What about buying just the game?

Still on the fence about this game!

It makes sense. This game is going to be taking up a LOT of shelf space at stores. Not something retailers want when they're trying to get other products loaded up prior to the christmas shopping season.

Looks like I won't be buying it until '08.

Ho noes! Looks like we're gonna need to buy the game the month it is released to get the full experience.

yeah, I dunno.

Guitar Hero is fun because it can all be done by yourself if you've got no one to play with. I'm still not sure if it's possible to get full enjoyment of this title without a full band in your house.

GH is the game for me I suppose as I'm not that into the karaoke and drum aspect anyhow.

I still have not seen the question answered if the wireless 360 controller that comes with GH3 will work with Rock Band. They have never given a definitive Yes or No, just "We will make the game work with all 3rd party peripherals" and skirted around the question. Or like in this article they tell us to keep the 360 Xplorer Guitars. I don't have anyone who likes GH that lives near me so the only use I have for Rock Band right now is just the game and if I can use the wireless 360 GH3 controller than I will most definitely buy the game, I need to play some Coheed.

Other than that I think this is a stupid move on the part of EA, but then again it is EA so its expected they will charge us for the whole deal. I mean they talk about you being able to play online if your friends live in other places yet they won't sell they components separately so everyone can buy the instrument they know they will play.

Oh well, I guess I will have to wait till 2008

I cant buy a $170 bundle!!

I hope Drums/Game only are a bundle, if not then I'm not buying till 08

So wait, no entire-band-on-one-disc until 2008? Eh, I'm sure people can wait, right?

People are patient?
...

Although it doesn't really affect me yet (I don't have a PS3 or 360 yet and they seem to still be on the fence about a Wii version, which means there won't be one, unless it's a rush port of the PS2 version... I don't understand, are they allergic to money? I'm sure they'll get a lot from all the other versions around, but to bypass the current market leader and even do a PS2 version makes 2/1000 senses. Wow, this parenthesis string is long... I should close it), it seems contrary to the aim of the game, which is not to play alone, but with friends... You know, in a band?

Like I said, I can wait, anyway... Besides, GHIII will keep me more than occupied enough until then.

Damn this sucks. I was going to buy the bundle regardless, but I know a lot of people are not to drop $170 for game.

@Gamemaster:

"So wait, no entire-band-on-one-disc until 2008? Eh, I'm sure people can wait, right?"

No the entire bundle will be available at launch. What this notice is about is for people who DON'T want to spend all the money at once. It's either all the instruments or none until 2008

This also will create even more of a divide with the fan bases this Holiday forcing you to choose either GH3 or Rock Band. Us college people, the core demographic of these games more or less, aren't made of money and with all the games coming out this fall we're having to make some tough choices.

Wow, this game is so DOA it's ridiculous. $170 will get a big fat "No thank you" from your mass market consumer, and with GH3 right there next it at $90, they might as well just scrap production on this game and save money on manufacturing the peripherals. Maybe they could release just like, 600 copies like that XBOX game that cost like 600 dollars did.

Can i just buy the game alone? I don't want none of the other instruments.

@jisf0rjosh: Ah, I see. "Anyone wanna come over and play Rock Band with me? Come on, we need a drummer! What about you... Come on, I do know you, remember I bumped into you that one time? Come on, we're having a party!! Oh, come on, It'll be fun!"
I'll wait until 2008 before I go and somehow drop 170 and realize I have no friends.

@usfslacker: I do prefer GHIII so far, but to imply no one is going to buy Rock Band is like riding the wrong train to wrongsburg, which, incidentally, has a population of wrong-thousand (it didn't take too long for the town to reach that number right after it was made-up, either). In fact, and this is going out on a limb, so I might be wrong (not terribly good at predictions), but Rock Band might even beat GHIII, with the hype it's getting. At least GHIII is putting up an awesome fight with the best tracklist I've seen in a long time... Probably ever.

No matter who wins, we can't lose. Rock Band wins, buy it- GHIII wins, buy that too. The fight's really for the companies.

I was the tipster for this. I guess they don't need to credit someone who didn't really... discover anything, persay.

@CFStang: Dude I totally agree. I've spent WAY to much money this quarter. I know my mum will flip! I love my friends allot but not enough to purchase a $170 game.

Can't wait for this damn game to come out, already. HURRY UP!

They better be selling just the game too alone. Me and my cousins have planned to buy the bundle and split the cost to save money on the peripherals, and then buy two more copies of just the game.

This is kind of a shame, I wanted to get two of the RB guitars right away but as a result i'm picking up the gh3 bundle and the rb bundle.

