Rock Band's dubious $300 Gamestop price

44 Comments by Alexander Sliwinski May 9th 2007 10:15PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Rhythm

Gamestop listed prices for EA/MTV/Harmonix mega-title Rock Band's peripherals and we sincerely hope there is an error. Before going any further, please take this info with a brick of salt until we've received official word on pricing from the cluster of companies involved in handling this title. Also, Gamestop's website is notoriously unreliable in early pricing. So, here we go, just prepare yourself:

Rock Band - $59.99 (No shock there, Xbox 360 and PS3 both listed)
Rock Band drums set - $79.99 (Yikes)
Rock Band microphone - $49.99 (Wha?)
Rock Band guitar controller - $59.99 (No, get serious now)
Rock Band wireless guitar - $79.99 (ARE YOU FRACKIN' ... wait, wait, wireless controller, hmm?)

The cost of Rock Band, according to this very early, very dubious, listing would come in at $309.95 wired ($349.95 wireless). Did EA and Harmonix flat-out err in judgement going into the peripheral manufacturing business on their own, or does Gamestop simply need to update their pricing? Turn the insanity up to 11 if this is true. Now, how do we afford our Rock n' Roll lifestyle?

Update: Apparently this issue came up a month ago. A representative for Rock Band said at the time, "Let me nip this one in the bud right now. Those are estimated prices and not official in any even remote way. We haven't even decided on prices ultimately, much less announced them." Then why are these "estimated" numbers still floating out there and shouldn't somebody pick up the phone and go tell Gamestop corporate? If these prices are merely "estimates," they're the bad kind of estimation.

[Thanks Vlad]

Tags: drums, ea, guitar, harmonix, mtv, peripherals, rock star, RockStar

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

lilboo: May 9th 2007; 10:21PM

That's really ghetto. What the hell???

kingofwale: May 9th 2007; 10:31PM

NO WAY!!!

I would never pay PSP + DS for a game. It's ridiculous

Xanto: May 9th 2007; 10:42PM

What the shit?

ephraim: May 9th 2007; 10:43PM

haha, nice spinal tap reference.

SKI: May 9th 2007; 10:45PM

What is the drums going to look like and how big will it be?

Wes: May 9th 2007; 10:52PM

Rockband, giving angry old neighbours another reason legitimate reason to complain about that 'damn next door neighbour punk rock band!

The look on the old angry couples face: Priceles...wait a sec. Nm $309.95 + tax + 399 - 599 for a console.

Car2oon: May 9th 2007; 10:56PM

You know, at that price, it'd make more sense to invest in a REAL rockband.

butthead: May 9th 2007; 11:01PM

shit i with that you can actualy waste your money ON A REAL DAM GUITAR. so go do that

horngreen: May 9th 2007; 11:06PM

Wouldn't an estimate pretty much be the final price? Furthermore what the hell do YOU people expect this stuff to cost? Prices seem in line to me although the whole concept seems like a bad idea anyway. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

REUYL: May 9th 2007; 11:09PM

Sorry Harmonix, but I only payed $250 for my (first) Strat. I'm just going to start a real rock band, kthx.

greatslack: May 9th 2007; 11:12PM

So how long after this comes out will we see a techno band using only these instruments?

Anonymous (He who does not forgive): May 9th 2007; 11:18PM

THREE HUNDRED? THIS IS MADNESS!

REUYL: May 9th 2007; 11:20PM

@ 11:

Heck, I'd start a techno band if I could count those crappy controllers as tax-deductible.

BPM: May 9th 2007; 11:28PM

@12:
Madness?

... THIS IS ROCK BAND!!!

kingofwale: May 9th 2007; 11:35PM

I swear to god, One more 300 reference.

and we shall DINE IN HELL!

Dolla Dolla: May 10th 2007; 12:00AM

Gamestop wants 300?

Give them nothing ... but take from them EVERYTHING!

Anni: May 10th 2007; 12:02AM

I swear to god, One more 300 reference.

then we will fight in the shade!

The Destroyer: May 10th 2007; 12:03AM

As long as the each instrument functions as a standalone game it should be fine.

Anni: May 10th 2007; 12:04AM

Our 300 references will black out the sky!

BPM: May 10th 2007; 1:01AM

@15:

I hear the roast in Hell is DELICIOUS.

ComradeTrotskii: May 10th 2007; 1:11AM

*Runs into comment section in a slow-motion manner and slaps everyone making 300 references*

PJ: May 10th 2007; 1:15AM

What isn't being mentioned here is that (as far as I have been told) the game is meant to be played online with people who have different instruments. The intent, as I understand it, is that you team up with people who own one different peripheral than the one you own.

Still, those better be a good set of $80 drums.

Wolfman: May 10th 2007; 1:20AM

*Runs into comment section in a slow-motion manner and kicks everyone making 300 references into a bottomless pit.*

Fixed!

Chronos777: May 10th 2007; 1:59AM

Interesting that the total is only if you buy two guitars. I wonder, if you can gather that many friends together, why not use the money for real instuments and start a real band?

Also, will the Guitar from Guitar Hero II work with it on 360?

