Gamestop: Will replace PS3 Rock Band...

[JeffAC]

Just an FYI for those who are wanting to unload your Rock Band bundle due to the non-support of the Guitar Hero III Les Paul guitar controller:

I called my local Gamestop (where I had preordered Rock Band) and explained the situation - including the misleading note on the game box, that the Xbox 360 version works, etc.

The clerk I spoke to sounded skeptical that they would be able to do anything, but upon talking to him and after he made a call to their district manager he finally agreed to allow me to return it (I assume for store credit or, perhaps, in order to exchange for the Xbox 360 version whenever they get some in stock - I'll find out about that later).

I told him that I was going to give it a couple of days in order to give Harmonix a decent chance to at least make a formal announcement and say what they will (or won't) do about it. I figure that's a fair thing to do.

...

Anyhow, just wanted to let you all know that it's possible to get an exception to their usual rules, if you try hard enough (granted, I spend a fair bit of money at this Gamespot location, so they may have taken that into account).

- Jeff C.

[Ninhead]

You shouldn't be able to do that. It's not the retailers fault. There'll be a patch.

[djchowfun]

> You shouldn't be able to do that. It's not the retailers fault.

Any decent retailer will accept a return for a product that does not function as advertised. The text on the front of the box clearly states that the product is compatible with most other instrument controllers. Considering that the only instrument available for the PS3 doesn't work, that is factually incorrect.

It's a good thing for a retailer to stand by the product they sell. I'd go direct to Harmonix instead, but AFAIK they're not even acknowledging it (yet, at least). Either way, I'll be more than happy to wait a couple of days to see what they plan to do.

> There'll be a patch.

I hope so, but even now I'd settle for at least an official, unambiguous announcement. Harmonix could go a long way toward dealing with the push-back from their customers by simply letting people know whether they care about this issue or not and what they plan to do or not to do about it.

- Jeff C.

FFS already. "works with most guitars"

HMX = open standard
RedOctane = proprietary
"most guitars" = open standard

xbox360 = requires open standard
ps3 = doesn't require open standard

[JeffAC]

> You shouldn't be able to do that. It's not the retailers fault.

Any decent retailer will accept a return for a product that does not function as advertised. The text on the front of the box clearly states that the product is compatible with most other instrument controllers. Considering that the only instrument available for the PS3 doesn't work, that is factually incorrect.

It's a good thing for a retailer to stand by the product they sell. I'd go direct to Harmonix instead, but AFAIK they're not even acknowledging it (yet, at least). Either way, I'll be more than happy to wait a couple of days to see what they plan to do.

> There'll be a patch.

I hope so, but even now I'd settle for at least an official, unambiguous announcement. Harmonix could go a long way toward dealing with the push-back from their customers by simply letting people know whether they care about this issue or not and what they plan to do or not to do about it.

- Jeff C.

[JeffAC]

Update...!

Well, it's been a week and aside from a couple of squirrelly PR-esque announcements about "open standards" by Harmonix (with a notable lack of explanation as to why they didn't share the bad news before PS3 owners bought their versions or, for that matter, their misleading box art statement), we've received no indication that anything will in fact be done about the Rock Band PS3/3rd party controller issue.

My guess is that they hope to ride out the wave of discontent and hope that all the disappointed PS3 Rock Band owners buy their guitars at $60 a pop come February. Sadly, I'm sure there are more than a few of us who will be bending over to do just that.

Anyhow, big thumbs up to my local Gamestop (Victoria Gardens location in Rancho Cucamonga, CA) for allowing me to return the PS3 bait-and-switch bundle for an Xbox 360 version this afternoon - one that actually works as advertised with "most instrument controllers". They could have easily passed the buck but - unlike some companies - upon consideration, they sided with the customer.

I'll also be selling my PS3 version of GH3 and getting the Xbox 360 version (w/guitar) instead, which should be the end of this mess. I'll be damned if I'm going to give Harmonix $60 for a guitar after how this debacle was mis-handled, communication-wise. At least they could have been honest and forthright with their customers <i>before</i> the release date, not after they made their sales...