See, EA? You could have sold me another plastic guitar, but instead I'm forced to buy one from your competitor so I can play your game as intended! :P

So, does this mean that the only way to buy Rock Band is with all the peripherals in one box? Or drums & game, guitar & game and so on?
Personally, I just want the drums & game package, since I already got a wired 360 guitar from GHII. If I can't get that, then I'll wait 'till '08.

Guess I'm not getting this till 2008, since I'm only interested in the guitar and drums.

That sucks. All I wanted was the drums.

@Gamemaster:

I'm not saying no one will buy it, but unfortunately, a lot more than "wrong thousand" has to buy it before its not a miserable failure. They're probably spending an ass ton on marketing, licensing, and w/e royalties come from getting those master tracks.

This game is banking on taking a LARGE chunk of Guitar Hero's market, and at double the price, its likely going to fail. Guitar Hero's success is not with us die hards, its success is squarely on the casual market, the ones that aren't GOING to "buy that one too." GH3 is coming out FIRST and its coming out CHEAPER. Finally, since it is the average consumer we're talking about, GH3 has a brand name, and those sell units. RB is infinitely handicapped in a market I'm almost positive won't be sustaining 2 of the same game, and cheaper = win.

I am shocked that they are not creating both a "Guitar w/ Game" bundle and a "Drums w/ Game" bundle and pricing them competitively against Guitar Hero. There are a lot of people (such as myself) that don't want the whole package right away and are therefore going to get something like Guitar Hero INSTEAD this holiday. Creating these two packages would give people something like another Guitar Hero experience or a new "drum" experience, with the advantage of being able to upgrade to a more complete game later on. Dropping $100 on 1 game is a big deal for a lot of people, and dropping $170 is an even bigger deal.

-Jeff
[alinktothefuture.com]

Damn it, I just want the game. =.=

Wait does that mean no just game till 2008. Cause i dont care to sing, nor do i care about drumming. Ive got 2 guitars so i preordered just the game. do i really have to pay 110ish more to get the game in november?

Why is everyone saying this sucks? It comes out in November, so that makes "omg2008" a whole 5 or 6 weeks later. Big deal. It comes out the same day as Mass Effect, anyway, so that can tide you over in the meantime ;)

Ha... I think I have muuch better things to spend 110 dollars than some fake plastic instuments. I officially shun this game until 2008.

@tk.:
Well, "not till '08" doesn't mean it's going to be out January 1st. Could be 2-13 months, which is a pretty big window of time for people eager to play the game, without having to buy all the peripherals.

@usfslacker: I see what you mean.

Also, is there a real reason? I'm guessing it's not a marketing ploy, because expecting people to throw down 170, just because it's Christmas is almost as dumb as what the Manhunt "ploy" was (which had them releasing it around Mario Galaxy and other superior games). I'm guessing it's some sort of manufacturing cost or whatever...

Oh well, sucks for them.

PS: The PS2 version's lack of online is almost as sad as his explanation (basically: "Because this game isn't for the PS2, we just like money", no design theory spin? They could take a note or two from Nintendo ("The Wii doesn't necessarily need an HDD, it's not for storing in bulk")).

Oh well, sucks for them.

They didn't clarify on what the bundles were. For all we know, there may be seperate bundles with just drums or just a guitar. I don't think they'll only sell the $170 bundle. They'll also probably still sell the game alone for those people who have Guitar Hero guitars (on PS2 and Xbox 360, PS3 will get bundles only probably, just like Guitar Hero III for PS3 is).

And Harmonix (your beloved Guitar Hero creators) have promised Rock Band is three games in one, Karaoke, Guitar, and Drums, and that you can get a full experience out of any one instrument you may choose. You don't need a full band to get the enjoyment of Guitar Hero out of Rock Band, you just need a full band if you want to enjoy Rock Band 10x more than Guitar Hero >_>

Sweet, maybe when no one buys it the price will drop and we'll be able to pick it up on the cheap. :D I just want to buy the game, and possibly the drums. I've got the Xplorer and I'll have anther guitar with GHIII, I was hoping there would be different bundles as someone mentioned earlier. Like the game with the guitar, or the game with the drums. A big bundle is lame, especially when the 360 version only comes with a wired guitar. Guess I'll just have to wait.

well if its only the 170 bundle this means no rockband for me till 08 =( i just want the drums and maybe the guitar.

The main thing I get from reading the responses in this thread...

A lot of people don't have the IQ to comprehend a simple statement. A lot of other people can't do basic math. The game comes out 2 days before Thanksgiving. How far from Thanksgiving is New Years? Seriously guys... Just play GH3 til the New Year (or were you going to be done w/ GH3 that quickly?) if that makes such a difference.

