Oh, boy. EA has finally come out and announced a European release date for Rock Band, a game that has been out in America since last November. Sadly, that’s about as good as the news is going to get for European gamers; as I like to say when the American Idol champion is crowned, “It’s all downhill from here.” So here we go: Eurogamer has confirmed that Rock Band will be out in Europe on the 23rd of May.
That particular Friday will see the release of the Xbox 360 version of the game — and that’s it. That’s right, folks: Rock Band will be a timed 360 exclusive in Europe; for now, all EA is saying is that PS3, Wii, and PS2 versions will follow sometime “later this summer.” Hm...I wonder if Microsoft had a hand in that. Regardless, the real kick in the nuts comes in the form of the bundling and pricing of the game and its peripherals.
For some reason that is unbeknownst to me, EA won’t give you the full package in one neat little box. That’s the way they did it in America, anyway ($169.99 for the PS3/360 “Rock Band Special Edition”). Across the pond, the “Instrument Edition” — which includes the drums, mic, and guitar only (no word on whether the pack-in guitar is wireless) — will cost you £129.99 / €169.99. Then, if you actually want to, y’know, use those plastic instruments for something other than making noise, you’ll have to shell out an additional £49.99 / €69.99 for the game disc.
Hit the jump for some more (tear-inducing) number crunching, as well as my own musings on this story.
[via Eurogamer and...oh yeah, Eurogamer]
[Update: So much for having something to take solace in — MTV Games has confirmed to Shacknews that the nine European tracks (see the list after the jump) will eventually be made available as DLC for North American Rock Band owners. The post-jump portion of the post has also been updated to reflect this. Woohoo, I’ll be able to get my Muse on!]
Hm, what’s that? I just felt as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. Eurogamer did the math for us: the EU total comes out to £180 / €240, while America's all-inclusive price of $170 translates to a mere £85 / €107. Ouch. So you’re paying more than double what we’ve been paying in the good ol’ U.S. of A. Finally, there are details on standalone instruments: a drum kit will sell for £69.99 / €89.99 by itself, and a wireless guitar will cost you £59.99 / €79.99.
If I were you, my European counterparts, I’d take to the streets — V For Vendetta style. I don’t even live in Europe, but I think that this blatant disregard and mistreatment of an entire continental market is outrageous. By May 23rd, not only will you have had to wait over half a year for Rock Band, but you’ll also have to pay twice the cost of the American bundle.
I wonder if EA saw Nintendo and Sony throwing Europe a bone by releasing Mario Kart Wii and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, respectively, in that region first — and then decided that it was totally okay for them to try and pull these shenanigans. Then again, some of you may take solace in the fact that you’ll be getting nine exclusive bonus tracks geared specifically towards a European audience:
Blur – “Beetlebum”
Oasis – “Rock 'n' Roll Star”
Tokio Hotel – “Monsoon”
Muse – “Hysteria”
Die Toten Hosen – “Hier Kommt Alex”
Juli – “Perfekte Welle”
H-Block X – “Countdown To Insanity”
Les Wampas – “Manu Chao”
Pleymo – “New Wave”
After all, I’d kill to have some Muse songs to play in Rock Band. Frankly, though, I don’t think that a 70-song library for the European version is worth the ridiculous price premium. But when the game launches in Europe, gamers there will have the full contingent of existing North American DLC tracks available for purchase. In addition, all downloadable songs from that point forward will be given to both markets each week. Songs will cost 160 Microsoft Points each — I wonder: will EA not vary the price at all for European DLC songs?
Either way, I still see this as a very poor business decision on EA’s part. The whole setup — a 360-only launch, high price, and inexplicable bundling — appears to be a giant middle finger from EA to Europe. Especially after they region-locked the online play in Army of Two, what else are gamers supposed to interpret this as? Hell, at this absurdly high price point, Rock Band may not even sell all that well in Europe. What do you guys think?
04/08/2008 09:21
It beggars belief. You can get a 360 for the same price!
