I do agree that the price is outrageous. Europeans get screwed over often enough when it comes to games, but when, as you say, a single game is more expensive than a video game system itself, the company really needs to step back and take a look at their pricing strategy. Will selling Rock Band for a cheaper price be a risky move from a financial sense? Possibly; I don't know enough about European tax law and such to know. But even if it is, the amount of support they'd gain from their European fan base for at least attempting to do something about the problem would make any risk worth taking, IMHO.

yeah, good luck with aaaaaall that. I don't know many Brits who are willing to lay down that kind of money for one game.

Ok, so, the US price, converted to euros is 112 Euros right now.
let's say we add 40 euros to that for shipping and maybe import taxes, we're at 152 before taxes.

now with a little goodwill, EA could easily sell it for 179 Euros, but for some reason they chose not to.

I am telling you guys, there is something extremely fishy here, it's not like china is that much further from the US than from Europe.

You cut off the quote. It originally said "But it's not magically going to get cheaper because you wish it to be so because there are enough suckers that will pay that price for us to sustain the high price."

But it's not magically going to get cheaper because you wish it to be so.

That really is a contemptible thing to say to your customer base.
Fuck you Harmonix, Rock band is dead to me.

Oh and Luke, well written article.

Damn, that price is insane. Europe gets shafted fairly regularly, but this is even worse than usual. :(

Don't buy it Europe! Let them sit on their overpriced plastic and rot!

For the absurd price they are charging, Europeans should just import the USA version, chuck the software out the window, and buy the localized software. I'm sure there would be a massive savings over the retail price over there.

Heck, if they want to ding people a bunch extra for having to print localized versions of the manual, just make the manual DLC. I am sure that I am not the only gamer who never even looks at the manual of a game.

I'm just baffled by the choice to package the game separately from the controller equipment. Sure, you can buy the game separately in North America, but at least they give you the option of buying the game with the instruments at a cost that that's actually reasonable, given what's included.

Also, was this Harmonix's idea, EA's, or MTV's?

anyone who actually buys this (even if you can afford it) is doing a disservice to all European gamers. Because every unit sold is further proving to them that they can get away with shit like this. This is one product that i really think we as gamers need to boycott. That price is simply ridiculous.

But it's not magically going to get cheaper because you wish it to be so.

That comment along is pretty fucking presumptious to say to your fan base. Had this shit gone down in the US you can bet your ass an apology letter would have been written quicker than quick, seeing as how sales in the US alone have probably brought untold levels of profit to said companies.

I haven't seen a game sell like Rockband did during the holiday season in a LONG time. It was sold out EVERYWHERE in the Bronx and Westchester areas. Never mind all the money being made off of the download content. I myself have spent a nice chunk of change on songs I was promised would be significantly cheaper than the Guitar Hero downloads.

"We're not gouging you, primarily because doing so doesn't serve our interests."

So what would you call charging more than 150% of the North American price for this game - and then *not include the game with the instrument package*?

Hmm, maybe not gouging.

Anally raping would be a more apt description.

Thing is, money talks and bullshit walks. If the price is indeed too high, then people won't buy it. And if no one buys it, they will lower the price. It's just simple logic.

Hypothetically speaking, is there anything stopping you from buying a copy on Amazon.com and getting it shipped to Europe?

Are games region encoded?

Okay, so the cost to sell the game is higher in Europe than it is in North America. But is it seriously TWICE what it is here?

Somebody will always buy. No matter what, no matter when, somebody will always buy. The extra problem here is, people know it's a good game. They'll save up for it as they did for their consoles, and they'll send the wrong message that it's OK to make things that expensive, and it isn't, and it shouldn't be.

The fact it costs more American Dollars to buy a product in a country the American Dollar is weak in troubles me to NO end.

Ridiculous. I feel for you guys. Hell, I don't even want to pony up the dough HERE.

cheeky bastard. we'll see who's smiling when this bombs in europe though.

@Kyoseki: Short answer: yes.

Long answer: not always on the PS3. But Rock Band might be a sticky subject what with the downloadable content and such. But it's region coded on the 360 for sure.

@Otacon91: Actually, Rock Band was being outsold by a lot of games, Guitar Hero included. However, for every 20 Guitar Hero bundles that came in, retailers only got 4 Rock Band bundles, so they went out of stock much easier.

