EA: Rock Band may face shortages through year's end
by Kyle Orland 
{ Nov 2nd 2007 at 10:59AM }
Continuing their tradition of sitting in on droning investor earnings report calls (so you don't have to!) Gamasutra noticed EA president John Riccitiello predicting that Rock Band bundles may be tough to come by for a while. "We won't be able to put up enough inventory to meet the demand of this fiscal or calendar year," Riccitiello told the investors, adding that those who don't buy at launch "won't be getting one for Christmas, unless you know someone at one of our retailers."While Riccitiello could be plausibly accused of simply trying to talk up demand in advance of the Nov. 20 launch -- he did encourage listeners to "get in line outside your favorite retailer, because we've got one hot product" -- we find the idea of shortages very easy to believe given the game's strong pre-order sales. With Guitar Hero III already selling out at retailers nationwide, it looks like the market for rhythm games might just be big enough for two expensive, hard-to-come-by products.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rv @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:04AM
I would buy this, but that means I shouldn't get any other games this season. And there are a lot.
gonk @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:08AM
same with me, i could get this or mass effect, assassin's creed, and something else that catches my eye
jsn @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:10AM
less food, more games!
FrankTheCrank @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:09AM
Is this because EA doesn't want to make a bazillion units that they have to eat once nobody picks it up?
It's nearly two hundred dollars. For one game. If anything this is a niche product that will sell in low numbers anyways.
This sounds like they want to build hype up and sell out every unit.
flameofdoom666 @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:12AM
Can ya blame them? lol
jsn @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:16AM
I this point the game can't be considered a niche market anymore. The only niche they're in is the 'above $150" niche and I don't think that will hold them back much. Maybe on the Wii..
jsn @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:16AM
oh yah, it's not on the wii...and maybe that's why?
Vader582 @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:28AM
I completely agree with you. I'm curious to see how EA botch the DLC...you know they will. Rock Band has been off my list for a while, especially when they announced no XBL co-op.
samfish @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:40AM
"The only niche they're in is the 'above $150" niche and I don't think that will hold them back much."
That's a hell of a niche. Especially with all the games coming out this season.
I agree that they're probably deliberately restricting supplies so they don't have to take a huge loss on the hardware costs. They HAVE to realize that not that many people are going to go for this game at it's price point in addition to all the competition.
bounchfx @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:21PM
"especially when they announced no XBL co-op."
nice, especially because that is NOT true. There is most certainly xbox live play, just not Band World Tour. and that's just at launch - they will probably add it later as free DLC once it's done being twaked.
and guess what? it's the same gameplay. that's right. wow.
Sean @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:16AM
Note to self: go reserve just in case.
xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:19AM
No thanks Ill stick with GHIII FTW!
FrankTheCrank @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:02PM
Coke vs Pepsi, 360 vs. PS3, GH3 vs. Rock Band...
I'll take a coke, while playing GH3 on my PS3.
xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:16PM
haha nah
MDew Gamefuel (yea right), GH3, 360 FTW!
plyx @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:22AM
Gotta love those fake shortages!
Frank @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:39AM
Kinda like the ps2's shortage of gh2 when it launched last year? I worked at a gamestop when it came out, we sold out within hours of receiving any shipment of them. We got maybe 6 a week, gone within a few hours. It was the same with the 360 version as well, took us a few weeks before we had them regularly in stock. Gotta love ignorant consumers like yourself!
gonk @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:50AM
no. this shortage is intentional. They've had 6 months to make instruments while the rock band hype machine picked up steam, there's no excuse for any shortages unless every 4th gamer in the world wants this game
Frank @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:53AM
So the 360 launch shortages, ps3's 2 week shortage, and the wii's current shortage are all fake?
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:58AM
Except the hardware for drums wasn't finalized until MAYBE 3 months ago. You can't mass produce prototype hardware that are going to have to be changed/retrofitted when the design changes.
Seriously, anybody who has an opinion about manufacturing had better have experience with manufacturing, otherwise you don't know what the hell you are talking about.
plyx @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:58PM
That's funny you say that, Frank, because I OWN a VIDEO GAME SPECIALTY STORE. Not just some minimum wage pissant.
Frank @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:42PM
Actually I was an assistant manager at the time, not some "minimum wage pissant". Regardless of my salary, the PS2 and 360 version of GH were pretty difficult to find, especially the PS2 one since it launched so close to Christmas. But hey, keep bragging that you own a store, maybe you'll come across someone who cares.
BIGGEN @ Nov 4th 2007 11:45AM
that's funny frank, i know an assistant manager at gamestop who quit because he was a minimum wage pissant. probably why you don't work there anymore, eh?
xSpartanF13x @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:27AM
So in here is actually buying this game? Especially at this time in gaming when theres just too much to choose from. Halo3, COD4 etc will keep me too busy.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:49AM
I am. Making, or pretending to make music is more fun to me than generic FPS #5000.
