Can someone from EA explain why Rock Band is £180 in the UK please????

[aplotinus]

"Erm.. Maybe because in that pack you get a Drumkit, bass guitar, guitar, game, and mic.

No? I think thats great value for money."

EA could ship it with a midi drum module..... Then it will be worth it!

EA please can I have a Midi Drumkit Brain? Then I can use the drumkit in a real band and not to just to play this game. It's a bit crap having to take a TV and Xbox 360 down the pub!

[iapetus]

So is anyone from EA actually going to comment on this at all? Or are they just going to continue cowering behind the developer and hoping the whole thing will go away and everyone will buy Rock Band anyway? (Clue: it won't, they won't...)

[iapetus]

Still no answer from the cowards at EA?

Can the admins here confirm that it's official company policy to keep quiet and hope the problem will go away? Because that's all that seems to be happening.

[Doomz]

They messed up the US release with shoddy equipments, paid for it in returns, and now are passing on their problem US launch by passing the cost onto the consumers in the EU. It really is that simple, stop thinking its to do with shipping and VAT and other costs, because the whole story is 1) EA messed up 2) EA fail to accept responsability 3) EA shafts EU consumers instead of taking the profit hit they deserve for FAILING TO SOURCE DECENT MANUFACTURERS!

Did I mess the manufacturing up? No. Did my freinds? No. Did some idiot at EA? Yes.

But of course, we pay, not EA. Because they're pure, baby-eating, puppy-killing evil.

[EAUK_Omni]

Originally Posted by iapetus

Still no answer from the cowards at EA?

Can the admins here confirm that it's official company policy to keep quiet and hope the problem will go away? Because that's all that seems to be happening.

As we've said in other threads on the same subject we are feeding back all of your comments and concerns.

[Frenuless]

Thanks for relaying what we're saying,but still,EA dont seem to give a damn,until they make a public statement about why this game is costing us so much,with a decent reason for it,then i cant justify buying it,as much as i badly want it.

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by EAUK_Omni

As we've said in other threads on the same subject we are feeding back all of your comments and concerns.

It's good to hear that, and people are grateful for it. But it does very much seem the communication channel is one-way. Why are EA so unwilling to make any statement on this? It just increases the impression people are getting that there is no valid reason for the extortionate pricing and they have nothing useful to say in defence of it.

[Sumo]

To be honest, I'd rather spend £180 (rrp) on a real guitar rather than some overpriced piece of plastic.

I'm sure the people who put the UK price tag on it will be feeling pretty stupid right now.

[OptiMAT prime]

To post above Sumos - "Those corporate fools EA" dont make statements through Forums. that would be a very very stupid business move, so dont expect a "reply" as such. The mods on these forums just represent them, they dont just walk up to Mr. EA and say "Yo, Boss, these guys on the forums are getting preeeetty mad at your pricing, change it fool."

Sumo - True mate, my dad wont buy me guitar hero because he's afraid ill stop playing guitar haha! Although, you'd want to change a £180 guitar pretty quickly once you got good, in reality, a guitar from argos or something just doesnt cut it if you want to take it seriously
Although i see your point

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by OptiMAT prime

To post above Sumos - "Those corporate fools EA" dont make statements through Forums. that would be a very very stupid business move, so dont expect a "reply" as such. The mods on these forums just represent them, they dont just walk up to Mr. EA and say "Yo, Boss, these guys on the forums are getting preeeetty mad at your pricing, change it fool."

I'm not expecting a statement through the forums. I'm expecting it through an interview on one of the major gaming sites, an official announcement of some form, or a press release. We've seen statements from other companies involved, even though they're not responsible for the pricing and don't have full access to the facts. All I'm asking is for EA to do likewise. If the pricing is justifiable, then justify it. If it isn't, then have the balls to own up to it. Silence is a clear indication of no justification and no balls.

[OptiMAT prime]

Maybe so, maybe you're right, im just saying, chances of you getting one of those replies you're looking for are pretty slim.
Businesses dont read these things and act on them unless their profit is falling.
EAs profit is NOT falling, well, i dont think it is anyway.

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by OptiMAT prime

Maybe so, maybe you're right, im just saying, chances of you getting one of those replies you're looking for are pretty slim.
Businesses dont read these things and act on them unless their profit is falling.

The massive backlash against the pricing and the number of people who've said they won't be buying the game as a result should also be something EA take account of. It's a publicity nightmare, and it'll be even worse on the high street, where there won't be any sign of price reductions - GAME and Gamestation will be selling the game at the full £180 - more than the console you need to run it.

EA have responded to customer feedback like this in the past. As I said, Harmonix have already made comments on this in interviews and announcements on their site. The idea that 'companies don't reply' is clearly not one that holds water. If they don't reply, then they don't reply for a reason, and in this case it's pretty evident what that reason is.

