Runnin' Late with the Devil: Guitar Hero Van Halen delayed on PS3

by JC Fletcher { Oct 15th 2009 at 9:32AM }

If you have a PS3 and Guitar Hero 5, you might have noticed that, well, you don't have your free copy of Guitar Hero: Van Halen. While copies of the freebie are shipping out for the other systems, all PS3 owners are getting right now is an apologetic email.

"Unfortunately, we made a printing error on the package of Guitar Hero Van Halen," the email explains. "Fortunately, we caught and remedied the error prior to sending your disc. Our effort to ensure a completely positive customer experience has resulted in a slight delay in shipping your copy of the game."

Activision promises to begin mailing the game out this week. The good news, we suppose, is that everyone affected by this delay has Guitar Hero 5 to play in the meantime. If you're an insider and can tell us what the printing error was, we have to know. Did the title say "Guitar Hero: Van Helen?" Was it rated "E" for "Eddie"?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Tags: activision, delays, guitar-hero, guitar-hero-5, guitar-hero-van-halen, music, rhythm

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Nap @ Oct 15th 2009 9:35AM

Got my copy this weekend :P

GiggMan @ Oct 15th 2009 9:36AM

That doesn't seem like a big deal....

Frivolous @ Oct 15th 2009 9:45AM

the only reason I would be concerned with this coming late is that I wouldn't be able to get credit at GameStop for it for a few more days.

T @ Oct 15th 2009 11:08AM

Don't bother. I tried. GameStop has removed the game from their computers. Which makes sense. Since so many people would be looking to sell it back for 100% profit that they'd have a crapload of used copies before they even had a chance to sell the actual retail version in a few months.

And I can tell you, the GS employees are PISSED about it. In about two months they're going to get a shipment of GH:VHs, and NOBODY is going to buy them...while a huge portion of people are going to flood them on release day to sell back the free version they got.

I wouldn't expect more than $10 (if even) when they finally do start accepting it. Especially since the kind folks at Activision didn't bother even send a "real" copy of the game. (No box, no manual)

Xizer @ Oct 15th 2009 11:33AM

What are you talking about? GameStop loves this shit. That is how they make most of their profit - selling used titles they purchased off of scrubs who don't know how to sell on eBay. Buy low- sell high. GameStop's motto.

I bet they are loving the amount of used Guitar Hero Van Halens they are getting in to sell before they can even sell new copies.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 15th 2009 9:36AM

I wanna know what the error was as well...I mean did it have a few curse words on it or something?

GiggMan @ Oct 15th 2009 9:39AM

Why would there be curse word on it?

CzAr @ Oct 15th 2009 10:01AM

Apparently it looked and felt like every other Guitar Hero and needed to add some DJ Hero 2 elements to make it feel like a Band Hero experience.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 15th 2009 11:35AM

thats my point...whats the big deal that would cause them to have to reprint the covers?? gotta be more than just a misspelled word

PN04 @ Oct 15th 2009 12:20PM

They probably just copy/pasted all the stuff from every other GH cover. Either that or they used the same cover as the 360 version "forgot" to change everything to say "PS3".

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 15th 2009 1:14PM

now that actually makes sense

Maulok @ Oct 15th 2009 1:40PM

Along the lines of what PN04 said, maybe not even text, but they could have used 360 screenshots on the back instead of PS3.

koehler83 @ Oct 15th 2009 9:38AM

Well I can certainly appreciate printing errors. Wonder if they'd run the error. Could be a costly mistake.

horselover @ Oct 15th 2009 9:42AM

[yes, this was really a spam post about horse love ... banned]

j.howlett @ Oct 15th 2009 9:48AM

mr. hands?

Rein [Prime Minister of the city-state of New Bjork] @ Oct 15th 2009 9:49AM

Quick, somebody call Daniel Radcliffe!

Reuben @ Oct 15th 2009 1:34PM

I can't believe I missed it!

The banned description replacing it is priceless.

Dmacleod14 @ Oct 15th 2009 9:47AM

it must have had something to do with the size of the box, and something getting cut off or "cocker" having the "er" cut off on the edge of the package, so the cover had the word "cock" on it. that'd be hilarious if they didnt catch something like that.

WREturns @ Oct 15th 2009 9:50AM

I'm still waiting for Guitar Hero: Journey...

fundando @ Oct 15th 2009 10:27AM

Now that would be sweet.

JeezWhiz87 @ Oct 15th 2009 10:50AM

I hate Steve Perry with a passion.

D dogg @ Oct 15th 2009 10:53AM

UGH... how about they make every artist and then charge us $60 to play it. It's basically the ultimate form of interactive CD's.

