Commentary on Euro Pricing Flamefest

[MrMilad]

You are a joke Harmonix.

You spout forth all this crap in the hope that people will get lost in it all and just buy what you say (as well are your extortionately priced game). Sadly some people have but we all know it's not really true is it?

Basically you are just ripping everyone off but you didn't have the balls to do it in the US because you knew there would have been a backlash. But old Europe eh? Always good for a rip-off because we take **** very well don't we? Especially Britain.

Your game looks good, but £180 worth? Nah.

It's Criminal.

[neural]

I don't know if someone already brought up this argument, but let's do a little comparison (source Play.com):

Guitar Hero III with wireless Guitar: £64.99
Rock Band with wireless Guitar: £39.99+59.99=£99.98

So, can somoeone explain us why Activision managed to do this "magic", and EA/Harmonix can't? Activision should really strongly advertise their lower price when GH: Aerosmith will come out.

However, I'm going to import guitar and drums from the States while getting the PAL game, so problem solved for me.

[CM_Drunk]

You are a joke Harmonix.

You spout forth all this crap in the hope that people will get lost in it all and just buy what you say (as well are your extortionately priced game). Sadly some people have but we all know it's not really true is it?

Basically you are just ripping everyone off but you didn't have the balls to do it in the US because you knew there would have been a backlash. But old Europe eh? Always good for a rip-off because we take **** very well don't we? Especially Britain.

Your game looks good, but £180 worth? Nah.

It's Criminal.

Its posts like this that make me post things like I have above.

Your right man, American companies just assume Europeans have 3rd grade level intelligence, and assume its easy to overcharge them for stuff because they dont reserve the right NOT to buy their game. And buy ther competitors product instead.

Way to let emotion get in the way of rational thinking.

[MrMilad]

^^ it's nothing to do with intelligence, it's to do with temperament.

We pay more for stuff in Europe on average than you do in America. Are you telling me we don't

[ScottSkins]

I've been looking forward to Rock Band for quite sometime. With the great amount of DLC, great songs, superb online, and the fact that i could for once be one of the top in the world for something (I play Drums and i have an old practise kit with the same kind of set up as the rock band drums, and i can play the expert songs on that fine =P).

However, i now find myself in a bit of a jam. I bought my xbox just over three months ago for 189.99 of eBay with the Games Deadrising and Gears of War. All of it new and sealed. So, can you understand where I'm coming from when i say that its ridiculous to expect me to pay nearly the same amount for one single game.

It's not that I don't have the ability to buy it, I have money saved and i could easily ask my parents for a loan of the money (they make around £45 an hour combined), but im not willing to pay this much for a game. I found it hard to reason to reason to get GH3 for my wii, with its £70 price tag, because thats expensive for a piece of electronical equipment and a CD, if you cut it down to basics.

And to all the people out there who say things like 'What a shame, its your fault you cant afford it' or 'Well i can afford it so i dont care', you have more money than sense and you have completely missed the point about why people are upset at the pricing. I know about 10 people who wanted this game, but now, they are all not gonna get it, because they simply are not willing to shell out the same amount of money for a game as they did for thier xbox!

I'm extremely dissapointed that I wont be getting this, but like a 12 week vacation to the bahamas, its tempting, but it cant be rationalised.
Yours, Scott

[RichC]

Thats great except why would EA\Harmonix use UPS to ship 2 units of Rock Band to Europe? Also I can order the full instrument pack and game from someone in the US on ebay for £120, how can they afford to do that and still make money yet EA\Harmonix cannot?

Just got a quote on a 40'HC container - that will hold 450 copies of RB - worked out about £4 a copy......

[bigman uk]

Its posts like this that make me post things like I have above.

Your right man, American companies just assume Europeans have 3rd grade level intelligence, and assume its easy to overcharge them for stuff because they dont reserve the right NOT to buy their game. And buy ther competitors product instead.

Way to let emotion get in the way of rational thinking.

It's an easy position to take when it's not you being asked to pay over twice the price for the same thing. In the UK we expect a slight price increase it's understandable and accepted, 110% increase however is not.

[CM_Drunk]

^^ it's nothing to do with intelligence, it's to do with temperament.

We pay more for stuff in Europe on average than you do in America. Are you telling me we don't

Again, I really wish people wouldnt put words in my post I do not type. I honestly, as an American have NO clue what Europeans pay for stuff vs what we do.

All im saying, is that its absolutely understandable to be pissed off over something youve been waiting on for a long time being radically priced. I would be too. But as unfair as the reasons why might be, I assure you thats its NOT because a company feels they can make an easy buck off of your market. Their has got to be a reason why, and its not to screw over European gamers.

[bigman uk]

Again, I really wish people wouldnt put words in my post I do not type. I honestly, as an American have NO clue what Europeans pay for stuff vs what we do.

All im saying, is that its absolutely understandable to be pissed off over something youve been waiting on for a long time being radically priced. I would be too. But as unfair as the reasons why might be, I assure you thats its NOT because a company feels they can make an easy buck off of your market. Their has got to be a reason why, and its not to screw over European gamers.

I'm sorry but if Harmonix themselves can't come out with a straight answer it's damage control. If it really is down to shipping and VAT why haven't EA\Harmonix come out and said this is how it breaks down heres our profit margin? That would end all of this now wouldn't it but they won't so what have they got to hide?

[neural]

But as unfair as the reasons why might be, I assure you thats its NOT because a company feels they can make an easy buck off of your market. Their has got to be a reason why, and its not to screw over European gamers.

See, in the video games market it's normal for Europe to get higher prices than US, and it got worse now with the weak dollar. So, publishers like EA genuinely think that we won't feel screwed putting higher prices on their games, and usually they're correct, but this time it's really too much.

And putting up excuses like the transport costs, when I can order the game from the U.S. and pay much less shipping included, does only add to the anger. So, couriers like UPS/FedEx are cheaper than a cargo ship, on the cost per unit shipped? Yeah... I absolutely believe it.