EA "Expected" Rock Band Response, Defends European Pricing

But there is some good news if you already have a USB microphone and a guitar controller.

By Alex Wollenschlaeger

Message boards across the internet are being fueled on Tuesday by the fires of righteous indignation of rhythm-action game fans scalded by news of EA's pricing structure for Rock Band.

Earlier in the week there was talk of a £130 price point for the Rock Band bundle including the guitar, microphone and drum kit. Considering that explains why many people were taken aback on Tuesday when it came out that EA is actually planning to release only the instruments in a special pack priced at £130 with the game itself being sold separately for £50.

Both will debut first on Xbox 360 on 23 May with the PlayStation 3 and other versions arriving later in the summer.

At £180, the UK price for the full Rock Band package represents a 77 per cent premium over the US price of $170, discounting for tax differences.

Within minutes of the news, message boards erupted. But there was one group of people not surprised by the reaction to the news: EA itself. A spokesperson for the company in the UK told Kikizo that Tuesday's fan response is "something we expected".

The spokesperson defended the decision in part by pointing out that Rock Band has been built with its audience in mind and will work with many of the peripherals people have in their homes.

"Rock Band has been designed as an open game," the spokesperson said.

That means the game will work with the Guitar Hero guitars and USB microphones that many people already own.

Drums, the crucial third instrument included in the Rock Band equipment bundle, will also be sold separately. Though no final pricing has been confirmed, the spokesperson suggested the standalone drum kit would sell for around £70.

While getting into the experience will cost those in Europe more, there is the consolation that downloadable content prices will not be similarly inflated.

EA said in a press release on Tuesday that the more than 70 downloadable songs already released in the US will be available on launch day across Europe, to boost the 58-strong song line-up on the disc.

The songs will be priced at 160 Microsoft Points - identical to their price in the US. New content will then be available at the same time in the US and Europe.

Though EA is bearing the brunt of the backlash, the company's precise role in the final pricing decision is unclear. In an unusual move, the company agreed to act as distributor and marketer for the game, with actual publishing duties sitting with MTV Games, the owner of Rock Band (and ex Guitar Hero) developer Harmonix.