Finally got the email, now I respect EA

[nzo]

Greetings Rocker,
Congratulations on your purchase of Rock Band!

After reviewing our records, we see that your recent request for a replacement guitar has been subject to an unacceptably long delay due to a late shipment from our manufacturer.

By the time you receive this, your replacement guitar should be on its way to you. However, the Rock Band team is committed to providing a world-class customer experience and we do not believe we have met this commitment in connection with your request. As a token of our appreciation for your patience and understanding, we will be offering you a FREE EA game. Details will follow shortly.

We are sorry if your first experience with Rock Band has not met your expectations. We hope our gift will show you how committed we are to your satisfaction.

Thank you,
The Rock Band Team


No other company would offer a $65 game for free. Still upset that my guitar broke in 5 hours, having to play expert using only upward strums is annoying, but I respect the fact that EA took responsibility.

[Maggot_Brain]

Not to be all cynical, but I really don't want NHL '06. :D

[Devts]

I too just got this e-mail.

I would like to say, even though I was ticked off before, I now am a total EA fan! This is a big relief from the M$ support I am used to. I was very suprised to be offered a game without even having to call them. Props to EA, you have a new supporter!

P.S. I wish more business were this smart. Things like this really build customer base.

[l337r3cru17]

Yeah, I received the same email...I definately wasn't expecting this. I'm super happy they decided to compensate for non-working items. I just hope they'll let me get ProStreet...that would be the ****.:D

[milesodanglers]

Not to be all cynical, but I really don't want NHL '06. :D

True but does anyone know what games they let you pick or they havent said anything yet. Im crossing my fingers for some need for speed pro street.

[Maggot_Brain]

True but does anyone know what games they let you pick or they havent said anything yet. Im crossing my fingers for some need for speed pro street.

We'll see, I guess. I have a broken bass pedal and the strat is hosed. Do I get TWO games?

[pdawg17]

Ordered replacement on 11/21...still no email (or guitar/drums) :(

[LordFejjie]

We'll see, I guess. I have a broken bass pedal and the strat is hosed. Do I get TWO games?

Getting 1 is already more than I expected. We should be thankful EA is willing to do this to keep its customer base. Many companies would not do this.

[Angry_Games]

I just wonder how much this is all going to cost EA in the end with all the replacements, shipping, free games to customers like us (I got this email as well).

I'm glad EA has the juggernaut power financially to do this, and I'm glad they realize Rock Band is a game that will lead to future games which will make a LOT of money for all the companies involved.

I just wish they had been ready for this (all they had to do was look at the problems Guitar Hero 3 had on launch with their site and some of their equipment).

I am glad that they are taking care of customers. Now the only thing I am hoping for is for EA to extend the warranty on the hardware to a whole year just to make sure. If they've re-done the guitars and drums and such to be a lot better, and break less, then they won't have to worry about extending the warranty as they'll be confident the replacements are sturdy and reliable.

[Alzdaman]

Honestly it won't be costing them that much. When you consider how much it costs to create the copy of the game it's not very much at all. The reason games cost as much as they do is because gaming is a specialty market, it's not like socks where you can charge $1.00 more than it costs to make, because billions of people will buy the socks worldwide. Games are marked up so much in order for the company to survive on the gaming base of 200 million customers where close to 1 million will even look at their product.

Of course, I could be completely wrong.

[Angry_Games]

it's going to cost them a good chunk just because each game they give away they still have to pay the developers and such (royalties, just like music). Plus the cost of all the replacement peripherals, plus the cost of shipping everything 2-day air via UPS...multiply that by 10k or 20k or however many thousands of replacements (and however many they give free game to) and it definitely adds up.

EA though is like Microsoft losing money on the Xbox and the 360...they can absorb it for a good long time because of how much money they have, which is a good thing for all of us.

EA will do it because they see how popular Guitar Hero has become, and they know how popular RB and later RB's will become.

It's the one shining light so far in this whole fiasco. I don't place blame on any one party, because I'm realistic and know this stuff happens (I used to work for a major motherboard mfg and we had this happen once in a while and it cost a chunk but as long as you made it right with the customers, word got out and actually increased the respect your company got from angry customers as well as the general public).

I just hope it all gets resolved by Xmas.

The other problem is at the Guitar Hero forums, in our tour group, probably 100 of the 200 of us are getting Rock Band, as their wives etc bought it for them, but it is sitting under the tree waiting for Xmas day. I've already answered questions from these guys in the GH forums telling them if they have Xbox360, they can use all their GH3 guitars, but PS3...kinda screwed for the moment until a patch comes for the GH guitars to work...but I've STILL encouraged all of them to enjoy the game and if they have problems, use the GH guitars until their peripherals are replaced, and honestly, by Xmas-Jan EA should have this whole process running smoothly so they won't face the kind of "torches and pitchforks" they are right now with us early adopters.

[drseuss74]

I requested my replacement last week, and still have not received ANY email about the situation. I have sent 2 emails asking for some sort of an update, or to know when my replacement may arrive. I just want a response.

[NattyLight]

No other company would offer a $65 game for free.

