Lucky shopper gets Rock Band early, shops it on eBay

by Kyle Orland { Nov 1st 2007 at 3:50PM }

Update 2: As many commenters have figured out, and the seller has now confirmed, the box that was sold includes a demo version of the game that has a limited song list. The demo unit has been relisted with the corrected information.

~~Update:~~ ~~Seems the auctioneer has since halted bidding on the item. We're trying to find out what's going on.~~

It seems that not every Best Buy manager knows exactly what to do with those demo units that are beginning to seep into the stores. A shopper at a Marina, CA Best Buy was shocked to see a boxed copy of the Xbox 360 edition of the game sitting among the Guitar Hero III boxes. He was even more surprised when the game rang up for $180 at the register. He's put the spoils of his trip on ~~eBay~~ (relisted here) complete with multiple confirmation pictures that include the receipt and the seller's eBay username (plus one, above, with his cat).

We're not sure this eBay auction will stay up, what with street dates and eBay's sometimes liberal cancellation policy being what they are. Still, if you have some extra cash lying around and just can't wait until Nov. 20 to start rocking, it's worth a try.

[Thanks Thomas]

Tags: early, ebay, retail, rockband, sale, streetdate

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

the_boo @ Nov 1st 2007 3:55PM

the auction looks pwned. First?

baby sea tuna @ Nov 1st 2007 3:59PM

Strange that BB's "display copy" rang up in the system. Not that I'm doubting the auction's authenticity or anything. I do think it sucks that the person that was lucky enough to score it has no interest in actually playing it, however.

GRANTED @ Nov 1st 2007 4:04PM

lol i don't understand why putting a cat on top of it makes it more credible.

0 bids at 4pm...

FK @ Nov 1st 2007 4:09PM

Why is there cat pee on my Rock Band box?

Viridium @ Nov 1st 2007 4:19PM

Some people would pay extra for that!

Dr. @ Nov 1st 2007 4:10PM

Yep, looks like he closed the auction himself...

copa @ Nov 1st 2007 4:17PM

Good thing, too. The seller was very careful not to mention that this was a demo unit. It only has 15 songs, lacks online multiplayer, and has no bass pedal.

Final builds don't ship to retail until November 6th.

Sean @ Nov 1st 2007 4:27PM

So this dude paid $180 for the demo unit...the demo unit that the store probably wasn't even supposed to sell?

*headasplode*

FrankTheCrank @ Nov 1st 2007 4:11PM

Wow...what a monstrosity. Is that the whole complete set? Drums, microphone, guitar and bass?

Rock Band, you are no friend to the environment, that's for sure.

TheWarden @ Nov 1st 2007 4:15PM

Bidding over? 0 bids?

No one bit? Oh wellz.

pezman726 @ Nov 1st 2007 4:17PM

I just got back from my local walmart asking them about the HD-A2 deal for tomorrow, and I saw the PS3 version sitting out.

pezman726 @ Nov 1st 2007 4:17PM

I just got back from my local walmart asking them about the HD-A2 deal for tomorrow, and I saw the PS3 version sitting out.

pezman726 @ Nov 1st 2007 4:19PM

first post took me to an error page! sorry for the double post! (and now 3 posts!)

Rubang B (BRUSH WITH FAME) @ Nov 1st 2007 4:27PM

Welcome to Joystiq. Half the fun is trying to comment. The other half is trying to reply!

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 1st 2007 4:30PM

ROFL!!

ahh @ Nov 1st 2007 4:25PM

its a demo unit, taken down already

Chris @ Nov 1st 2007 4:26PM

I wonder if the front of the box says DEMO on it. Why else would the picture be of the back of the box?

nxtiak @ Nov 1st 2007 4:33PM

If you look at the eBay auction, he put up pictures of the Front & Back of the box. It does not say DEMO on the front.

NATO_Duke @ Nov 1st 2007 4:37PM

Man, I was thinking of going for it until I saw the cat didn't come with it. How weak.

Jeff Smith @ Nov 1st 2007 4:41PM

I'd buy it !

Really , even if just a demo and no Achievements. I'd still have the instruments and Demo to play early. Then I could just get the individual game when it releases.

baby sea tuna @ Nov 1st 2007 5:52PM

Email him, then. I did and apparently it's still for sale.

And yeah he didn't realize it was a demo when he put it up but he checked when people started asking, and subsequently closed the auction.

Sam @ Nov 1st 2007 4:51PM

I CAN HAZ ROCK BAND PLZ?
/obligatory

NATO_Duke @ Nov 1st 2007 4:57PM

I see what you did there. Nice! +1

Blast Processing Megadrive @ Nov 1st 2007 7:06PM

Should be ROK BAN

deaftly @ Nov 1st 2007 4:57PM

i'll be playing some rock band this weekend at the videogame expo in philly, maybe ill take some pics for ya joystiq, if you're lucky

meh @ Nov 1st 2007 5:18PM

hey nxtiak- next time be smarter than a box

Hey all,

I just wanted to officially talk about the sudden influx of broken
street date bundles that are being sold. First of all they aren't
"real" versions of the game, they are demos for the store that are
getting accidentally sold. Retailers don't have bundles sitting in
the back room just waiting for November 20th. These demo builds are
kind of hobbled - for one the drums don't have kick pedals. Some of
the demos don't have mics. And the build isn't a full-real retail
version of the game. It is hobbled a bit and, obviously, the bass
drum autoplays since there is no pedal that comes with the demo.

I guess what I am saying is beware of any auctions that might show up
the next few days, and please alert me to them if you see them as it
is quite obviously a huge mistake. I know how badly y'all want to get
your hands on the game but it is only 19 more days until it comes out.

Thanks,
Sean

http://community.rockband.com/vbforum/showthread.php?t=6498

ahh @ Nov 1st 2007 5:20PM

oh not to mention, he took pictures of it OPENED

Inside the drums have strings on them, because they are demo units and its meant to be tethered down

http://community.rockband.com/vbforum/showthread.php?t=6498

Chris @ Nov 1st 2007 5:22PM

Two of my friends work at that Best Buy. It just opened a couple weeks ago, so it's somewhat understandable that they'd goof up like this. Actually, one of them is the media supervisor, so it might have been her mistake. Good times.

Mr. Bungo @ Nov 1st 2007 5:26PM

I saw this exact same thing happen at my Best Buy in Emeryville, CA. I was buying Guitar Hero 3, imagine my surprise when the guy at the register ahead of me was buying Rock Band. I even got up close ans took some cell phone pictures to to prove to myself later I wasn't hallucinating. I asked a Best Buy employee about it, and he said they'd gotten only the one in their inventory and had just sold it. Nobody there seemed to realize that it wasn't supposed to come out for a month. Seems like they had no clue it was a demo unit and just treated it as standard product. Oops.