8:14 AM on 11.29.2007
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It's no secret that some of the guitars that shipped with Rock Band had some issues, mainly strum bar related. In a statement to Kotaku, they're owning up to the problems, and are dedicated to making things right. As sometimes happens when new products first go into manufacturing, we discovered an imperfection with the strum bar in an early production run of guitars that were shipped at launch. We've since identified and fixed the issue in all subsequent production runs of the guitars. If users are experiencing a problem with their guitars or any of the Rock Band instruments, they can visit the customer support website ( http://support.ea.com/rockband) and we will send a replacement immediately. Harmonix is dedicated to creating 100% customer satisfaction and to the users who have encountered any hardware issues, we are sorry for the hassle.
While I applaud Harmonix for stepping up to admit fault like any good hardware manufacturer would (or should), there's nothing about this statement that should be surprising in how they're handling the issue. When you open the massive Rock Band retail package, one of the first things you'll see is a pink slip of paper that basically says, "If your crap is broken, go to http://support.ea.com/rockband for detailed warranty instructions." So what are you waiting for? Don't procrastinate like I have been, using the Guitar Hero III wireless guitar and pretending like there is no problem. |
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21 comments + 95764 views
Do you sleep, Electro?
Or you could cheat the system to get a free guitar
I'm glad to see Harmonix is quickly coming to solutions to the controller problems.
P.S. to Nick Chester: There has got to be a better way to state that first sentence.
Ars(e)technica has apperently been edited, here is my source:
http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=23100
I just put in for my replacement guitar. It took about 5 minutes to give them all of my information. There are 2 methods for them to ship it to you. There is the 2-day express air mail method where they send you the replacement guitar and you have to ship your original back to them within 28 days (this method requires a credit card, just in case you don't return the broken controller they can charge you $125).
OR
You can go the method I went, regular shipping. They send you a guitar casket (reminiscent of when my 360 crapped out on me). You put your broken one in the box, ship it, then they send you the replacement.
I would go the credit card route, but I'm good with my 2 GH controllers, also who wants EA to have their credit card info? Not me, that's for sure.
"Immediately" is BULLSHIT. I'm sorry, and this is going to be impotent nerd rage here, but I used the website to request replacement drums at 6am on launch day and I still haven't got them. I even made sure to use the "express" shipping method. It's been a week and a damn half; even with the holiday they should have been here already.
The rest of the game is sex. Oddly enough I've had no problems with my guitar. But I've done singing and I've done guitar on other games. Let me do the one damn thing that makes Rock Band really, REALLY unique.
That warranty procedure is BULLSHIT! If you do not send your product back to the stores, it still counts as a sale for EA so they can brag that "Hey Rock Band is doing GREAT! We just sold xxxxxx copies!". If you want them to really fix the issues (some of the guitars that people got in return are still broken), send them back to the stores, do NOT listen to Nick or Harmonix/EA.
@Mabec: That guy’s an idiot.
So, when you get the second one, don’t return it. Blam-o, two guitars and its [sic] not stealing, just cheating the system. Of course, no idea how much they charge yet…
No, that’s not stealing, and it sure as hell isn’t “cheating the system”, either! You can’t say you’re exploiting a loophole if you’re going to be paying for the second guitar anyway. Granted, you wouldn’t otherwise be able to get your hands on a second Strat controller before next year without buying another bundle, but that still doesn’t mean you’re screwing EA out of anything.
@Nick: Don't procrastinate like I have been, using the Guitar Hero III wireless guitar and pretending like there is no problem.
That’s the reason I’ve held off on buying Rock Band. I only have a PS3, and I’m not really sure that I want to buy it if (A) I would to have to deal with these hardware issues, which I almost certainly would, and (B) I can’t use my Les Paul controller to play the game. A statement from Harmonix on the Rock Band forums says that they’re “looking into it”...whatever that means.
@Mabec: And now that Excremento has said that not sending back the broken hardware will set you back $125, it would seem that that moron is the one who’s getting screwed, as opposed to EA/Harmonix.