Most reputable companies off free services when their normal service is lacking. Most restaurants do this too. I've gotten numerous free meals, movies, auto shop freebies, and assorted discounts for less than quality services. It's just good customer service.

I'll like EA again once they start making sure that PS3 games on par with 360 games

[albinousrex]

I requested my replacement last week, and still have not received ANY email about the situation. I have sent 2 emails asking for some sort of an update, or to know when my replacement may arrive. I just want a response.

I didnt get an email, i checked my status on support.ea.com and they cancelled my rma. I would check just to make sure if I were you. Then again, you have not waited as long as some people like me who ordered 2 weeks ago.

[_epacs_]

I have to confess , after them not shipping out my guitar as soon as expected, I was quite pissed. But now I too have a new found respect for EA Games and their customer service. It seems like they've gone above and beyond to provide the best support for their unhappy customers. Kudos EA.

[josheee]

I like that they've offered a free game, but I really just want to play Rock Band. Who knows...by the time I finally get my intstruments up and running, maybe my desire to play it will have subsided. I guess the free game might come in handy then.

[11thfinger]

I filed my guitar RMA request last weekened and never received a single email, let alone this bit of damage control. The support site says the part shipped with an update on the 30th, but UPS says billing information received, so still nothing. This is completely ridiculous - how can some people be sent emails and others not? What kind of broken system runs EA's support tickets?

All of this talk of communication and damage control pisses me off a great deal. Everyone should get the same treatment.

[Path0gen1]

I received the same E-Mail - I'm no longer upset about the delayed guitar shipment :)

[BrutalBrian]

Well its nice some of you are pacified by this game, but do you really trust EA to ship you a game after its taken this long for inquiry about replacements?

Of course they didn't have to do this, but I put an RMA in for my bass pedal the day the game came out because it was non-functional out of the box. My tilt sensor on my fender was also broken.

This is like almost two full weeks I have only been able to sing, and use my friends Xplorer guitar to play Guitar. The lost time after paying all that money cannot be made up.

Free game or not, I will NEVER rush out to buy another EA product ever again.

I figure at least I can use the free game to sell for some real money. Which is exactly what EA should be putting in our pockets instead of a game. Financial compensation is the only that can make up for this whole fiasco.

[Table16]

Well its nice some of you are pacified by this game, but do you really trust EA to ship you a game after its taken this long for inquiry about replacements?

Of course they didn't have to do this, but I put an RMA in for my bass pedal the day the game came out because it was non-functional out of the box. My tilt sensor on my fender was also broken.

This is like almost two full weeks I have only been able to sing, and use my friends Xplorer guitar to play Guitar. The lost time after paying all that money cannot be made up.

Free game or not, I will NEVER rush out to buy another EA product ever again.

I figure at least I can use the free game to sell for some real money. Which is exactly what EA should be putting in our pockets instead of a game. Financial compensation is the only that can make up for this whole fiasco.

I really don't think you should judge an entire company based on one peripheral defect. I'm sure you have played other EA games in the past and have had no problems so now your going to ban their products from now on? Seems like a real good idea? Since EA does play a huge role in almost all games nowadays.

I too got the good ol email and am extremely happy. All of the waiting for the guitar, which really wasn't all that bad. I was not impressed with the quality of the guitar but as long as they replace it, and they even throw in this free game which is great.

I really don't think people should write off EA on this. Defects happen, I understand that and they seem to want to go above and beyond to insure that everything stays well.

[albinousrex]

It wouldnt cost them much at all. The reason cames are that much is because of the long and strenuous hours put into programing, testing and creating the game. Then all employees need to be paid and all gaming equiptment needs to be paid for. This is paid for relatively quick on an anticipated game and then the profits start raking in. A disc in a plastic case costs them probably 50 cents to make. The way they are mostly losing money is proably ups shipping fees. Those are expenisve, expecially 2 day air

[toefer]

It wouldnt cost them much at all. The reason cames are that much is because of the long and strenuous hours put into programing, testing and creating the game. Then all employees need to be paid and all gaming equiptment needs to be paid for. This is paid for relatively quick on an anticipated game and then the profits start raking in. A disc in a plastic case costs them probably 50 cents to make. The way they are mostly losing money is proably ups shipping fees. Those are expenisve, expecially 2 day air

If EA is merely the distributor, though, they may still have to pay the developer for the game.

[albinousrex]

If EA is merely the distributor, though, they may still have to pay the developer for the game.

yea that is true. Im sure though that it isnt too much, probably a percent of profits? Hopefully we can get games that they distribute and not just ones they make.

[NattyLight]

If EA is merely the distributor, though, they may still have to pay the developer for the game.

They don't pay much at all. It's not going to harm them at all. It's barely a drop in the bucket.

[Supergeek]

This is purely a PR move to make up for the snafu they created with these shoddy instruments. It's a good move, and shows they have smart people working at EA. It doesn't cost them much. Rock Band customers are really a very small percentage of their customer base, and if $1.00 in plastic buys your loyalty back, it's a bargain for them. Chances are, you probably wouldn't have bought an extra EA game anyway, so it's not like they're losing that much money. The good press from the free game is cheap PR; cheaper than any commercials or magazine ads.