Does Europe have a target painted on it?
Too bad the 360 US version isn't region free…
04/08/2008 09:22
Also, I want to play "Rock and Roll Star." Hopefully these "exclusive" tracks will make their way stateside...just like the "exclusive" OXM tracks made their way to to PS3 version.
04/08/2008 09:25
If EA didn't own most things, I'd be boycotting their wares.
04/08/2008 09:25
04/08/2008 09:28
04/08/2008 09:28
Not buying, this is just unacceptable.
04/08/2008 09:29
04/08/2008 09:31
04/08/2008 09:33
04/08/2008 09:33
I think for some reason they've waited so long that most ppl over here would of forgot the price comparison when it was launched in america. And not putting the game with the instruments they got some fuckin nerve at that price tag.
The other big problem which isnt personal is the fad factor. When they were gearing up for its usa launch I think everyone was hyping into it, and [gamers] were ready for some simultaneous release of some form.
Problem I find is that all the youtube mastery vids are up there now, half the friendslist that you found did have the game have stopped playing and gone back to cod4 of gears etc.
And as for gamers uniting to protest, i think jim sterling commented on this in podcastle on byronic commando. go listen :p
04/08/2008 09:34
However, the bundle break up looks like a mere excuse to fleece us, and the whole thing smacks of a clusterfuck. No, a few extra songs do not make up for this bullshit.
I'mma sticking with Guitar Hero.
04/08/2008 09:38
11sec Video
to EA to inform them of how bad they just messed up.
04/08/2008 09:40
04/08/2008 09:40
Well, living in south america is always shittier.
The store i went had the American bundle for US$340 (it´s really US$370 but you can negociate with the seller).
So you think it´s cheaper? No it´s not!
1 sol (Peruvian currency) is like US$0.50. So i end up paying 740 soles for the bundle.
Third world countries FTW!
04/08/2008 09:43
04/08/2008 09:52
I was SO looking forward to this. I told my friends for months that we would so play this thing together, what fun it would be. But not for the price of another fucking 360 or Wii. Grr I hate the guts of who ever is responsible for this. I would like to smack him with a sack filled with 240 Euros worth of change until his mother starts bleeding. ANGRYYYY!!!!
04/08/2008 09:53
Keep it in your pants EA.
04/08/2008 09:54
Mark my words! I'm not going to buy this game! Not for that price and not with that "exclusive" songs!
04/08/2008 09:56
04/08/2008 10:07
gta4 and mgs4 are out soon and id rather spend my money on those
04/08/2008 10:09
04/08/2008 10:10
04/08/2008 10:12
look at EA, they're just... giving and giving :)
04/08/2008 10:20
04/08/2008 10:20
04/08/2008 10:21
Fuck you EA.
04/08/2008 10:26
04/08/2008 10:34
04/08/2008 10:34
I used to say that EA were not so bad, that they generally were better. Now, they can fuck right off.
All anticipation for this game has drained. I will be sticking to my guitar hero.
04/08/2008 10:36
I'm used to being ripped off what with living in the UK but this full on takes the piss. The package costs MORE in GBP than the US one does in dollars?!?!
I was checking the Adobe site the other day and realised their prices were almost the same in GBP as US dollars and was bemused but this is an absolute joke.
Maybe they WANT the game to fail in Europe - there's no other logical explanation for this kind of behaviour.
04/08/2008 10:37
But I don't have money for that kind of powerful protesting.
:(
04/08/2008 10:39
04/08/2008 10:42
I don't think anyone has the kind of money they are asking for. £180 for ONE GAME. I see an epic fail coming on, then they'll blame it on piracy or some shit.
Is anyone actually planning to buy this thing now? I mean wow, I'm actually quite taken aback by how ridiculous this is. The person responsible for pricing must be some hillbilly that thinks all Brits live in castles and have man-servants & stuff.
04/08/2008 10:46
04/08/2008 10:50
See, i've known this for about a week, since one of our stores main supplier changed their rock band listing from the ordinary packages to two;
"Rock Band (band In Box)" and "Rock Band (music Disc)"
The bastards where planning it all along...
