I totally stopped caring for Rip-Off band due to its costs, repeated marketing lies and delays.

Asbestos_Underwear

Lol. That picture is fuckin' priceless.

CHU BOI

@ThursdayNext: I didn't say I was being reasonable. *Grin*

Shockeh

Wah Wah Waaaaaaaaaaah!

Don't worry, when Rock Band 2 comes out, they'll probably charge a godly amount of money for the bundle that could be used to buy a small European country.

Salen

@Shockeh: Technically speaking "Fall" is one of the few things that America have gotten right. It's an Old(e) English term relating to the time when leaves and apples and things would "Fall" from trees.

ThursdayNext

@Shiryu: I'd say it's more like they know they're going to get our money anyway sooner or later. Basically an organised monopoly by staggering releases between them, they know exactly how much disposable income we all have.

"Sit down, shut up & take what we spoon feed you."

Shockeh

@Infinitum: Oh damn, you beat me to it! I was even gonna put 'shrugs!' *shakes fist, goes back to playing Rock Band* (I'm from Canada)

The Magnificen7

@The Whaleman: It's like EA doenst want our money *shock and awe*.

As God-on-Earth Michael Pachter pointed out int he GT Xmas bOnus round, it was a mistake not to release Rock Band for the Wii, because Guitar Hero III filled that niche and people who have a Wii w/ Guitar Hero III (me, myself and I) are already more pre-disposed to purchase Guitar Hero IV (I mean, World Tour) then Rock Band, simply because we didn't have the option back then at Xmas 2007. Looks like we wont have an option in XMAS 2008 by the looks of it...

Living in Euroland! I LOVE it!

Shiryu

EA I laugh at your ill intent and pledge allegiance to Activision-Blizzard bwahahahah

shaunomacx

Rockband is not even out in whole Europe. I doubt it ever will.

Rakotto

Sadly of course, what the lovely readers of Kotaku need to realise is that all these companies know you're simply a blip on the graph.

Relative to the mainstream 'casual' gaming market, who make up the vast majority of those delicious Christmas marketing figures, we, the gamers of the world just don't figure as worth placating.

And unfortunately, the mainstream market doesn't care that Rock Band took 6 months to make it to the EU. They don't care that AU still don't have it. They care that they can buy it in time for little Jonny so his friend little Timmy doesn't mock him come December 27th once the family have gone home.

In short, consumers in this market have no buying power, because there's so little opportunity for organisation by those who care.

Oh, and whilst I'm at it, 'Fall' isn't a season. ;)

Shockeh

What is this "Australia" you speak of?

Shrugs,
EA

;) I'm from Oz too.

Infinitum

@julians: It's only out in the UK, Germany and France so far. There's like 42 European countries that still hasn't gotten it yet... and probably won't until Rock Band 2 is about to hit the US either. All retailers still claim a "fall" release.... but if they're gonna keep this up, I claim a #fail" release.

The Whaleman

@El-Suave: of=over

El-Suave

What is this "Rock Band" game you speak of?

Hugs,
Australia

Telly_Vision

I imported my PS3 version of RB1 when it launched in the US.

If I were an average European PS3 user this franchise could go to hell, no matter how good it is. I couldn't get of the delays, sold exclusivity, inflated cost and incompatibility.

If Activision is playing their cards right, Europe may be wide open for GH IV - I doubt they manage to get it out there in a a timely fashion and for a reasonable price.

El-Suave

@julians: Yup. That's pretty much it.

garytek

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo *gasps for air* ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

Also, I think you're right Shiryu, If Guitar Hero: World tour is only half the product RB1 and 2 is, it's gonna outsell EA/HArmonix so badly here if we indeed have to wait even longer for RB2... because who wants to get the first if the second is already out elsewhere?

The Whaleman

If Rock Band 1 didn't come out at the same time in Europe, who would expect it to come out at the same time when it came to 2?

DukeOfPwn

Not that I care but didn't Rockband just come out here(EU). It's no wonder they'd want to sell the first one first.

julians

It's like theyre giving away the euroland market on purpose to Guitar Hero...

Shiryu

@Telly_Vision: and @Infinitum:

Well played!

A fair representation of EA and Australia...

Cwn

@eskimo-bob: now that I think about it aren't EA letting guitar hero practically own europe? that makes no sense from a business standpoint.

eskimo-bob

OH COME ON! EA YOU SUCK EVEN MORE NOW!

eskimo-bob

Rock Band is dead for me anyway. The only thing that could maybe convince me is a price cut, say... 50%, so it will only be slightly above the US price.
I hope Activision knows other/more appropriate currency prices than EA...

Naryoril

Anybody else see this coming a mile off? Well, as much as I hate to say it, Guitar Hero 4 may have won me over now.

PaddyStardust

@Shockeh: They need to work really hard to get my €uros from me. I have some EA games for the Wii, but im not sure ill be getting any new ones this year... let's wait for E3 and see what they got cooking.

Shiryu

Seems like the question I noted in the last EU-RB2 article has been partially answered.

Pants down for us Euros - We're getting the shaft, but on the bright side it won't be for at least another six months.

Jonax

Its not even out on the PS3 in the uk yet

Monkey Majiks

@The Whaleman: You forgot Ireland. It's also out here for an even more outrageous price than most places! I believe at least one person has actually bought it! And no, we are not part of the UK.

kennyd1

*sigh*
You just took the wind out of my Chrono Trigger DS sail...... UGH!
Really? God damn it!

