Rock Band UK Bundles/Pricing Discussion

[RobRobRob]

I don't normally do forums, and I have only joined today to say one thing to you...

EA / Harmonix - I think between yourselves you have messed up big time. As Sir Alan might say - "EA, YOU'RE FIRED".

I will vote with my wallet and will NOT buy another EA product again.

[darkredeemer]

no way i'm buying this game at that price.

[Spidery Yoda]

Originally Posted by Venix123

I take it also everyone read the interview on CVG:
Interview: Rock Band Developer Interview - ComputerAndVideoGames.com

It's just as much rubbish as the other 'explaination'.

The comments sum it up quite nicely.

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by Spidery Yoda

It's just as much rubbish as the other 'explaination'.

C&VG didn't even give him as hard a time as Eurogamer did. It's the interview equivalent of Cake or Death. What we need here is a gaming journalism equivalent of Paxman.

[proevobeatsfifa]

The whole packaging, localisation, shipping thing that the Harmonix guys keep trotting out is such a load of rubbish

Lets take Singstar on the PS3 as an example as, in principle, it works on the same model as RB

You can buy Singstar plus 2 usb microphones for £25 - it needs to go thru the same packaging, localisation and shipping as RB - infact, given the excuses used by Harmonix, even moreso as it is available in a much larger number of Countries across Europe

Both have licensed audio tracks - Singstar also includes the video track

So, whats the reason that Rock Band (Solus) the game costs more than Singstar that bundled with 2 mics?

Now, given that Rock Band could be bundled with at least 1 mic and be sold solus at the same price as Singstar - thats £25

Can Harmonix/EA really expect us to believe that the cost of manufacturing the Guitar/Drums in China and shipping/bundling them would equal to the extra £165

I could go into this in so much more depth - the excuse about how the bundles need to be constructed etc - all could easliy have been resolved without the extortionate added cost to Europe - what it boils down to it a lack of planning by EA/Harmonix - and they want us to foot the bill

Nope, not me

[Fletch1970]

Just to add insult to injury, I suggest you read this article.

Thats the people we are dealing with here. Not at all arrogant, conceited or brazen are they?

Just shows how much we will have to fight...

[Scooper]

Just like to add to my previous comment that not only will i not be buying rock band (which i originally intended on buying) i will not be buying any more Ea games ever after the service they have shown us and i encourage anybody to join me.
After all what decent games have EA made, apart from the sims which they're still trying to milk as they can't come up with anything else decent

[Frenuless]

I've wanted this game so bad since it was released in the US,and delayed here for no good reason,but theres no way in hell i can justify payin £180 for a game,thats six months old,has sub standard peripherals,and costs as much as a new xbox!

Come on EA,for the love of god,take a look at the web,read the forums,see what us europeans think of you's...you'll get a good strong idea,we think your milking us.and for no good reason,in the end,if you wanna make money,drop the damn price to something acceptable.

[Graeme]

Originally Posted by Frenuless

I've wanted this game so bad since it was released in the US,and delayed here for no good reason,but theres no way in hell i can justify payin £180 for a game,thats six months old,has sub standard peripherals,and costs as much as a new xbox!

Come on EA,for the love of god,take a look at the web,read the forums,see what us europeans think of you's...you'll get a good strong idea,we think your milking us.and for no good reason,in the end,if you wanna make money,drop the damn price to something acceptable.

Then pay £100? or even £130?

[Frenuless]

i want the game aswell,so it would be £140,that is acceptable-ish,but,with all the pre-orders on this,i dont think they'll be able to keep up with demand...and another thing for me is money,i have alot of games i would like to trade in and use the money from that,towards the game,something i cant really do over the net

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by dbuggy455

Then pay £100? or even £130?

That's nice. Unfortunately playing generally requires a copy of the game, which isn't included in either of those.

[Scooper]

Originally Posted by iapetus

That's nice. Unfortunately playing generally requires a copy of the game, which isn't included in either of those.

Lol. That gave me a good chuckle, but it's exactly what i thought when i first saw that. Just goes to show you can't assume that your going to get what you need with EA. Maybe EA were hoping that they could **** us off even more by selling instruments on their own and then when we got it like, o lalalala theres no game
Just a thought, wouldn't put it past them when they've shown this brilliant customer service as of late

[proevobeatsfifa]

Could it be possible? Have EA seen the light and realised what a huge mistake they made on the price was

Rumor: Rock Band Europe To See Price Retraction Tomorrow?

