be cheaper and more convenient to use?
What does this script do?
This script is meant as a shopping tool for European customers to help avoid being cheated by Steam’s new European prices. It is installed as a user script in the Firefox or Opera web browsers. When visiting Steam’s webshop, prices will be displayed in all three currencies (USD, GBP and EUR), you can also see the percent difference from the North American price. This will enable you to make an informed decision on whether or not the Steam price is acceptable.