Now that we know what comes in the Limited Edition Premium Bundle for The Beatles: Rock Band, it's time to ask the question - is it worth $250?
We first explored this topic last month, asking "What Could Make The Beatles: Rock Band Worth $250". We know now that the bundles will indeed include a replica Höfner 500/1 "Violin Bass", as used by Paul McCartney, along with the Ludwig drum set with the predicted black oyster pearl finish and vintage replica kick drum head. They've even thrown in a mic stand for good measure, but is it worth a quarter of a grand?
Well first off, we can pretty much discount the particular music choices from our calculations. The game is $60 no matter what tunes it contains, so the set list is a moot point. What we have here, is a game, a plastic bass guitar, plastic drums, a mic, and a mic stand. Let's break down what those would cost individually using Wal-Mart pricing, rounded up:
The Beatles: Rock Band game: $60
Wireless Rock Band 2 guitar: $70
Rock Band 2 drum set: $90
Rock Band Mic (Not Available, Estimating): $20
Rock Band mic stand: $25
Grand Total: $265
Assuming the Höfner bass guitar is wireless, this would put the bundle at $15 cheaper than individually buying everything included in the set, and that's including the generic Rock Band 2 instruments. Once you figure in the cost of producing the band-specific instruments, it actually isn't that bad of a deal. It's still more expensive than a boxed set of Rock Band 2, but then this set isn't for your average Rock Band 2 player.
My suggestion? If the price turns you off, then you probably shouldn't be buying it. If you've already got plastic instruments, then there really is no benefit to getting more plastic instruments anyway. This set is mainly for the consumer who is newly drawn to the Rock Band experience by The Beatles, and for them, paying a little bit more for a touch of authenticity might not be quite as painful.