Rahk: May 10th 2007; 2:07AM

@PJ:
Exactly. Everyone else seems to be missing the point of the game. You don't need the whole set to play it. In real life, it's not like you buy all the instruments to start a rock band yourself. Even so, the pricing does seem a bit steep for each peripheral. I hope they will sell the game in bundles with each different peripheral for a lower price, while also selling them seperately for people that want to play more than one.

Nobuyuki: May 10th 2007; 2:33AM

That actually sounds really reasonable to me. These are gonna be fairly large, farily intricate specialty controllers. I just assumed it went without saying that they're gonna be expensive. Except maybe for the microphone, that seems likely to come down.

joe smith: May 10th 2007; 3:10AM

Not sure I see a problem here. You can't play all the instruments yourself at once -- pick up the one you want. If you have friends that get different ones you make a band. If not, you play solo. Hard to see why you would say that the game costs $300 when you don't need all the parts to play it.

Malfoy Roark: May 10th 2007; 3:32AM

These prices really aren't THAT unreasonable. Anyone play any japanese music games? It cost approx 300 or so for a konami arcade pop n music controller, 400 for a konami arcade beatmania IIDX controller, and 350 for cobalt flux arcade style DDR controller. I personally use the the KAC IIDX controller and a cobalt flux DDR pad and can say once you start playing with what some would think its "overpriced" enough and then go back to what the mainstream uses, you'll find the price is actually worth it.

Mike Morham: May 10th 2007; 6:33AM

Unless you have 7 arms, you can't actually play all those at once..

Common sense says you buy the instrument your interesed in, and the game...

Idiots....

sheppy: May 10th 2007; 9:27AM

Actually, this is line with what I expected to pay. Also, to those saying "just start your own band," seriously... shut the fuck up.

You're bitching about the price of this game and using real instruments as a basis for comparison. Yeah, that's right. A $250 strat versus a $70 controller are comparable price wise. And you're bitching about the $80 for the drum kit? HAVE YOU EVEN PRICED DRUMS? Here, this is the cheapest electric kit on Musicians Friend right now.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hart-Dynamics-Prodigy-Electronic-5Piece-Pad-Set?sku=445449

$500. That's $200 more than the entire game lineup and this is a base model. So if you're going to tell me you can get a full band together for under $300, including amps, cables, and mics, then you're a liar. You'd spend about that much to get decent equipment for any one part of the band. And here's a clue... YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY EVERY PERIPHERAL.

In essence, these items are fairly priced and I have no issue with them. Of course I have a $250 Radium 49, $200 Trigger Finger, and $400 MicroKorg all hooked up to my computer. I know what real instruments cost and $70 for the fake ones doesn't offend me at all.

Todd: May 10th 2007; 9:27AM

Bah... not worth my time, and certainly not worth my money.

aylera: May 10th 2007; 9:57AM

This pricing is pretty much dead on.

Why scoff at $60 guitars ? They're ALREADY $60 when sold separately, and Microsoft hasn't even let Red Octane go with a wireless version on 360 yet. When they do, assume it'll be another $10-20 more.

Given the, hpoefully, complex nature of the drum set, I wouldn't doubt it being $80 either.

While we're going with overpriced accessories on 360, how is $50 for a microphone any different than $100 for a wifi adapter :P

Supposedly you're going to be able to meet up with people on PSN/XboxLive and play songs together, so you would only need one intstrument in the end.

Ps. Your 360 guitars will work, and probably Ps2 ones as well, with the adapater.

Game Artist: May 10th 2007; 11:13AM

Those prices seem really high for a controller that can only be used with one game. They are too high by about 40% IMHO. I think if they stay anywhere near that pricing, you'll find it hard to get a game with anyone but other guitar players. We already own the guitars, but I dont think alot of folks will be so eager to run out and spend that much extra.

Jonathan Tran: May 10th 2007; 11:25AM

Anyone who complains about a $600+ PS3 console, but buys a 360 and at least 2 of these, is an idiot.

LordMinogue: May 10th 2007; 11:55AM

How does the game judge the quality of the singer?

Eggman: May 10th 2007; 3:05PM

Hahahaha

"For $80, the drumset better be good."

Oh god that's fantastic. You guys don't seem to realize, drumsets are very very expensive. A GOOD drumset that works with Drummania would be something like the DTXpress/DTXplorer, which'll run you around $400 at a minimum. For $80, you're going to get a tiny flat bass pedal with no feedback and 5-6 drums that are perfectly flat and have no spacing between them, as well as no stand to put them on.

Lord gamers are horribly spoiled these days.

Peacefuloutrage: May 10th 2007; 9:43PM

I paid $160 for 2 Samba de Amigo controllers after my wife liked watching m play and bought another one so it could sit in the box. Those prices aren't bad if you get extensive use out of them. The good thing now is that all of the new consoles have a USB port, so hopefully prices can be a little more reasonable if they share the same design.

Kyle Meyer: May 16th 2007; 4:33PM

"For $80, you're going to get a tiny flat bass pedal with no feedback and 5-6 drums that are perfectly flat and have no spacing between them, as well as no stand to put them on."

Exactly what I'm worried about, I'd be happy to pay $150 if the quality was there. I'm pretty excited to take my drumming onto a game but I'm very worried that at $80 all I'm going to get is what you described.

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