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Loading ...Posted by: Nik Taylor
EA Games has confirmed today it will release Rock Band exclusively on the Xbox on May 23. There's no definite release date for the other platforms yet - the game will be released on Playstation and Wii 'later in the summer' according to a press release - but my understanding is that non-Xbox gamers will be waiting until August.
There's no official confirmation of any of the prices yet, but you would be well advised to save up significantly more than the $170 cost of the US version.
So, good(ish) news for Xbox owners who've been waiting for this game, but something of a slap in the face for Playstation and Wii fans. Presumably, the delayed and staggered release dates are intended to increase excitement about the game - but it seems a lot of people are just getting fed up that they're being kept waiting for so long. Combined with the likely high cost of the game, would it be a surprise if Rock Band struggles to make the same impact over here as it did in the States?
Price update:
It's been confirmed the Rock Band instruments package (mic, guitar, drums) for Xbox 360 will cost £129.99 in the UK. That's without the game, which has a RRP of £49.99. If you want to have a mate on bass for the full Rock Band experience, you will need to shell out another £59.99 for another guitar. That's a whopping £239.97 for all four peripherals and the game.
In practice retailers will reduce these prices. Play offers the instruments package for £99.99 and the game for £39.99 - so a total of £139.98 for the mic, one guitar, drums and game.
Let's compare the price in the US. Amazon.com is selling the Rock Band Special Edition (mic, guitar, drums and game) for $147.99. In today's exchange rate, that's £74.84. That's £65.14 cheaper even than Play's discounted price.
EA's official take is to blame the price difference on manufacturing costs and UK VAT, which is a cop out. Quite simply, UK consumers are being ripped off once again. Our consoles cost more, our games cost more, our peripherals cost more. There's no justification for putting a game package out at twice the price it costs over the pond - no matter how good that game might be.
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