Harmonix tells VideoGamer.com that Xbox 360 timed exclusivity "is not us having a beef with any platform".
Rock Band dev Harmonix has moved to appease PS3 owners angry at the game's European timed Xbox 360 exclusivity by revealing it is working with Sony to make the PS3 version "sing".
Yesterday we brought you the news that Rock Band, which is really rather excellent, will be coming out on Xbox 360 on May 23, with other platforms having to wait until the summer.
AdvertisementThe news has sparked an outcry from angry PS3 owners who feel aggrieved at having to wait longer than 360 owners for a game that has already been out in the US since November 2007.
When asked by VideoGamer.com in an interview published elsewhere on the site if he had any message for PS3 owners, Rob Kay, director of design at Rock Band developer Harmonix, said: "We want to say that while we've got this MS period of exclusivity on their platform just for a little while, when the PS3 version comes out it's identical. You're going to have exactly the same experience with all the downloadable content. The whole Rock Band experience is there and it's fully fleshed and fully blown."
He added: "We've worked really closely with Sony to make sure that, you know we've been able to do that in the States, and we're working with them at the moment to try and make sure that in Europe we can make it sing on the PS3 as much as possible. We love all the platforms. This is not us having a beef with any platform, we just want to get the Rock Band experience out there so people can enjoy it. It's coming."
The game has also caused outrage at its UK pricing - a whopping £180 if you want to play the game the way it's meant to be played, with a guitar, a drum kit and a microphone. Online anger has been exacerbated by the fact that in the US the equivalent package is almost £100 cheaper.
Yesterday Kay told VideoGamer.com that the developer understands the reaction and pointed towards "a myriad of little differences that all add up" as explanation of the higher cost.
For more on Rock Band, including Harmonix's dispute with Activision and why Guitar Hero guitars won't work on the game, be sure to check out the first part of our in-depth interview with Rob Kay.
What do you think PS3 owners? How do you feel about Rock Band's timed Xbox 360 exclusivity? Let us know in the comments section below.
Scabby Sid wrote at 12:20 on 09 April 2008
i think that this is the price PS3 owners have to pay for buying such an overpriced lump of.. umm.. i mean.. being so cocky about their "superior hardware" and sub-standard online service. :P
Mornelithe wrote at 12:54 on 09 April 2008
Thank God I think Rock Band and Guitar Hero suck already...this would just make me ban all Harmonix games from my PS3 anyway.
Morne
Kemyst wrote at 14:19 on 09 April 2008
As usual the euro gamers(regardless of platform) are screwed by the almighty EA games and as usual the ps3 owners are having to bury more of the shaft than 360 owners.
Nothing new I suppose just wish somebody could slap all publishers and developers and wake them up to the fact that we are just as much gamers as anybody in the US
Pete aka s6yka wrote at 18:43 on 09 April 2008
Rubbish..... Make us wait, build anticipation & then charge extortionately more. Were talking double the US price for the same package. I have a PS3 so also have to wait until later this year for a UK version. This has sealed the nail in the coffin for me. I shall be importing a copy from the U.S. (as PS3 isn't region encoded for games) and not only saving myself cash but playing it before it's even released in the UK. There will still be enough cash spare to buy a copy of the UK Version of the game when it's released as well in case they make the song packs compatible with one version and not the other. What's the purpose of not selling the game with the instruments as well. I see no reasonable explanation for that either? Worth mentionin for UK XBOX 360 owners that it is already available to pre-order on play.com for £99.99 for the instruments and £39.99 for the game so you don't "have" to pay £180 for everything but even a total of £140 is £10-£20 over what the RRP should have been on the set up. Saying that "Rock Band" isn't a normal video game doesn't cut it I'm afraid. It's an acculmination of Guitar Hero and Singstar games which have been around for a while. As consumers we don't expect to get things for free and most UK consumers know that many things are cheaper in the States because of the high taxes applicable over here. Never the less they've overshot the mark on this one. Sales will more than likely be just as good as they're expecting or higher because it is so anticipated but I'm sorry Harmonix, you're decision is not fair on EU consumers.
AkumaUk wrote at 10:43 on 10 April 2008
I've been looking forward to this game for 12 months now... I'm gutted it's going to cost so much.. I could probably afford it, but is it value for money? No, probably not.. If you take something like COD4 which I bought on release day, I paid £40 and have played it almost every day for 5 months, thats value for money.. Would I play Rock Band that often? definately not..
So sorry EA/Harmonix, but you've just priced it out of the market for me.. which also means I wont be spending £10 a month on extra DLC either.. your loss, I'll just stick to playing my GH2 & GH3.
RaZoR_GTX wrote at 15:19 on 10 April 2008
No offence the usa but what makes them so F****G different from the Euro gamers? They can create the game for USA but no Euro, sounds like the games dev trying to cash in aswell. Hate it when europe are treated different.
hmxsuck wrote at 09:28 on 20 April 2008
why why the **** should ps3 owners get it later????????WTF?????
no sale here cos the reasons to justify it are pathetic
hmxsuck wrote at 09:30 on 20 April 2008
well put AkumaUk
"I wont be spending £10 a month on extra DLC either"
same from me here but i would have bought all dlc cos im a nut
shuan1210 wrote at 16:35 on 11 June 2008
i got rid of my ps3 because of rock band i want it now get a 360 its not bad
sazz9117 wrote at 22:57 on 17 June 2008
yeah im pissed that theres all these delays n that but what annoyes me more is the fact that there isnt a release date for PS3 even now. i mean its out on 360 here now but still thers no news on release dates for PS3... whats all that about.
"i think that this is the price PS3 owners have to pay for buying such an overpriced lump of.. umm.. i mean.. being so cocky about their "superior hardware" and sub-standard online service. :P "
im not cocky about any superior hardware mate!! it just so happens that i have a wii and PS3 cos thats what i wanted games for at the time. i now want a 360 but thers no way in hell i could afford it and the game so theres no point