European Rock Band info released; no PS3 date yet

by Jem Alexander { Apr 8th 2008 at 9:15AM }

We're not sure what's worse, here. Whether it's the fact that Rock Band isn't arriving in Europe until 6+ months after its US release, whether the pricing structure is as ridiculous as it is, or whether there's still no solid release date for the PS3 version. EA have really dropped the ball on this one.

A solid release date of May 23rd has been announced for the Xbox 360 version, after which it will remain exclusive to the console until "later this Summer" when the PS3 version is released. The price for the PS3 version will most likely be the same as the 360 version, but we hope it's not. The instruments (a drum set, a guitar and a mic) will retail in its own bundle without the game for £130/€170. The game will be sold separately for the normal £50/€60.

The only good news to come out of this announcement is that Europe will receive some exclusive songs (listed after the break) and that all of the DLC up to this point will be released on the XBLM on May 27th, with all future updates occurring simultaneously for the US and Europe. If SCEE can pull off something similar without encountering technical difficulties, we'll be very surprised.

The fact of the matter is: import the bundle from America and play the songs on the disc for a wee while, then buy the European disc in order to get your hands on the exclusive songs and DLC. Sure, you'll be buying the game twice, but it'll still be cheaper than buying the EU instrument bundle and the game. Madness.

The exclusive European tracks are as follows:

English

"Beetlebum" by Blur
"Rock 'n' Roll Star" by Oasis
"Monsoon" by Tokio Hotel
"Hysteria" by Muse

German

"Hier Kommt Alex" by Die Toten Hosen
"Perfekte Welle" by Juli
"Countdown to Insanity" by H-Block X

French

"Manu Chao" by Les Wampas
"New Wave" by Playmo

Tags: ea, europe, harmonix, madness, mtv, rock-band

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

myself @ Apr 8th 2008 9:31AM

230 euros???

not buying!!
i rather get a wii or 5 games

flubba @ Apr 8th 2008 10:21AM

So have they released the patch for GH3 guitars yet? So I can just import the disc from US and play the game with the GH3 guitar?

Nate @ Apr 8th 2008 10:24AM

Nope, and I wouldn't expect it to come. Ever.

Spalec @ Apr 8th 2008 9:50AM

You can buy an entire Ps3 and Gran turismo for only £100 more. What a obscene ripoff.

Shame, I wanted to play this game too. Not at that price though.

Fireball @ Apr 8th 2008 9:42AM

I wonder how much Microshite paid off EA for the apparent "delay" in the PS3 version. Not buying, if it had come out in March like planned then maybe

deaftly @ Apr 8th 2008 11:09AM

ZOMG ITS A CONSPIRACY!

why not the LS2/LS7? @ Apr 8th 2008 12:36PM

deaftly:
You think EA would cut their sales and get nothing in return?

I'm certain MS offered substantial co-marketing as an enticement. It's how the game is usually played.

Lars @ Apr 8th 2008 5:02PM

What bugs me is that Harmonix says stuff like "we're on the side of the consumer" and "we think both next-gen consoles are great and do not favor either" and "what Activision did is wrong, we've got the customer's back" and such, but then they clearly cater to the 360. They've still got 3 exclusive songs on 360, voice chat in multiplayer, we've got no players met functionality or anything, no lights on our controllers that show which player number we are... and guitars that were desperately needed on PS3 were the last peripheral to be sold separately.

bruty @ Apr 8th 2008 9:43AM

Where's a good place to import from then? I had a look at Amazon.com and the only one I could find that delivered to the UK cost over £150, so this wouldn't save me any money.

JoJo @ Apr 8th 2008 10:00AM

such a rip off!! good thing i'm in the US

Fiddlesworth @ Apr 8th 2008 10:08AM

Amazing, how can a company like EA make some a complete screw-up of a Euro product launch? For that price you'd expect reasonably high quality hardware but you know you're not going to get it.

digiboi @ Apr 8th 2008 10:16AM

"Hysteria" by Muse

That just hurts so much.

Any idea if there will be a way to get this "exclusive content" on a PS3 in America?

David @ Apr 8th 2008 11:00AM

I want some Muse in the US version!! New Born, Apocalypse Please, Knights of Cydonia, Butterflies and Hurricanes are all perfect songs for Rock Band...I hope that if it's available for Europe it will be available here in the future.

