Due to fluctuations in exchange rates, Steam will now sell in dollars in Turkey and Argentina as of November 20.
Recent large fluctuations in exchange rates have caused many companies to review their trading strategies. One of these companies, the world-famous digital game platform Steam, announced that it will make its sales in Turkey in dollars instead of Turkish Lira as of November 20, 2023.
Steam Starts Selling Games with Dollars
This change could have a significant impact for many players and game developers. Such fluctuation in the exchange rate can lead to significant changes in game prices. This can both create fluctuations in revenue for developers and changes in game purchasing power for players.
This decision of Steam is expected to have a great impact since it is a platform with many users in Turkey. In particular, it can play a decisive role in the dynamics of the local gaming market.
Made by Steam explain you can find below:
New USD Pricing for Argentina and Türkiye starting November 20
The Steam store in Argentina and Turkey will begin using USD, with new regional prices for 25 additional countries/regions for LATAM and the Middle East/North Africa.
Starting November 20, Steam will change the currency used for sales in Argentina and Turkey to US dollars. We’re implementing this with two new pricing zones: LATAM – USD (includes Argentina) and MENA – USD (includes Turkey). Some countries/regions listed below may see an increase in pricing and others may see a decrease in pricing, depending on how games were priced on Steam prior to this change. As with all Steam pricing, game developers choose the price at which they want to sell their games on Steam. See below for a list of all countries/regions included in these new pricing zones.
Why now?
Exchange rate fluctuations in Argentina and Turkey in recent years have made it difficult for game developers to choose appropriate prices for their games and keep them up to date. We heard this loud and clear in our developer meetups and roundtable chats. Additionally, we have struggled to keep Steam payment methods operational in these countries/regions due to constant currency fluctuations, fees, taxes, and logistics issues. Pricing games in US dollars for Steam customers in Argentina and Turkey will help us provide greater stability and consistency for players and our partners, while also allowing us to continue offering a variety of payment methods to Steam users in those countries/regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will happen to my Argentine peso or Turkish lira Steam wallet balance?
On November 20, 2023, all balance in your Steam wallet will be converted to USD at the current exchange rate.
What about other countries/regions included in LATAM-USD/MENA-USD pricing?
25 countries/regions in Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa will receive regionalized USD pricing for the first time. Some countries/regions listed below may see pricing increases and others may see pricing decreases, depending on how games were priced by the developer on Steam prior to this change.
What about in-game transactions?
Going forward, in-game transactions will be processed in USD by default in these new LATAM to USD and MENA to USD pricing zones.
What about subscriptions?
All customers with an active subscription on Steam in Argentine peso or Turkish lira will see their subscription automatically terminate after the active subscription period. You can re-subscribe to the new USD subscription on Steam from the Subscription Management Page. You can access this page by going to your Username at the top right of the Steam client, then selecting Account details and clicking the Manage subscriptions link at the top of the page.