As far as everyone talking about the price difference between RB and GH3... I'm certain people that are that strained on finances will simply use their GH2 controllers for GH3. And later, use it for RB. Then make up their minds.

@Truepatriot:

"well if its only the 170 bundle this means no rockband for me till 08 =( i just want the drums and maybe the guitar."

Another victim of math. I'm assuming you want the game? Let's look at the GH2 pricing. Game = $60. Guitar = $60. I'm *CERTAIN* the drums will be at least $60. $170 (bundle with all of it) < $60+$60+$60.

I call Bullsnot.

It was only until the past month or so you could find Guitar Hero II Xplorers alone in the store (maybe in like big cities, but not any real penetration), and it was IMPOSSIBLE to find PS2 guitars seperate until GH2 came out. I had to buy 2 360 bundles to get 2 guitars.

I will believe it when i see it.

For all the folks saying: This game is gonna fail it costs too much... etc..

Well, I would think they would only make this statement regarding shipping only bundles if maybe pre-order sales were high enough already that they figure to meet demand for the bundled product this was the only way to do so.

I'll wager this game will be quite popular as a holiday gift and will likely be hard to find for while. They're better off stocking full bundles which probably most people will want then just drums or just guitar bundles.

I was planning on buying the bundle anyways seeing as how I don't have guitar hero. More then anything I just want that mic so I can use it as a cowbell.

already preordered the bundle :)

@usfslacker:

If the consumer reads the box before buying they might notice that RB gives you 2 more solo careers than GHIII, full band career, and online competition for full band and solo (as well as more but lets stick with this).

so 2 careers = 180 in GHIII money (price of 2 GHIII bundles)
+ 1 full career = 60 more (lets just make the full the price of Rocks the 80's since you already have the instruments)

= $240

This completely justifys the price tag to me, even just the inclusion of the mic and drums make it worth $170 imo.
So far all the consumers who buy GH seem to realize this.

@yonderTheGreat:
how did you know i was bad at math!??!?
yeah sure it makes "sense" to buy the bundle but i dont really want the guitar thats why i said and i quote "maybe the guitar" drums+game<$170 bundle

Erm forgot some words in my above post that make it sound a bit rude.

add an "That I've talked to" in the last sentence

@usfslacker: Ya, not to mention the Wii for $80 more and all those moms and dads investing in a bit of Xmas goodness for their kiddies will be buying item one on the XMas list instead of Item two.

@BrywalkerX: Maybe you need to shop somewhere else? I bought the bundle w/ an xtra guitar at Target on the day it came out, and I live in Ohio.

You people are absolutely hilarious. HILARIOUS, I SAY!

Yes, the instruments should be available separately at launch, and Harmonix thinks so too. Yes, it's a supply problem- a supply problem thats very reminiscent of when RedOctane was HMX's partner for GH1/GH2. Know what that means? The GH3 wireless controllers are more than likely going to be really hard to find when that game launches. They're just not going to tell you that beforehand.

$170 is too much for what you're getting here? GH3 for PS3 and 360 is $100. There's only two career modes in that. Rock Band has four. You only get one guitar with GH3. You get the drums, the mic, and the guitar for $170. Explain the rip-off to me. Go on, I'll wait.

The game will sell, and sell well. You won't buy it- but six months from now, you'll play it at your friends house, and decide that it was worth your money. By that time, the full instrument bundles will be gone, and just single instrument and game bundles will remain. Then, you'll complain that the game and the drums for $100 (or whatever it may be) is a rip-off, because a couple months before, you could get everything for $170.

Rock Band won't sell more than GH3 this holiday. Thats a silly thing to expect. I'll tell you what I expect, though. Come the end of November, you'll all be eating a nice heaping plate of crow.

Oh, and just for the record, once and for all- the GH3 wireless will work with Rock Band. Guaranteed. Stop crying.

@yonderTheGreat:

You seem to be assuming that everyone interested in Rock Band will be buying Guitar Hero 3. Me, I have no plans for GH3 - I didn't like the music selection from 2, and just guitars is too limiting when you have Rock Band available. What sucks is, what if I wanted to play two player drums? Can't until sometime in 2008. Two player guitar, using the real RB guitars with extra set of buttons at the base of the neck? Nope, have to wait until sometime in 2008. What if I just wanted the game to work with my GH2 guitar, and then maybe someday later buy drums and a mic? Again, no luck there until 2008.

And since when did it say New Years? The time given is...2008. Which, you know, lasts 366 days.

Umm. What if I want a second guitar peripheral for bass? It seems like I'll have to buy a second bundle or use a Guitar Hero controller.

As far as I'm concerned, November 23rd cannot get here soon enough.