Harmonix: “Rock Band worth the money”
European rockers found out yesterday that Rock Band was not going to be cheap. Or even mildly expensive. A rip off was declared by EA, however speaking yesterday, Harmonix’s Rob Kay admitted the price was high, but also defended it since Rock Band “isn’t normal in videogames”.
Both Eurogamer and Videogamer got a chance to chat with Kay (who ironically grew up in the UK), and does seem remorseful, although reinstates that the game is so much fun you should buy it anyway.
It is more expensive, when you just straight to straight convert the prices you see on the website for the US version but there’s a myriad of these little differences that all add up. One thing is VAT, which is included in all the UK prices, 17.5%. There’s no tax included in the US price because tax is different per state. There’s a bunch of little reasons that add up to the price difference. We’re not trying to screw people. We want to give people the chance to get into Rock Band and embrace it. We think that when they do play it then they’ll be like then this is worth the money.
This is a different experience. You cannot have a multi-player, multi-peripheral game be in the same price point as a regular game. What it delivers is so much bigger and so much better. We understand that people are going to feel a little bit aggrieved about it but we hope that playing the game will override that feeling.
It is an unfortunate situation, however there is a glimmer of hope. Online retailer Play.com already has the pre-order pages up, with the Instrument Pack coming in at £99.99/€139.99, and the game at £39.99/€55.99. Considerably cheaper than the actual RRP of £129.99/€169.99 and £49.99/€69.99 respectively. Hopefully more retailers will knock money off to make it slightly easier on the wallets for anyone still planning to pick up everything come the 23rd May.
owned!! lol
still a rip off dont care how ya try and justify it its still a blatant piss take
It is a fair point about the various taxes, buy something in store in the US and you always pay more than is shown on the pricetag. However the difference between the US and UK price is still staggeringly large.
£100 including taxes in the US, roughly for all instruments and the game. £180 here? No thanks.
ok ok sooo what is it 180quid for a game which i chd buy 18 cheap arse games for then they have the CHEEK TO TRY AND SELL CONTENT!!! now your taking the piss!!
sorry to comment again but u know u can buy an xbox with that price or even a wii :O a wii eeee
That is true about sales tax mine is 8% so RB bundle costs $183.60 out the door.
i like how they slip this in:
“This is a different experience. You cannot have a multi-player, multi-peripheral game be in the same price point as a regular game.”
as if anyone was comparing it to a regular game. just a slight attention shift to throw a spark of sub-conscious doubt into the heads of those that aren’t really paying attention.
yea, it seems he didn’t complete the statement….
“This is a different experience. You cannot have a multi-player, multi-peripheral game be in the same price point as a regular game.” (or else we at EA could not continue to screw gamers at the level they’ve become accustomed to being screwed by EA)
There we are…I believe it’s complete now.
down with ea
hmm 180 quid for a shit game that charges for extra content. nice.
id be interested in knowing what it costs them to make this bullshit, meanwhile im gonna go outside and sell my used johnny to someone then charge them extra when i come round and refill it.
General rule of thumb is to take the US price… and swap the dollar sign for a pound sign… then you have the UK price.
The UK constantly pays DOUBLE what the US does AT LEAST for all games and hardware. Its shite. What can you do though. I say vote with the wallet. I only buy what I can afford and I only buy decent games at full price that I think deserve my money. Else I wait a few months and get it on the cheap.
whats the exchnage rate now for $ and pounds?
just curious…
cause i do agree you guys are getting ripped off i just wasnt sure how much
Exchange rate is currently £1 = $1.97
We’re getting the shaft!
Holy Shit, I had no idea it was that bad!
sorry to hear that
Well, considering that Harmonix is the devil.. This was supposed to happen. Greedy sob’s.
If Harmonix is the devil, what does that make Neversoft?
An evil Graham Norton?
If Harmonix is the devil, what does that make EA?
L. Ron Hubbard of course.
best comment evah!
Its not just the price concerning this……..great game it may well be, i don’t know I haven’t played it. To me where the fuck do you store it all when playing something else??? Unless people have large ‘dedicated’ gaming rooms I can envisage living rooms everywhere filled with plastic drum kits, guitars etc. I love the idea of it but I will pass on this.
the drum kit, isn’t that bad.. if u don’t like them in your room.. it takes 5 min to take apart.
I put it all in my garage when I’m not playing it.
thing is if its anything like us version(which it is, its only half a game were buying. theres 67 songs and 70 you have to unlock off disc with ms points.
anyone else see the irony of EA declaring it a rip off? lol
What songs do u unlock with Ms points!
i haven’t seen one yet on rock band.
you don’t unlock any with MS points. That guy is an idiot… I think he meant you need to buy up to 70 (is that the current count) from the XBLM
I think what he’s saying is that the games are already on the disc but you have to purchase them off the marketplace before they’re unlocked.
“you don’t unlock any with MS points. That guy is an idiot… I think he meant you need to buy up to 70 (is that the current count) from the XBLM”
you must be confusing ms points with gamer points or something.
he meant you BUY them from the MARKETPLACE, which boils down to UNLOCKING them with MS points you PAY for. so, i don’t really see how that makes him an idiot. i don’t have rock band, but i think that’s how it works. and yeah, he implied the data was already on the dvd, and you know, he’s probably right. though, again, i have no first hand experience with rock band.
It makes no difference whatsoever if the content is on the MarketPlace or on the disc. I don’t understand people’s chip on the shoulder about this. It’s simple. There is content that you cannot access without paying for. You pay for it, you get it. Whether that’s downloading it from the marketplace or downloading an unlock key to access it on your disc is academic. The fact is: You pay for extra content, you get said extra content. The location of that content is immaterial. Can we please get over this now and get on with more important issues like “When is Duke Nukem 3D coming to XBox Live Arcade?” ;-).
the difference is, a huge argument for the reason stuff ISN’T included with a game (becomes dlc), is that it is not ready on release. having it included on the original disc derails that train before it even leaves the station.
i am a cock ps. put one in my bum
Just announced: “EA are pleased to confirm that for a limited time only every one of their valued customers in Europe will receive a free bonus item, one small tube of KY Jelly and a handy disposable applicator for when they get bent over and shafted. Only one per customer, first come first serve, terms and conditions apply. May be used more than once.”
I hope you moaning b*tches feel suitably humble for slagging off EA/HMX now…..
I work in a Game shop and we get an EA rep in from time to time, anyone want me to give him a smack in the face when he brings the rock band promotional stuff in?
I do
tell him you don’t want it.
Kick him in the fucking nuts then spit on his prone sack of bones.
Then tea bag the cunt.
And rip his fucking arm straight out the socket and beat the worthless piece of shit to death with it.
Then beat up his parents.
And for good measure burn down his family home with his demon spawn still inside.
Now now, calm down!
You forgot to mention force feeding him urinal cake.