EA cuts price of Rock Band in Europe

By Robert Purchese Published 8 September, 2008

PS3, PS2, Wii versions out on Friday!

EA has snipped the price of all versions of Rock Band to GBP 109.99 / EUR 139.99, ahead of the PS3, PS2 and Wii launch this Friday. Which is all rather sudden.

That, of course, is a saving of GBP 20 on the original Instrument Edition. The Rock Band game still needs to be bought separately for GBP 49.99 on PS3, 39.99 on Wii, or 29.99 on PS2.

However, most retailers have reduced the price of both game and instrument bundle already, so expect some top-notch deals to spring up.

As with the already-released Xbox 360 version, Rock Band will arrive with the same selection of exclusive European songs, including "Rock 'n Roll Star" by Oasis and "Hysteria" by Muse.

Also, PS3 owners will be given access to the full selection of downloadable content from launch.

Here's that list of region-exclusive songs:

English

  • "Beetlebum" by Blur
  • "Rock 'n' Roll Star" by Oasis
  • "Monsoon" by Tokio Hotel
  • "Hysteria" by Muse

German

  • "Hier Kommt Alex" by Die Toten Hosen
  • "Perfekte Welle" by Juli
  • "Countdown to Insanity" by H-Block X

French

  • "Manu Chao" by Les Wampas
  • "New Wave" by Playmo
Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (43) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Zomoniac #1 3 years ago

    Good lord. That was a bit sudden.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #2 3 years ago

    Two words: Credit crunch !

  • Harrihotpants #3 3 years ago

    I pre-ordered the GH world Tour PS3 bundle at the weekend....

  • Eraysor #4 3 years ago

    I bought it on the day of release and haven't regretted it once. I am a bit of a rhythm game addict though.

  • Beano #5 3 years ago

    When will RB be available in Scandinavian countries?

    Incredible that EA can't manage to launch RB in all European countries at the same time!

  • Zomoniac #6 3 years ago

    I bought it on the day of release and haven't regretted it once. I am a bit of a rhythm game addict though.

    Quite. It might seem very expensive, but it really isn't when you put the longevity and value for money into the equation. It has as many songs as GH2 and 3 put together, much better (and cheaper) DLC, more game modes with different instruments and is a much better game, for about the same price.

  • BOFH_UK #7 3 years ago

    Woo, great, wonderful etc. Puts more presure on Guitar Hero: World Tour to drop its price as well. However, and I don't wish to seem rude here, but WHERE THE HELL IS ROCK BAND 2! It's due out in the states, what, this month on 360 and October on PS3? So when can us poor Europeans get our hands on it, at the very least make the game itself available...

  • Dizzy #8 3 years ago

    They lost me as a possible buyer months ago.
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/08 @ 12:31

  • Erinan #9 3 years ago

    I bought it on the day of release and haven't regretted it once. I am a bit of a rhythm game addict though.

    Word. It's been worth every penny and still is.
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/08 @ 12:36

  • consignia #10 3 years ago

    Will the Guitar Hero 3 controller for the PS3 work for the PS3 version? If so, I maybe tempted for a purchase.

  • Tomo #11 3 years ago

    You what now? You have to pay for the game separately?

    Good lord.

  • Erinan #12 3 years ago

    Will the Guitar Hero 3 controller for the PS3 work for the PS3 version?

    Yes, it will be patched on Thursday :) Source.

  • consignia #13 3 years ago

    Yes, it will be patched on Thursday :) Source.

    Sweet. I'll probably pick this up then at some point before christmas.

  • rudedudejude #14 3 years ago

    GH3 Wii controller work with this?

    Would defo buy if it does.

  • Luckyjim #15 3 years ago

    Sort of takes the shine off it a bit knowing that Rock Band 2 will soon be released in the States. Why didn't they just scrap Rock Band 1 in Europe and release a special edition Rock Band 2 will all the tracks from the first game.

  • kangarootoo #16 3 years ago

    "Yes, it will be patched on Thursday :) Source. "

    Get in!!