They had several weeks to test with the Les Paul and get the word out that it wasn't going to work, despite previous indications. If nothing else, they certainly can't blame <i>that</i> on Red Octane.

BTW: Anyone who seeks a return at Gamestop, if they go ahead with it be sure to preorder a couple of games there as I did. While retail establishments <i>should</i> stand behind their products by default - and Gamestop doesn't always have the best track record with such things - it's always a good idea to reward companies when they actually <i>do</i> the right thing.

- Jeff

[Stevenam81]

Dude....it was a holiday weekend. Red Octane announced today that they are working with Harmonix to patch it. The game came out Tuesday. Wednesday everyone is getting ready for Thanksgiving. Thursday is Thanksgiving. People are usually off until Monday, which is today. It doesn't sound like you gave them a decent chance at all.

[Apples]

Yes, Harmonix magically has foresight to make their things compatible with hardware they cannot see or test. And how dare they fail to rectify the problem over a holiday weekend.

Talk about unrealistic expectations.

I'm glad it worked out for you, but no offense you come off like an impatient brat.

[J-Rock]

Yes, Harmonix magically has foresight to make their things compatible with hardware they cannot see or test. And how dare they fail to rectify the problem over a holiday weekend.

Talk about unrealistic expectations.

I'm glad it worked out for you, but no offense you come off like an impatient brat.
Didnt Guitar Hero III come weeks before Rock Band? It's been a week now, they didnt even make a statement that looked like they will be looking into the problem, let alone rectify it.

[SoberScott]

Why should it be compatible with a product they don't make? It just screws then out of money when they put out more Strats? They aren't required to make it compatible. That is like asking microsoft/sony to make their controllers work on each others systems. I mean they are both controllers?! I admit it is pretty sweet to have two guitars but we have two copies of RB in my house soooo...
In short. Quit Yer *****in'

[Sentouki]

Didnt Guitar Hero III come weeks before Rock Band? It's been a week now, they didnt even make a statement that looked like they will be looking into the problem, let alone rectify it.

When GH3 came out I can guarantee you Rock Band was 99% done. If you know anything about development of businesses you know they can't just change stuff like that at the bleeding edge

[J-Rock]

Why should it be compatible with a product they don't make? It just screws then out of money when they put out more Strats? They aren't required to make it compatible. That is like asking microsoft/sony to make their controllers work on each others systems. I mean they are both controllers?! I admit it is pretty sweet to have two guitars but we have two copies of RB in my house soooo...
In short. Quit Yer *****in'
The GHIII shouldnt have to be compatible with Rock Band. Problem is, they let everyone believe it would be.

[Loxguard]

Dude....it was a holiday weekend. Red Octane announced today that they are working with Harmonix to patch it. The game came out Tuesday. Wednesday everyone is getting ready for Thanksgiving. Thursday is Thanksgiving. People are usually off until Monday, which is today. It doesn't sound like you gave them a decent chance at all.

Link to this announcement?

Sounds like BS to me.

[logicalnoise]

Didnt Guitar Hero III come weeks before Rock Band? It's been a week now, they didnt even make a statement that looked like they will be looking into the problem, let alone rectify it.

if a dev company is still working on controller details within a month of launch it needs to be delayed at least 3 months. Not only do they have to confirm it works in the game they have to test it just as equally as their official controllers. There just wasn't enough time to support the proprietary half assed control scheme for GH3 at launch. You waited one week which consisted of about two business days. You say harmonix stole money from you yet failed to listen when people were saying their were compatibility issues at launch. Hell you had 2 days after launch to pick up your game before losing the reserve(even though I doubt there was a while lot of demand for the game disc alone).

Blame sony for having a lax attitude with their systems control protocol standards. Blame RO for being stubborn up until people actually got mad. If RO had worked with HMX in the first place there wouldn't be your so called screwjob.

[logicalnoise]

Link to this announcement?

Sounds like BS to me.

wasn't an announcement just a CS rep acknowledging that there is a problem and it's being looked into.