I really doubt importing the game and then buying the European disc will be cheaper. What's up with the price fluctuations? Does that mean that the lower price is suggested but it could go up to the other price? Or does it mean that the price will fluctuate between that range in the different European countries? Either way is pretty expensive.

adorna @ Apr 9th 2008 5:51AM

no german game for me for that price. This is just ridiculous. with using google for the exchange rate thats almost 380$ instead of about 170$ or whatever the current price for the bundle is in the US. There's just nothing that could justify that purchase. Its kind of sad how this will make the game flop in europe - who's gonna dish out that much money for a game?
Maybe we aught to be relieved that deciding between Rockband and Guitar Hero won't be an issue?

jrw365 @ Apr 8th 2008 10:54AM

just go on ebay dudes, then use entropay for all the DLC you need off the US PS store. I did this and have been in rock heaven since last christmas, and this pricing announcement fully justifies my decision, especially given it cost me less than £130 for the bundle including shipping! Oh and the guitar works fine dont worry on that score...only problem is the in-game DLC store doesnt work properly for EU based players

deaftly @ Apr 8th 2008 11:18AM

For those bitching about the price, this game is better then the Wii itself and is the best multiplayer game ever made. You'll be missing out on something really special if you pass on this.

Ryzome @ Apr 8th 2008 11:58AM

Half the time someone making $50,000 at a job in the US will be getting 45,000-55,000 Euros for the same job overseas, so I feel no pity for the poor "ripped off" europeans, outside of getting their games delayed all the time.

Now bend over and take it like a man.

Bastard11 @ Apr 8th 2008 12:55PM

Funny how the 360 needs major help in Europe and theis happens. So who exactly still doesn't believe that EA clearly wants the 360 to beat the PS3 this generation??

Sangor @ Apr 8th 2008 1:33PM

I don't think GBP 180 / EUR 240 is major help, that price won't help xbox sales at all.

Martez @ Apr 8th 2008 2:21PM

Hooooooly crap, that's pricey.

finelicker @ Apr 8th 2008 3:17PM

You say import the US version?, I'd love too, but no one is importing the damn thing!!

jrw365 @ Apr 8th 2008 3:47PM

you can import the bundle to europe for approx £110 inc. insured shipping via barnesandnoble.com, i cancelled an order over new year when there were stock shortages but there is now plenty to go round.

seriously, rock band is the best gaming investment i ever made for my ps3 - it really mixes things up from fps, shooting and driving. my friends and family just cannot get enough of it either....

TheMan726 @ Apr 8th 2008 3:54PM

I live in Canada and I already have it, so im happy

finelicker @ Apr 8th 2008 5:13PM

jrw365 - you just got voted up, nice one matey ;)

Rock Band en-route to me as we speak =)

jrw365 @ Apr 8th 2008 5:50PM

no problem enjoy and add me for some online band action when you get it ;-)

PSN = Xocomil

playcrackthesky @ Apr 8th 2008 7:54PM

im pissed as hell.

Im in australia and have been waiting since the US release. Ive thought about importing but shipping to oz is way to expensive.

Why on earth would it take so long, it makes no sense.

And then it comes with a massive price on it? we should get it cheaper with all DLC to date FREE as part of the package. We've been screwed.

WAcky @ Apr 8th 2008 10:43PM

just checking XE.com

The bundle plus the game comes to just under $400 AUD. I instantly don't give a flying rats about this game anymore.

playcrackthesky @ Apr 8th 2008 11:47PM

wacky, I know someone who can already have it shipped for 290. So I dont even see the point in waiting and then paying extra.

ChodalBerryWagon @ Apr 9th 2008 2:34AM

I just looked on ebay, there's some for about $370, but I don't know if I want to pay that much for a game...

alien @ Apr 9th 2008 10:24AM

First they screwed the Canadian launch of the game, now they are screwing the European one. Don't buy it -- the game sucks anyway. The tracklist is bad and overall I think you'll have more fun with Guitar Hero III.

smon @ May 28th 2008 1:23PM

this is one of the biggest loads of bullshit the ps3 communtity has been forced to deal with, 6 months after the fuckin yanks, and all that xbox wankery 'exclusive untill later in the summer' the price is a cock-up in itself, but since ive been waitin to play this game for a long time im gonna buy it regardless