Because of comments like your (and people who just.keep.buying.this.shit), Activision is absolutely validated in making a division just for "Hero" games and I don't see this going away for 8 - 10 years probably : /

Where the are the different games; not everyone wants to play the same fucking level except with different background music!!!

WREturns @ Oct 15th 2009 11:23AM

Sure thing, D dogg. Activision's marketing plan includes reading Joystiq so that they can look at our comments and draw from this inspirational pool of collective wisdom in order to plan their next game. Either that or you have an inflated sense of self-importance pertaining to anyone giving a shit about what you write on a gaming blog.

Faceman @ Oct 15th 2009 12:51PM

uh they pretty much released the two songs everyone wants to play already.. now GH: or RB: Dream Theater... now there's over 200 songs you could make a game out of..

Zephiel @ Oct 15th 2009 1:09PM

@faceman

unfortunately only 2 of them are good.

Phizzy @ Oct 15th 2009 9:52AM

'Fortunately, we caught and remedied the error prior to sending your disc'

That sure is fortunate!

Danthok @ Oct 15th 2009 10:00AM

Someone got fired!

ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Oct 15th 2009 10:04AM

They accidentally printed the real name of the game:

Guitar Hero: Over-Milked Franchise

Mu93n @ Oct 15th 2009 10:06AM

"I'll take Anal Bum Cover for $1,000, Trebek!"

Jack Hollow @ Oct 15th 2009 10:08AM

"Our effort to ensure a completely positive customer experience has resulted in a slight delay in shipping your copy of the game."

Didn't stop any of those DS Guitar Hero games from shipping did it?

Nathan-DTS [He is your father] @ Oct 15th 2009 10:18AM

I'm glad Activision noticed this. Too many developers aren't checking the game correctly and are sending out a broken mess. They rely on Patching to fix the problem.

ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Oct 15th 2009 10:48AM

Okay, you're talking about two different things - patching game code and reprinting a cover. It's pretty hard to patch a game cover (well, until Nintendo releases the Wii Laser Printer, that is).

Courtney @ Oct 15th 2009 10:59AM

Of course you can patch a game cover, just look at the Wii Okami release.

Shimrra @ Oct 15th 2009 10:41AM

OMG WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH OUT VAN HA......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

adolson @ Oct 15th 2009 10:52AM

Maybe it was in mono, like Guitar Hero 3 for Wii.

JeezWhiz87 @ Oct 15th 2009 10:55AM

Damn it! I haven't gotten my copy either! Maybe I should have actually cared enough to buy Guitar Hero 5.... Nah.

T @ Oct 15th 2009 11:05AM

I wouldn't be surpriesd if the error was they didn't Find/Replace all instanes of "Metallica" with "Van Halen"...considering the game is just GH:M with Van Halen wrapped around it.

MinimumWageNinja @ Oct 15th 2009 11:21AM

Don't worry PS3 users, you're really not missing anything. I got my copy on Xbox 360 and it sucks, Guitar Hero Metallica was better done and it came out awhile ago.

Faceman @ Oct 15th 2009 12:48PM

this game will set records for quickest drop in retail price EVER.

Mattchewie @ Oct 15th 2009 1:18PM

haha sure "print error"

We all know that on the day the game was to be shipped, warehouse security caught Bobby Kotick urinating on all the PS3 copies and mumbling something to the effect of "suck on this KAZ!"

Scott @ Oct 15th 2009 4:05PM

Got mine for 360 yesterday. How can you send it back to GS? Its only in a cardboard case that says for "promo use only, Not for reseale".

I guess its pretty good. i wouldnt buy it myself but ill take it since its free.

spoonmanaim @ Oct 23rd 2009 6:03PM

I just received my free Van Halen disc today and I'm angry. This is the cheapest packaging I have ever seen on a game. Even OXB Magazine demos give you the PDF to print your own DVD insert.

I guess they don't think about people with a ton of games who might want to locate their copy of GH VH without a lot of searching. It's nice to be able to see the spine of the game. This is lame as hell. Also, the FOR PROMOTION ONLY - NOT FOR RESALE text is LARGER than the Van Halen logo! What a joke. Not to mention that the bottom of my cardboard "deluxe" case was bend very badly. I hope they get a lot of broken discs and pissed off people. There is no excuse for this. I paid over $100 for my bundle. They could have spent an extra 5 cents and included a DVD case.

Pissed,
Matt

spoonmanaim @ Oct 24th 2009 9:59PM

For anyone else who is annoyed by the crappy mailer packaging for the PS3 version I have created an insert that would fit nicely into any PS3 retail case (and most Blu-Ray cases)

I hope someone can use this...

http://www.videogameobsession.com/videogame/ps3/PS3-GuitarHeroVanHalen-cover-vgo-400dpi.jpg

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