If I want to play an FPS, I'll play ORIGINAL Unreal Tournament. Runs like a dream, and has the best gameplay.
shravis @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:09PM
I really wish I could buy it. Played the demo at Best Buy and fell in love. My only setback - not enough cash, stranger.
copa @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:56PM
First day purchase for me. If I had to, I would defer all other purchases in order to get this.
Leo-Jay @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:13PM
I've had a pre-order down on this game since like May--it's my last big hurrah of the year before I shut down buying to save for christmas presents and so that people actually have something for people to buy me.
I need to harass someone at GameStop to make sure I actually can get a copy on launch day--I can't camp the store, I have to work, and I don't want to go in at 5:30PM and hear "we sold 'em all, dude".
gonk @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:32PM
heh, sorry man, but gamestop will sell them all. They have a tradition of not respecting preorders. And that $5 you put down in may has been accumulating interest for them the whole time too. They're assholes
Christopher7xii @ Nov 2nd 2007 3:35PM
Crono,
"I am. Making, or pretending to make music is more fun to me than generic FPS #5000."
Why are Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Army of Two, or Team Fortress 2 considered "generic FPS" games? The storyline in Halo 3 is amazing, Army of Two looks great, and Call of Duty 4 and Team Fortress 2 has a ton of personality that are more than enough to keep you captivated. If you were naming off shit like Black, Killzone, Red Faction, etc... Then I might be inclined to agree. But not *EVERY* FPS is a generic POS. I mean, all Rock Band is is a generic rhythm game. No different from DDR, Taiko Drum Master, Guitar Freaks, Drum Mania, or even ParaParaParadise... The only difference is how you input the few completely identical command buttons the game has. You're essentially playing a glorified version of Simon, you know that right? Memorize the pattern, make music by playing the colored notes.
But yeah, for some reason that doesn't fall under the category of "generic music-rhythm game #50000". You're naive and need to expand beyond your walls, or at least cut down everyone else's amusement because you're too happy in your shut off world, claiming you only like games with real and unique game play.
---
On Topic, no RB for me. Can't spend $180 on a drum kit + game, because essentially that's all this adds for me. Guitar hero 2 and 3 already do rhythm and bass, Guitar Hero 3 has like 10-15 tracks the same(and another 10-15 bands that are the same), and I've always hated Karaoke Revolution so no mic for me. Don't get the point of having the actual master track if your friend is just gonna sing over it and butcher it.
mcatrage @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:43AM
I call this the Wii advertising method.
jorojoserojas @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:31PM
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but this game does NOT come packaged with an additional bass guitar, right?
I was completely sold on this game until I heard that, and now I'm on the fence. Plus, there's this confusion about certain guitars supported or not, and I would like to know what else I would need in order to get the full effect of this game.
As it is, yes, the price point is a bit high, but I could deal with it. However, add in the purchase of ANOTHER guitar, and now I'm looking at a purchase price over $200.
Can somebody clear this up please? =(
grapejoos @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:40PM
This includes one wired guitar (for the 360, I believe the PS3 version includes a wireless guitar). So that's correct, no bass guitar in this one. It will support the Guitar Hero controller according to Harmonix, so if you have GH2/3 for your 360 or GH3 for your PS3, you can use the GH guitar as your bass guitar. The Rock Band guitars have an extra set of buttons high on the neck that don't require you to strum (for solos), so you'll miss out on that, but you won't need that for Bass/Rhythym parts anyway.
Apparently the Rock Band guitar is not guaranteed to work with Guitar Hero 3, however (which is incredibly lame). So, it's a one-way street.
jorojoserojas @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:51PM
Thanks for the info. It's just as I feared.
I'd have to buy another guitar for the bass parts, since I don't own any of the GH games. And even then, the gameplay on it might be gimped.
The wired/wireless issue is no concern to me. I don't have a huge gaming room, just about 20 ft of play area.
Decisions, decisions...
jabbertrack @ Nov 2nd 2007 3:41PM
With Guitar Hero coming in at $100 with a $60 (if you buy it alone) guitar I'm curious how $170 is disappointing for a $60 game + guitar + mic + drums.
Sure... stuff for less than you want it to cost is nice... but damn... this is a good deal.
Also I doubt anyone playing bass in Rock Band is going to feel gimped without a 5-way switch... so buy an Xplorer.
kastonie @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:18PM
Haha good EA.....great way to put some worry into people and get them to definately buy this game by saying before its even out, it will be sold out everywhere...also ea remember to just make enough to be sold out all the time to make it that much more wanted...
Tony A. Tomke @ Nov 3rd 2007 10:32PM
I've never heard so much whining over a video game!! If you don't like the way the product is marketed, don't buy the damn game. If you'd really think about it, it's a helluva deal, drum set, mic, Strat & disc. For all of you upset, that you'll have to be there the morning it's released, pre-order it, if you're smart, pre-order 3 or 4 & make some easy money selling the extra's. Buying the game disc alone is pretty much worthless, being that no accessories will be available until February of next year, so be smart & put down $180.00 odd dollars & reserve a bundle for yourself.