Rock Band Details
This hit the wire yesterday, but now I have time to mention it. Rock Band pricing details were announced yesterday.
Complete Box:
- Game
- Guitar (wired in Xbox; wireless in PS3; Unknown PS2)
- Drum kit
- Microphone
- For Xbox: a USB hub
Xbox & PS3: $169.99 [Release Nov 23rd]
PS2: $159.99 [Release Dec 10th]
Sold Separately:
Game Only: $59.99
Wireless Guitar: $79.99 (Xbox); $59.99 (PS3)
Drum Kit: $79.99
Microphone: $29.99
I have to admit that $170/160 is a tough sell on price. That's more than a DS with games and accessories. Hell, more than the PS2 itself! This is simply a hard sell.
With Guitar Hero, the 'full' package is a one-player package. Then bring your Guitar to someone else who has the game and play two player. With Rock Band, the device economics are a tougher with a 3-player package. While someone with either Guitar Hero or Rock Band can bring their guitar to make the 4th player, there are still two other devices paid for (with the microphone having some flexibility). The drum kit is especially tied to the game disk it game with as there's no two-player drum function.
There is some saving grace with the cross-platform ability of most of the devices. The microphone is USB across the board, and it seems the drum kit is USB as well. This means that they should work across all platforms. The guitars seem to be the only platform-locked devices with the silly wireless business for Xbox (long story).
Don't get me wrong, I hope the absolute best for the folks in Central Square! While people certainly love the Guitar Hero concept and excited on the title itself, there's certainly another notch kicked up for the price. Will I buy it? Likely. The only lingering issue is weather I'll get it for the PS2, or if I'll end up getting an Xbox eventually. If I go PS2, I can move around the drums and microphone around but the game, current guitar, and new guitar would be stuck PS2. If I eventually get that Xbox 360, I'll have both the game on all Xbox and be able to download new songs. Not to mention jam sessions at work with the office Xbox. At least I have time to consider it all.