You know, a lot of people, myself included, accused Red Octane of selling out when they joined Activision. But this? This is just Harmonix being giant dicks. And twats. Dicktwats, if you will. How the hell does a game cost more than twice in Europe? Someone should ask them that, and they should give us a full, complete answer. None of this "it's complicated economic" crap. They should try it, we might surprise them by how well we understand it.

*Replace the word "twice" with "double." It gets the meaning across better.

@Detre: Let's all dress up as punk rockers, intercept the shipments of Rock Band, and dump them into the ocean.

...wait.

"it's not magically going to get cheaper because you wish it to be so."

No, but it WILL get cheaper if all those wishers boycott the product and destroy the demand for it. I really hope Europeans boycott this game or import the US version. They are justified to charge whatever price they want, but to treat your fan-base like that on top of such a high price merits consumer retaliation.

Buy Guitar Hero Europe!

the cake is a lie?

i think they are trying to make em buy real instruments instead =/

Hey at least European gamers get a chance to be gouged, us Aussies. Don't even have a price to try and wish cheaper.

What does Guitar Hero cost in Europe, for the sake of comparison?

@kylenalepa: Kind of going off of what you said, Capcom reduced the price of Steel Battalion whenever the original Xbox had a price drop. This was in order to keep Steel Battalion roughly $50 below the price of an Xbox, at least in the US. Damn, I want to play that game now! But first, pizza.

@Zero_Beat: Wait, so you mean it's not a good idea to treat the fanbase as though it is incompetent? I hate when someone uses the cop out of "it's complicated." If you actually explain yourself, at least some of the people complaining will stop complaining. For the people that actually won't understand what you are saying, they can ask someone who does whether or not the argument is legit.

@Cruithne: Damn straight. They treat European customers with zero respect, we'll return the favour.

Boycott Harmonix!

Gotta love his condescending tone. Amazing he didn't use the word "peons" a few times.

I feel for you, Europe. You're getting shafted HARD.

The Euro's deep pockets are being pushed to the limit.

If anyone does buy it, please open it up and lets see if we can find the solid-gold connectors and magical pixie dust inside the european instruments instead of the US ones.

first of all, I'm a lil wasted. Anyway, is there any way to start an EU boycott? NO!, there isn't, especially for a fucking american to start it. So, deal with it. Let it be, etc. And accept that the EU will always be fucked when it comes to an American based company. EA doesn't give a fuck about you. They never will. They already profited off us. (USA) So, they will never give a fuck about you. I love Europeans, sexiest MF'ers out there. EA doesn't love you. Sorry.

His first mistake was assuming that consumers would understand that businesses actually have incentives to keep prices down. Most consumers don't get past the "I want it better AND cheaper" mentality or think about the entire part of the equation.

I'd imagine they have a pretty good estimate of how many people are going to buy the game at that price. I do have to wonder why it's so high, and I would love to see what's really going into it. What would really be amazing is if the game doesn't do well at that price and they just decide to say, "Screw it, selling Rock Band in Europe isn't worth it."

God forbid you let a good story get in the way of the truth of the matter. The price is MSRP and allows retailers to charge whatever they end up wanting for it. Such as

[www.amazon.co.uk]

Harmonix explained the situation fine. Maybe read the whole post next time, Luke.

I don't think I have anything new to say of any substance so I will keep this short. The fact is like Luke said this is just downright unaffordable. I really don't think it will matter much what EA says, and I don't think it matters what their costs are, nobody in their right mind with money as tight as it is in US at least would think of this as a good deal. I feel for you Europeans as it really don't matter if EA is lying or not, you are still getting one bum deal. If you find this unacceptable please just boycott it. It is the only way that EA will ever get the point.

@Cattleprod: Amazon price= £64.98 for 360 version w/ wireless controller. List price is £69.99. £69.99 is equal to $137.94. Considering the list price for the U.S. is $99.99, that is a price difference of $37.95. Therefore, Europeans are paying 137.95% the price Americans are paying.

Considering there are actual things that cause European prices to be higher, that is much more reasonable than the $378 Europeans are going to be charged for Rock Band as compared to the $169 price for Rock Band in the U.S.. For Rock Band, Europeans are paying 223.67% the price.

Over a 100% markup on the US price can not be justified in any way. Most games get around a 20% markup because of VAT which is at 17.5% all over Europe.