And yeah, in these troubled times, we still have the fact that this article has the best headline picture ever!
04/08/2008 10:53
04/08/2008 10:53
04/08/2008 10:59
04/08/2008 11:01
04/08/2008 11:02
STOP THIS SHIT!
NOW!
04/08/2008 11:03
Seriously hope there is a mass fucking boycott and EA lose shit loads of money, but I can't see it happening.
04/08/2008 11:03
...right?
Way to spit on the faces of the people who painfully waited for this game you guys. Good job.
04/08/2008 11:04
because your gonna save a lot of money having to buy a $2000 pc every other year to keep up with the new games...
wow ea acting unscrupulously. shocker! ea is the dick cheney of gaming.
04/08/2008 11:06
So just import it for the controllers and get the euro game for €107 + €70 = €177. Sell the game disc on eBay to make up for shipping, and you've got your 170€ deal.
04/08/2008 11:17
04/08/2008 11:28
04/08/2008 11:39
It's import and boycott time!
04/08/2008 11:49
Funny to see EA & the 360 making it happen.
04/08/2008 11:49
04/08/2008 11:49
but on topic, I really feel bad for the people of europe who always gets screwed on products being released
04/08/2008 12:02
04/08/2008 12:37
German: Tokio Hotel – “Monsoon”
German: Die Toten Hosen – “Hier Kommt Alex”
German: Juli – “Perfekte Welle”
German: H-Block X – “Countdown To Insanity”
French: Les Wampas – “Manu Chao”
French: Playmo – “New Wave”
and a couple 'normal' songs
Blur – “Beetlebum”
Oasis – “Rock 'n' Roll Star”
Muse – “Hysteria”
Four really really bad German songs. What does EA think I am? I thought we parted with those suppressors a long time ago.
Arschlochs!
04/08/2008 13:09
FUCK Rock Band
I played £20 more then that for my actual Guitar!!!
04/08/2008 13:35
Fuck you.
- A disgruntled European gamer
04/08/2008 13:49
04/08/2008 14:09
I am NOT buying anything from EA ever again!!!
04/08/2008 14:15
04/08/2008 14:21
04/08/2008 14:24
But otoh, who thinks up these prices... Are they trying to make europeans pay for the crap state the US economy is in atm?
04/08/2008 14:53
I'm probably not going to buy this now, if I do end up folding i sure as hell ain't buying the whole set.
04/08/2008 14:55
04/08/2008 16:05
04/08/2008 16:06
04/08/2008 16:12
How much do people in the UK make doing a some what specialized tech related job? 100K pounds yearly? or 50K pounds?
Lets use for example an Oracle or Sybase DBA as a job...
Just wondering if there is some sort of justification for these items being so expensive - I mean $170 is really nothing over here if you make decent coin. Is 240 pounds a big dildo in the ass for a video game experience??
04/08/2008 17:18
04/08/2008 17:24
Or smoked some crack, something like that.
04/08/2008 19:14
But still, that's no excuse for this fleecing.
04/08/2008 20:53
But to go from £85 to £180 is a bit fucking steep. I too expected it to sit somewhere around the £120-£140 mark but was willing to go along with it. Now, fuck no.
Bunch of arseholes
04/08/2008 21:40
04/08/2008 21:52
A) $2k in a computer? I don't think so!
B) A console is an additional luxury item, my PC is something I need for work anyway, so the fact that it's powerful enough to play games is a given. When MS jacks up the price of the console, the wifi dongle, the Xbox Live fee, game price hikes, Rock Band shoots up in price, region coded games, god it's just too fucking expensive to play some bloody video games.
04/08/2008 22:34
04/09/2008 03:54
oO'
A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!
Now that was a joke, right EA?
Like april's fools day or something?
Right..?
Well gues there's no more problem whether to buy GH III or Rock Band?
04/11/2008 01:02