@ VGFreak:
I had rolled out of bed, and went directly to writing this post. Cut me some slack. It's been fixed to make sense.
Does anyone know what the problem they are fixing is? I've felt like my strum bar goes a little wonky sometimes but as a whole it tends to work just fine (99.9% of the time). I certainly wouldn't consider that broken but if thats what Harmonix is addressing I would be happy to get a replacement.
@RestingSound: Well, do you hit double notes for that 0.01% of the time? If so, that is the well-documented issue at play here, and so you would be due a replacement. It’s easy to tell if you do — just go to a menu where you have to move up or down, and if you move up or down twice for one up- or downstroke, then you have a problem.
Have they started selling the guitar seperately yet?
Can someone explain what's broken? My strum feels really tight, not like the Guitar Hero guitars.
@s0lesurviv0r: Things look grim for separate instruments. They can't even get the ones bundle with the game to work. The release date for separate instruments is in February i think.
Yeah, my friend's strum bar broke. The downstroke doesn't work at all. So unless you're doing 'authentic' bass, it's worthless.
At least they're working on it. From reading that, they've identified the problem and have fixed it for new production models. Either way, glad I waited.
They did not fix the problem for newer models Necros, read this:
"I got my replacement and it didn't work out of the box. I looked inside and it no longer uses physical switches, it's some kind of wireless sensor. Anyway, it seems to downstrum ok, but if I upstrum fast it will only register the first few then it will pause, then rapidly register the last few strums.
So I ordered my second replacement last night."
If anyone is thinking about buy rock band I heard the later dates are the safer ones. The first one I bought was dated August and the wires in the guitar didnt connect to my 360. The second one I got from store was dated October and the guitar works fine(for now)
My strum bar crapped out after 8 hours of use. I had to speak to some of the most rude Indians i've ever encountered, but i got my new guitar 4 days later and it's working fine.
I'd say EA/Harmonix are doing a good job addressing this issue, but it's bullshit it happened at all. The strumming mechanism is the cheapest thing i've ever seen.
My guitar and hub don't work well. Going to be making a phone call later today.
Cheat the system! Cheat the system!
My Whammy Bar lost it's bounce (you can hear a loose piece of something rattling around inside), so I went to the site, answered 4 questions, chose express shipping ($125 held on your credit card to cross ship a replacement), and 2 days later, according to UPS I should have a new guitar tomorrow! 2 day air, not a bad deal, and assuming I send in the bad guitar within 25 days it won't cost me a penny.
@Amalgamut00: Don't call just use the website.
they're actually holding an mtv rock band audition over at my school ... it's pretty crazy . O.o
I need to actually start playing through some of the guitar parts so that my guitar breaks and they send me a new one. I wouldn't want to put it off only to have it break after the warranty is up.
@ Nick Chester
Sorry. I didn't know. I must live on another time zone or something 'cause I was wide awake.
I played Phist's copy yesterday and I swear the fret buttons stick.
Boo?
This Rock Band warranty procedure is BULLSHIT! I purchased a system for my kids they were excitted to get home to play, we open the box and thiers a flyer that right off the back "lets you know you might have problems with this system" NO SHIT the drums nor the mic registered with the game.I tried going back to Game Stop where I was told that "They have been instructed by the EA Company not to allow any returns on Rock Band systems under no cercumstances to refer customer back to the manufacturer".That's beyond BULL SHIT!! your screwed no matter what. EA is blocking cunsumers from returning product back to the stores,so it still counts as a sale for EA so they can brag that "Hey Rock Band is doing GREAT! We just sold xxxxxx copies!". If you want them to really fix the issues we need to preasure the stores that are helping them sell this product. With all that said if your planning to buy Rock Band you might want to wait until this issue is resolved and avoid the hassel and the disapointment of thinking you can go home and get to playing. NOT!!! To Nick or Harmonix/EA you admit to the problem so get of your ass and fix it!! Do a recall or something and get some games that fully work out there!
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