A solid release date of May 23rd has been announced for the Xbox 360 version, after which it will remain exclusive to the console until "later this Summer" when the PS3 version is released. The price for the PS3 version will most likely be the same as the 360 version, but we hope it's not. The instruments (a drum set, a guitar and a mic) will retail in its own bundle without the game for £130/€170. The game will be sold separately for the normal £50/€60.
The only good news to come out of this announcement is that Europe will receive some exclusive songs (listed after the break) and that all of the DLC up to this point will be released on the XBLM on May 27th, with all future updates occurring simultaneously for the US and Europe. If SCEE can pull off something similar without encountering technical difficulties, we'll be very surprised.
The fact of the matter is: import the bundle from America and play the songs on the disc for a wee while, then buy the European disc in order to get your hands on the exclusive songs and DLC. Sure, you'll be buying the game twice, but it'll still be cheaper than buying the EU instrument bundle and the game. Madness.
The exclusive European tracks are as follows:
English
- "Beetlebum" by Blur
- "Rock 'n' Roll Star" by Oasis
- "Monsoon" by Tokio Hotel
- "Hysteria" by Muse
German
- "Hier Kommt Alex" by Die Toten Hosen
- "Perfekte Welle" by Juli
- "Countdown to Insanity" by H-Block X
French
- "Manu Chao" by Les Wampas
- "New Wave" by Playmo
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-08-2008 @ 9:31AM
myself said...
230 euros???
not buying!!
i rather get a wii or 5 games
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4-08-2008 @ 9:42AM
Fireball said...
I wonder how much Microshite paid off EA for the apparent "delay" in the PS3 version. Not buying, if it had come out in March like planned then maybe
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4-08-2008 @ 11:09AM
deaftly said...
ZOMG ITS A CONSPIRACY!
4-08-2008 @ 12:36PM
why not the LS2LS7? said...
deaftly:
You think EA would cut their sales and get nothing in return?
I'm certain MS offered substantial co-marketing as an enticement. It's how the game is usually played.
4-08-2008 @ 5:02PM
Lars said...
What bugs me is that Harmonix says stuff like "we're on the side of the consumer" and "we think both next-gen consoles are great and do not favor either" and "what Activision did is wrong, we've got the customer's back" and such, but then they clearly cater to the 360. They've still got 3 exclusive songs on 360, voice chat in multiplayer, we've got no players met functionality or anything, no lights on our controllers that show which player number we are... and guitars that were desperately needed on PS3 were the last peripheral to be sold separately.
4-08-2008 @ 9:43AM
bruty said...
Where's a good place to import from then? I had a look at Amazon.com and the only one I could find that delivered to the UK cost over £150, so this wouldn't save me any money.
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4-08-2008 @ 9:50AM
Spalec said...
You can buy an entire Ps3 and Gran turismo for only £100 more. What a obscene ripoff.
Shame, I wanted to play this game too. Not at that price though.
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4-08-2008 @ 10:00AM
JoJo said...
such a rip off!! good thing i'm in the US
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4-08-2008 @ 10:08AM
Fiddlesworth said...
Amazing, how can a company like EA make some a complete screw-up of a Euro product launch? For that price you'd expect reasonably high quality hardware but you know you're not going to get it.
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4-08-2008 @ 10:16AM
digiboi said...
"Hysteria" by Muse
That just hurts so much.
Any idea if there will be a way to get this "exclusive content" on a PS3 in America?
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4-08-2008 @ 11:00AM
David said...
I want some Muse in the US version!! New Born, Apocalypse Please, Knights of Cydonia, Butterflies and Hurricanes are all perfect songs for Rock Band...I hope that if it's available for Europe it will be available here in the future.
I really doubt importing the game and then buying the European disc will be cheaper. What's up with the price fluctuations? Does that mean that the lower price is suggested but it could go up to the other price? Or does it mean that the price will fluctuate between that range in the different European countries? Either way is pretty expensive.
4-08-2008 @ 10:21AM
flubba said...
So have they released the patch for GH3 guitars yet? So I can just import the disc from US and play the game with the GH3 guitar?
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4-08-2008 @ 10:24AM
Nate said...
Nope, and I wouldn't expect it to come. Ever.
4-08-2008 @ 10:54AM
jrw365 said...
just go on ebay dudes, then use entropay for all the DLC you need off the US PS store. I did this and have been in rock heaven since last christmas, and this pricing announcement fully justifies my decision, especially given it cost me less than £130 for the bundle including shipping! Oh and the guitar works fine dont worry on that score...only problem is the in-game DLC store doesnt work properly for EU based players
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4-08-2008 @ 11:18AM
deaftly said...
For those bitching about the price, this game is better then the Wii itself and is the best multiplayer game ever made. You'll be missing out on something really special if you pass on this.
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4-08-2008 @ 11:58AM
Ryzome said...
Half the time someone making $50,000 at a job in the US will be getting 45,000-55,000 Euros for the same job overseas, so I feel no pity for the poor "ripped off" europeans, outside of getting their games delayed all the time.
Now bend over and take it like a man.
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4-08-2008 @ 12:55PM
Bastard11 said...
Funny how the 360 needs major help in Europe and theis happens. So who exactly still doesn't believe that EA clearly wants the 360 to beat the PS3 this generation??
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4-08-2008 @ 1:33PM
Sangor said...
I don't think GBP 180 / EUR 240 is major help, that price won't help xbox sales at all.
4-08-2008 @ 2:21PM
Martez said...
Hooooooly crap, that's pricey.
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4-08-2008 @ 3:17PM
finelicker said...
You say import the US version?, I'd love too, but no one is importing the damn thing!!
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