@brn-dn: they have a $40 on pc because they are directly selling to players and don't have to give 30% to the console manufacturer. buying that through battle net actually earns them more revenue than as a $60 retail console sale and slightly less than a digital one

@itchyflop: no rockstar doesn't see or get VAT that YOU pay at the retail. you pay it at the shop the retailers furthers it to the government and YOU can claim it back if you can write a videogame down as a business expense. you subtract it because it is Added to the base price of a game that is why it is called Value Added Tax, it is different to sales tax, it is not included in the base price of a product like many other taxes.

@itchyflop: VAT is a kind if tax that the consumer pays and the retailers collects. It doesn't get to the publisher or manufacturer. With business expenses you can get it back or write it off tax.

@duckofdeath: He is talking about Gross, the amount of money the end consumers pay. Revenue is all the money the publisher collects. Profit is the money you right off after every expense is written off and that is even less, because you have further taxes and of course the production cost.

@mari2kde: We've got over a week to get it with chaos so I'm still on hold until I see performance analysis from digitalfoundry

@Baconstrip78: I don't know why you are calling total war an RTS, it might have optional real time combat but the game is a turn based grand strategy.

@mikemurphy80: doesn't work that way. you have to subtract VAT where applies, retail cut, MS/SONY/VALVE share, distribution cost, and some other fees. only digital copies sold directly though their site, in territories that doesn't VAT it is $50 price = $50 revenue. you buy a retail copy for $60 in europe with the average 20% vat, retail cut, platform owner cut, it's about $20 revenue before tax for your $60.

@cboye18: by base building you mean city upgrading? cause only the combat is rts, most of the game is grand strategy

@rosinmonkekyx17: the way Scott Butterworth was talking about it yesterday on the lobby, gamespot's score is going to be similar.

@atopp399: origin has come a long way though. the store is still not nearly as good as steam, but as a client it is decent