@Huckleberry: Well if the three huge companies behind this game can't figure out how to sell a game in more than one region then they're pretty darn incompetent as game developers/publishers. Honestly, every other game ever seems to do fine selling in many regions. But all of a sudden Rock Band just can't do it without jacking up the price 150%? It's ridiculous, and I'm guessing it'll do pretty bad at that price.

Any one think that maybe the licensing costs have increased? Everything is always more complicated than you think it is.

@Agies: Is Guitar Hero more than double the price in Europe? THey also have to license songs. And there's just as many songs in Guitar Hero.

You know I wonder if it is possible that the real reason that the game isn't coming out on PS3 in Europe is because people with a GH controller can't play it on their system. I know the 360 GH controller is compatible with Rock Band but isn't the PS3 version still incompatible? Considering this price it may be that EA expects a lot of people to just pick up the game and use their GH controllers on it. Just a thought. It would at lease in some logical reason explain why the hell they are selling the game seperate. Well not really but you get the gist.

@Agies: If licensing costs increased, then wouldn't the US price increase as well? Also, I'm sure that EA wasn't dumb enough to make contracts with the owners of the licenses on the music that would make the cost of the game increase as it was out longer.

I'm sorry, but I don't think Europe will be blazing a path to Rock Band, unless its via the power of International Shipping.

"But it's not magically going to get cheaper because you wish it to be so."

No, but it's magically going to get cheaper because I'm downloading it :P

@ceilingfanboy: Well like I said, I am going by MY area, and it was sold out everywhere, thus alot of parents were buying Guitar Hero as a substitute. How many people here acknowledge Guitar Hero 3 was crap in comparison to 2? I Feel 2 was perfection anyway, and after I bought 3, there was a bitter after taste in my mouth while I played it.

Had Rockband been more readily available, Guitar Hero wouldn't have stood a chance. I can't tell you how many times I saw kids or fellow gamers go into a store with a huge smile, ask for Rock band, were told the store was sold out, and then leave disapointed with Guitar Hero 3 in hand, just to have new songs to play.

@g8or8de and others:

While I agree the Europe pricing is absurd, don't heap the blame on the entire Harmonix group. There are a lot of good, hell, great people there, and I hate to see them besmirched over what is ultimatly a corporate decision.

While I'm certain he's got nothing to do with the accounting end of things, if you guys want, I'll give my cousin a dead-arm next time I see him to smooth things over for you fine folks across the bond.

@dowingba: Three? I think I'm forgetting one... MTV and EA are huge companies. Harmonix is not.

Anyway, my point is more about people envisioning the guys promoting this game sitting around in an office thinking, "Haha, how can we screw Europe? I hate those guys." It's not like that. I'm also pretty sure that EA/MTV etc. are not under the false assumption that demand for their game is inelastic.

You're right that other games have moved across the pond without as much of a price increase, but that may be an indicator that something related to Rock Band itself may be up. Licensing issues or royalties, VAT is already added and assumed, who knows if there are any other tariffs on something that Rock Band might use but isn't used often for other games?

"You may conclude that Rock Band isn't worth the price charged, and that is your prerogative. But it's not magically going to get cheaper because you wish it to be so."

WTF? That is some straight up bullshit to be saying to your paying customers. Are they smoking crack?

Please Europeans ... DO NOT buy Rock Band. Fuck Harmonix/MTV Games and their bullshit price. Show them that you mean business by not buying their product. If they don't move x amount of units in x amount of days ... then they have no choice but to lower the price of it, otherwise they loose money.

Oh, and EA is in on this too right? Screw them as well. There's so many hands dealing with this game ... no wonder why it's so freaking expensive.

@CockroachMan: Boo, you insect. We don't need pirating fools like you here. And you call yourself a "gamer"...

@Huckleberry: While they like to present themselves as a cool little indie-ish studio, don't be fooled into thinking Harmonix are anything but the biggest rhythm game developer out there today.

@CockroachMan: Have fun playing drums and guitar solos.

@dowingba: Pretty sure Konami is an order of magnitude bigger than Harmonix is.

@Otacon91: I think you are misunderstanding what I said. I said that Rock Band was sold out because there were not as many copies. I didn't say that it was because no one was buying Rock Band.

However, to add, the sales for Rock Band weren't sustained. It had it's strong sales during the holiday season, but shortly afterwards you could find stacks of Rock Band just sitting in stores. I'm still not saying that it doesn't sell, it just doesn't sell like hot cakes. It's a gradual sell.