"File it under mega rumor, but Akihabara Blue is claiming that the Spanish media is very much in the know (but under embargo) that EA will be reducing Rock Band Europe's projected price to 169 € (down from 240 €)—a metric that would offer a 1:1ish dollar to euro conversion to ease the purchase a bit.

In other words, Europeans would no longer be paying the equivalent of $378 (USD), but something closer to $267 (USD) instead. We have no clue whether or not this is true, but we do know that it's a good idea, regardless."

I'll believe it when I see it - but for now, its fingers crossed time....

[Spidery Yoda]

Hmm. Interesting. The response to the price announcement has definitely been big enough that they'd take notice.

[iapetus]

If the Kotaku/Akihabara Blue rumour is true, then I'll have my preorder in the moment online retailers update with the new prices, and I'll be buying DLC pretty much as soon as my copy arrives - it would be a definite sign that EA wants my money.

[proevobeatsfifa]

Yep - if that rumour is true, then that would put the new RRP at around £136

With internet discounts, that could lead to prices in the £100 - £110 area - and that is a much fairer price - and one that might make me consider a purchase

Lets just hope the rumour is true.........

[alsop603]

I bought GHIII for my PS2 to save on buying the bundle for the XBOX just so I'd have more cash for when RB came out. I wish I'd not of bothered now. I would of been quite happy to pay upto £130 for RB but £180 I might as well bend over and wait for EA to **** me

[MahrVehl]

So I guess that Kotaku rumour didn't happen then

Anyways I sent a PM to EAUK_Omni today asking when Ea were going to respond to the dissatisfcation that has been expressed by consumers over the pricing fiasco.

His response:

Originally Posted by EAUK_Omni

I'm afraid I have no information regarding if/when a statement will be made. I will of course continue to pass on all comments and feedback we receive.

If? [removed] IF? They shouldn't even be considering IF to make a response, the only option should be [removed] WHEN!

[Omni]

I understand this situation frustrates many of you but please keep the language clean as per the forum rules.

[Doomz]

No, I think if you realised how frustrated people were you'd be making it clear to your superiors that we need a reason that isn't a lie for the price gouging.

"Cost of shipping" Doesn't cut it.
"VAT and TAX" Doesn't cut it.
"Differences in currency" Doesn't cut it.

You know why? Because we know you're lying. Every reason EA will give has been shot out of the water numerous times as being rediculous. Why not just confess to the poor management of the US rollout, with their hardware issues and the poor manufacturing of your first run of instruments, is the reason the cost is being passed to the EU consumers.

"We messed up our production, don't want to take the responsability for it, and you euroscum are the ones we've decided to penalise for the mistakes our management has made, so our precious shareholders will give us big wet kisses at our anual meeting".

That, I for one, would believe.

-Doomz

[Fusito]

One possible reason I can guess at for this huge increase:
Perhaps they don't care if they don't sell as many units at launch as they would have done at a reasonable price.

With the amount of broken drums and guitars and other issues with peripherals and even the game discs themselves... perhaps there are not enough replacement parts to cover the demand.

So they raise the price. Less people will buy it, and those that do will be paying so much more that it'll cover the people who aren't.

Clever strategy, bound to keep them in the black... unless enough people do boycott and the big game review companies pick up on it and give EA (another) hammering.

Or I could be completely wrong, there are enough parts and EA are just riding the public like ponies.
Either way, I'm going to pray hard that EA fail to assimilate Take-Two... as that'll just be death for quality and innovation in games.

[MahrVehl]

Originally Posted by EAUK_Omni

I understand this situation frustrates many of you but please keep the language clean as per the forum rules.

Just for clarity, I did star (*) out some of the letters of the "Unclean language" so that i wasn't actually swearing, just giving an impression as to how much this ludicrous price markup annoys me.

Oh and DoomZ? Agreed, 100% Agreed. This whole damn situation stinks to high heaven of unwarranted profiteering.

[alsop603]

Is there nothing trading standards can do about this blatent rip off? Surely there has to be a law preventing companies putting a 108% price hike on an item in a different country. Or we could have one massive petition and take it to Downing Street that should make EA listen.

[Scooper]

I was just thinking about it this morning and i realised if Play.com can afford to sell it for £140 all together, just how much is it really costing Ea to distribute this to Europe. Obviously Play.com want to make a profit so they must be buying it a lower price, whats the deal with the RRP???

[alsop603]

The Secretary of state for culture, media and sport is The Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP if enough people e-mail him with their disgust it might get bought up at parliment!! enquiries@culture.gov I'll bring the b******* to their knees if they won't listen.