[Scooper]

Just to let you know guys EA have been struggling lately and their profits took a steep drop last year by about 7-9% can't remember exactly. Could be due to the dispute with GAME. Could be why the price is so high? Trying to get back money but more likely they just like ****ing us off

[MahrVehl]

Originally Posted by Scooper

Just to let you know guys EA have been struggling lately and their profits took a steep drop last year by about 7-9% can't remember exactly. Could be due to the dispute with GAME. Could be why the price is so high? Trying to get back money but more likely they just like ****ing us off

That could explain the price for the UK but that explanaition wouldn't apply to Germany and France. And I am pretty sure that even if they lost money because of GAME in the UK they would make up for it still selling at a fair price in France and Germany.

Of course if EA put the price at £180 to offset losses occured via GAME in the UK and then set the Euro price at roughly the same markup just because of problems in the UK with ONE retailer, that makes this whole goddamn mess stink even worse.

Also EAUK_Omni? Any news on a potential reply by EA to this poochscrew of a price announcement?

[EAUK_Omni]

No news at the moment.

[Doomz]

Really? No news? No suprise there then. Lets all wait 'til everyone has forgotten about the issue eh?

-Doomz

[OptiMAT prime]

Originally Posted by MahrVehl

That could explain the price for the UK but that explanaition wouldn't apply to Germany and France.

Of course if EA put the price at £180 to offset losses occured via GAME in the UK and then set the Euro price at roughly the same markup just because of problems in the UK with ONE retailer, that makes this whole goddamn mess stink even worse.

Well, actually, they'd need to keep it marked up there too, or else people from the UK would just import it from France and Germany.

To be honest i cant believe this is still going on.
If you're really THAT fussed about the prices, do what you do with everything else.. dont buy it.

[MahrVehl]

Originally Posted by OptiMAT prime

Well, actually, they'd need to keep it marked up there too, or else people from the UK would just import it from France and Germany.

But thats where HMX/EA's decision to make the user manuals language specific to the individual markets screws things up.

Originally Posted by OptiMAT prime

To be honest i cant believe this is still going on.
If you're really THAT fussed about the prices, do what you do with everything else.. dont buy it.

The main problem I have at the moment is that EA are remaining annoyingly silent on the whole thing. So far only HMX have said anything and their explanations make no damn sense at all (apparently 17.5% VAT and a $4 shipping charge from China adds up to an extra £100 for the UK? What the hell?).

I can't afford the game at £180, and I am not paying £130 from anywhere until EA explain why the RRP is so goddamn high or drop the RRP to a more reasonable markup.

And just because I have made a decision to not buy doesn't mean that myslef and others shouldn't moan at EA about the price, after all it's the price EA set that is the reason I'm not now buying it. Seems like a perfect reason to complain to me.

Also on a separate note, why is "bi*ch" caught by the swear filter? Surely thats ok to say isn't it?

[OptiMAT prime]

Well, all im saying is, a better way for them to realise the game should be brought down in price is to boycott it.. when they're not making any money im sure it will come down. Just like everything else, rather than moaning about it on a forum [not specifically aimed at you there]

And about the manuals, that so wouldnt stop people people import games from Japan etc. Like SSB, because the game's language can be changed.
A lot of manuals are also printed with all languages in one booklet, especially in the EU area.

[MahrVehl]

Originally Posted by OptiMAT prime

A lot of manuals are also printed with all languages in one booklet, especially in the EU area.

Which begs the question why didn't EA do that for Rock Band? After all at initial release it's only 3 languages, and doing multiple languages allows them to package the game with the instruments, allowing a reduced bundle price. But it didn't happen.

EAUK_Omni, is there anyway you could maybe find out why the manual isn't multi language? That would be a decision made at the EA HQ in Europe right? Not anyone in the US?

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by OptiMAT prime

Well, all im saying is, a better way for them to realise the game should be brought down in price is to boycott it.. when they're not making any money im sure it will come down. Just like everything else, rather than moaning about it on a forum [not specifically aimed at you there]

And what makes more sense is to boycott it and keep the pressure on in the forums and through other routes.

Which is... exactly what we're doing.

On the other side of things, a better way to keep your customers happy is to tell them why the price is so high - if there's a justifiable reason - rather than keep silent on the whole affair.

[Mendrallus]

Originally Posted by iapetus

Perhaps someone from EA (and this time it is the board moderators who should be answering) could explain why the board is closed to registration now that a lot of people want to sign up to express their displeasure with this pricing news?

Thanks for reminding me, I had to make this sign in because I forgot my password for my normal one and the reminder E-mail just hasn't appeared. Wonder why that could be?

[EAUK_Omni]

It wasn't closed to registration. There were 2 register buttons, one worked and the other didn't. It has now been fixed.

[Mendrallus]

Originally Posted by EAUK_Omni

It wasn't closed to registration. There were 2 register buttons, one worked and the other didn't. It has now been fixed.

Well, I was just pointing out that it's a bit strange that I haven't received my e-mail telling me what my password is for my original account.