Is it weird that the US dollars = Euros according to Steam thing doesn't affect me but still pisses me off to no end?

If it is weird, we can be weird together. It also pisses me off, even though I'm in the US.

You reminded me of this: I love when I go to the grocery store and see something on sale, and then if you look really close on the huge sales tag you will sometimes see in small print: Save .01 cents! :D Ooo, Gimmie Gimmie! ;P Not the same, but, hilarious all the same. It sometimes pays to have sharp eyes and a mistrusting nature. ;-)

Valve know very good why they have no offices in Europe :)

After their pricing stunt, they would be razed in angry mob style, burned down and employees' heads on pikes would appear in front of the ruins.

I'm gonna wait, in 15 months or so it will be sold for 10 euros along with DLCs and expansion.

A recent study showed that, here, as much as 25% of the "sales" and "special offers" in supermakets were either not advantageous ( save 1 cent ) or detrimental ( get 2 bottles of olive oil at a star price of 12.99. One bottle sold alone is 5.99 ... )

A similar report came out on these types of practices in the UK supermarkets also. In fairness, I've seen most retailers pull these stunts at some point, and I see it as a bit of a friendly challenge when shopping to try and not get caught out.

Hah, you wouldn't dare! Valve would send Black Mesa agents up your a**.

Still better than what I have experienced. A week ago I saw a deal on cheese, 8 pieces in a paper box. I took one, it was a bit lighter so I tried another one and it was the same so I let it be. At home I opened it only to find only 7 pieces inside. Then I understood why the deal was.

I literally wanted to go there, find another such cheese, call the shopkeeper, open the package and make her count all the pieces. That or call the inspection.

The Australian discounted price is $30 USD, marked down from $89.99 USD. Kinda beyond my price range even with the discount. It's a publisher thing rather than purely Valve's fault though.

It's partially Valve's fault.

Seen this before during the Autumn sale.

Costume Quest was 8 euros normally, but during the sale it was 50% off from a base price of 14 euros.
So you save 1 euro and the price stayed raised after that.

As i kinda proved with steam a while ago, although they are not a european company they offer a service to europe and thus there are some laws that they need to pay attention to

I "like" how often online shops often sells something with big red discounted price. They sell it this way all the time so it's not exactly sale but they claim that usual price is much higher but when you compare prices around interent you'll find it isn't so much anywhere.