Harmonix doing best to keep Rock Band price 'affordable'
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ May 18th 2007 at 12:30PM }
How much are Harmonix's Rock Band peripherals going to cost? Harmonix's Art Director Ryan Lesser said in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that the $300 price cited for the full Rock Band peripheral set by Gamestop is false, and even went so far as to say the $150 - $200 price brought up in focus testing wasn't correct either. How low (or high) can she go? Form a line, it's time to limbo!Lesser says, "There's no way we're going to make a game that people are not going to be happy about buying. We scrutinize every little piece that goes into every peripheral to make sure that it's affordable and still really high quality." He added, "I think when it's just rumor and no one has anything tangible to hold on to, people can be afraid -- but the fact is we're very conscious of it, and we're doing our best to make it awesome and affordable."
Lesser says one of his "orders" was not to "let anyone know anything about pricing" of the peripherals and says Harmonix is far from releasing the actual price of peripherals at this point for reasons he can't talk about. We just need to know how big our coin jar needs to be to start saving. Nutella jar size, pickle jar size or, you know, much bigger?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sheppy @ May 18th 2007 12:42PM
Seriously, I don't see how people can whine so much. I mean, Steel Battalion anyone?
Jonah Falcon @ May 18th 2007 12:44PM
Harmonix shouldn't make promises they can't keep. Just let people think it's $300 for everything, then pleasantly surprise people with a lower price point.
People just want things FREE. If you want to please everyone, bankrupt yourself and give it away for free. (rolling eyes)
Plus, if the price is lower, the downloadable content will be PRICEY.
Fernando Rocker @ May 18th 2007 12:48PM
I better buy a new effects for my guitar.
mushiking @ May 18th 2007 12:55PM
this game is gonna fail hard, and they should just scrap it now. there's just no way they can do this without it going wrong. if they sell the instruments separately, everybody's gonna want to be a guitarist, so there will be barely anyone to play with online. if they sell all the instruments as a bundle, then it's too expensive. the whole thing's a complete disaster.
Matt B @ May 18th 2007 12:57PM
As is most things, you get what you pay for. i would rather pay more for something that is going to last vs pay a little and have the flimsy crap break on you shortly after purchase.
Yeef @ May 18th 2007 12:57PM
>
That just tells me that people will claim not to be happy unless it's free. GH2 on the 360 was 90 bucks (140 with an extra controller) and it sold like crazy. I'm sure Rock Band, with all the peripherals, selling at $150-$200 would FLY off the shelves.
Jack @ May 18th 2007 12:59PM
I love Nutella!
copa @ May 18th 2007 1:08PM
I think Harmonix knows what they are doing:
http://www.rockbandgame.com/index.php?do=/public/blog/view/id_166/
ANt @ May 18th 2007 1:15PM
I think Rock Band is a great idea and will kill when it hits. #4 get a clue....
I would still love to see a classic rock Guitar Hero disc.....some Neil, Zep, Jimi, Band, Beatles.....that would rock!!
PaulMorel @ May 18th 2007 1:23PM
This week, I finished a wiimote drum kit that simulates actually playing a drum kit. It is easy to use, and very intuitive. After finishing this, I know that if EA charges Wii owners for a drum peripheral, it's going to be an extreme ripoff.
You can see my wiimote drum kit in action here:
http://www.thisisnotalabel.com/My-Wiimote-Drum-Kit.php
Don't take my word for it though, download the software and see how natural playing the drums with the wiimote can be. I, for one, refuse to pay for a wii drum peripheral.
mushiking @ May 18th 2007 1:24PM
@9
of course it's a good idea... on paper.
putting it into action is a different story.
RT @ May 18th 2007 2:10PM
@ guy who stupidly thinks it's going to fail hard...
Guitar Hero was around $90 originally and that sold out fast. If you have a great concept, and a great game, it will sell. It's that simple.
The only reason Harmonix's previous FreQuency and Amplitude games didn't sell well is because the music wasn't broad enough and the gameplay was too different for most people to get into. Harmonix knows what they're doing by now.
Rock Band will eventually overtake Guitar Hero, but Guitar Hero games will always sell regardless.
sheppy @ May 18th 2007 2:19PM
"I, for one, refuse to pay for a wii drum peripheral."
Which is good because Rock Star isn't COMING to Wii. You get to Boogie.
bounchfx @ May 18th 2007 3:01PM
I'm pretty sure this game will be huge as long as it's fun.
Beaudry @ May 18th 2007 2:55PM
13. "I, for one, refuse to pay for a wii drum peripheral."
Which is good because Rock Star isn't COMING to Wii. You get to Boogie.
Posted at 2:19PM on May 18th 2007 by sheppy
Well, the game is actually "Rock Band", and it is coming to the Wii.
If you are referring to "Rock Star" the makers of GTA, then also are coming to Wii in the form of Manhunt 2.
Either way you are pathetic.
perfectchaos @ May 18th 2007 3:24PM
i bet they pull a nintendo and by saying $150-200 is too high they'll wind up charging $149.99 instead
perfectchaos @ May 18th 2007 3:26PM
and i don't care how awesome a game is...i'm not paying over $70 for it. i could get a DS for the potential price of rock band...and that DS would give me years of gaming memories as opposed to months of them (maybe) with rock band
Ocho @ May 18th 2007 3:33PM
So long as you have at least one of the instruments, the others are optional, correct? If you don't want a drum peripheral, then only play the guitar parts.
And since they've said the original GH guitar will work with it, if you have one of those, you should be able to buy and play the game starting at about $50. If you like it, buy more of the peripherals from there.
Almack64 @ May 18th 2007 5:22PM
@ 14 While I personally wouldn't call sheppy pathetic,he can support himself. In any case regarding the game (whatever the name of it is). While the devoloper is interested in making a wii version there hasn't been any OFFICIAL comfirmation.
So until that happens your comment which has the verb "is coming" is false.
aylera @ May 18th 2007 10:46PM
They currently charge $60 for wireless guitars, how can they charge anything less for an electronic drum set.
I bet their reasoning is that you can use your existing guitars to play, and you can't figure them into the equation.
I'm still ready to see a complete $300 price tag.