Zeouterlimits

@kennyd1: I wonder if it's uk imports and that's why they're even more outrageous, or if it's "UK and Ireland" and not just UK that got it officially... I don't feel like looking up old press messages to find out though.

Fun fact of the day though: Rock Band World Tour has a tentative release in Sweden this fall (fine, Autumn, I've just read to many ecological articles in American/Canadian journals, where they mostly use fall) with a tentative price 10% lower than Rock Band's tentative price here (which mean they also charge you and arm and a leg, but let you keep your fingers and toes). If this is true, Rock Band feels pretty doomed over here.

The Whaleman

I really hope they get this right this time. Lets see, even disregarding price differences it was a cock up in Europe:

US Release: 1 Box contains Wireless Guitar, Mic, Drums and Game.
EU Release: 1 box for instruments, at roughly a dollar/pound equivalency. Then you have to buy the game separately. Oh, and despite the Drums possibly being a bit nicer in the EU box, the guitar is horrible (and NOT WIRELESS!). You can feel it flexing and creaking whilst you press the nasty clicky buttons. The US guitar was far higher quality, and WIRELESS!

A little less arse raping for Europe this time around eh, EA? Pretty Please?

seffyroff

Ok, well, if EA don't want my money they're not going to get it. RB1 isn't out for PS3 in Europe yet and it doesn't have a release date.

EA succeeds in alienating everybody that isn't American... again.

Frequen-Z

@jasoncourt: Only about 7% of Europe (9 if Ireland has it officially as well) got it so far and only for one platform... so yeah... a UH YEAH is pretty much allowed in reference to that ;)

But keep some hope still. We're not completely shafted. The September Euro release is "not confrimed", this article says "May not". It's not game over just yet. I keep some threads of hope out not having to sell my soul to Activision and their "first time ever with guitar, drums, bass and song".

Actually, I'll wait til both are out in the US to see what the reviewers says actually is the best product. It's silly to take sides before all cards are on the table.

The Whaleman

Yay, we can see how much fun the US is having on it for another 6 months then finally get it, before Rock Band 3 is announced :D

GREAT TO LIVE IN THE UK lulz

kopakauk

UH YEAH...Didn't Europe just get RockBand two months ago. Not a shocker. Besides, do you really want a sequel so soon.

ps: sorry about the 'uh yeah'

jasoncourt

I actually thought Harmonix was going to do something right, oh well, I should of guessed this was going to happen.

SovietEngland

@seffyroff: My apple-pie oozing, flag lapel pin wearing USA Rock Band guitar isn't wireless either. It also really sucks. I am counting down the days until I can throw it the hell out. The size of the shaft that Europe is getting might not be quite as big as you think.

That having been said, the game companies really do seem to be trying to torture European gamers as much as humanly possible. It would be funny, if it wasn't so sad.

Mr. Fluffykins

WTF? I can kind of get my head around the first one getting delayed, what with all those instruments having to be made, but they could at least bring out just the disc? Is that hard EA? Is it? You bastards.

TeaBean

That kid's got a huge head.

Ashurahori

For the first time I thought someone was gonna do something right =(

Why not push RB1s release back a month release RB2 in September worldwide and just sell the RB1 disc in Europe and RB2 + RB2 instruments?

If they got warehouses full of EU RB1 instruments already just sell them in US for a smaller sum than RB2s instruments. Cheap bastards will buy them =)

They would benefit allot from that.

RageW

Just when you thought Charlie Brown was finally going to get to kick the ball. Lucy pulls it away again.

bjlive4350

@Shockeh:

"Sadly of course, what the lovely readers of Kotaku need to realise is that all these companies know you're simply a blip on the graph."

[kotaku.com]

Just a blip? Well maybe EA should realise that Europe just happens to be a bigger blip than that small one beside it for America. EA are just throwing away sales to guitar hero in a market bigger than America. Where's the business sense in that? Never mind the fact that the dollar is so weak right now.

Nintendo have admitted to shipping less Wiis to the US in favour of Europe because of the state of the dollar. I'm sure if more companies start prioritising the EU market like nintendo there will be many an irritated American complaining on Kotaku.

GravyBoi

Ah, the über-fail of RB continues.
Congrats EA, now you might learn that the thing you call ROW (Rest of world) actually sits on quite a lot of cash. And you wont get a penny of it.

Why can't they all be friends and make a hybrid? I really hate the GUI in RB compared to GH, but the songs are better than GH.

sirspankalot

God damn you EA. And I bet you will region lock it too?? ARRRGGGGG

Crab_Botherer

I just don't care any more. I wanted to buy Rock Band the last time around but ended up buying GH3 due to the ridiculously high price. Its like I'm ready to give them my money but they just don't want it.

shak_0

I mean we have to ship them across the Atlantic Ocean, that's what a 3 month journey?

Chewbenator

AAAHHHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!

King Seafoam

Given the ridiculous pricing of games in Australia (for example GTA goes for around $120 AUD - and the Australian dollar is almost at parity with the US dollar) I'm amazed that EA isn't rushing to release Rockband2 here - I mean the profit margin would be roughly double that of any unit sold in the US or Europe.

Motivated

woohoo rock band 2 coming in 2009 probably at only triple the american price as is normal. so do they expect more than 2 units sold in Europe with this one? (imports not included)

coladict

Well they will have PES 2009 about 4 months early.

HDgam3r