    Props for posting a source link too Erinan. So rare on here.

  • asphaltcowboy #17 3 years ago

    we were playing band world tour when "Perfekte Welle" came up.

    thank fuck I wasn't on vocals.

    I can't believe they haven't patched this such that you can discount foreign language songs from the Band World Tour! What a stupid idea!

  • Evolution #18 3 years ago

    @Luckyjim:

    EA wants Moar Moneh :)

  • Notorious_LRO #19 3 years ago

    Those region specific songs are all crap IMHO. All but Beetlebum and Hysteria are heinous. And Rock'n Roll Star? My god.

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #20 3 years ago

    I'd love to play this but can't really justify spending over £100 on a game that I know will get used only occasionally.

    :/

  • andywilkie35 #21 3 years ago

    out of every game i've ever bought, this is by far the most expensive, but funnily enough its also the one i've got the most value for money out of. because i'm still playing it religiously, can't get enough of it

  • MisterFalseName #22 3 years ago

    we were playing band world tour when "Perfekte Welle" came up.

    thank fuck I wasn't on vocals.

    I was on vocals for that French rap song. Top tip: shouting random phrases you remember from GCSE French ("Ou est la lapin? Le Lapin est sur la plage!";) not only gets you through the song somehow, but ensures your bandmates make fools of themselves while they struggle to maintain composure. :)

  • Toothball #23 3 years ago

    I suppose this means it's less likely that the solo guitars will be coming out any time soon. I still have Guitar Hero guitars, but those are rubbish and I want to stop using them. Any time friends come round there's contention with who gets the good one. Normally the bassist gets the bad deal.

  • dsmx #24 3 years ago

    It's almost worth paying for now if the game was included with the instruments oh yeah and if RB2 wasn't coming out soon.

  • jaluuk #25 3 years ago

    I'd still rather have GH World Tour.

  • galerian86 #26 3 years ago

    This is unexpected. Now I have a choice, World Tour or Rock Band. Anyone know how much World Tour going to cost?

  • actionfitz #27 3 years ago

    now if they had released it like this in the bloody first place i would have bought one...
    instead of now waiting to see what price RB2 and World tour launch at.
    /facepalm.

  • brooza #28 3 years ago

    When is GHWT due out?

    Much more interested in that

  • dr_faulk #29 3 years ago

    HBLOX! lol!

  • jaluuk #30 3 years ago

    World Tour is coming in November. Seriously, wait for that. Buy a full GHWT package, including kit, then get the RB game on its own if you want. It's the smart thing to do.

  • BOFH_UK #31 3 years ago

    @ galerian86 - Guitar Hero: World Tour is going to be £150 according to play.com (http://ww w.play.com/Games/Xbox360/4-/581... £10 more than Rock Band before these price cuts were announced. Personally I've got no interest in WT just because of the utter disaster that was GH3 and would say if you're going to wait until November then see if the announce RB2 before then...

  • jaluuk #32 3 years ago

    @BOFH_UK I think the WT instruments will be better (the drums certainly seem to be) so I'd say get the WT kit and buy a RB2 disc seperately. As far as I know the WT/RB2 kit will be interchangable so you may as well buy a game with the best peripherals and buy the other disc on its own?

  • galerian86 #33 3 years ago

    @BOFHUK

    Thanks for the info man. I checked it out and turns out, if you preorder you get an extra guitar. Plus, the game is included in the bundle, which I think Rock Band still isn't including its game in this package.

  • jaluuk #34 3 years ago

    @northy That's three words.

  • Les #35 3 years ago

    Very smart of EA: They didn't have enough hardware to release it multi-platform in Europe so targeted the buy-crazy 360 crowd first with the instruments priced at a premium. Now with RB2 on the doorstep the more casual crowds are targeted for the first one at a lower price, while the 360 owners will probably pay the premium again at the end of the year for part 2 instruments...

  • vegard #36 3 years ago

    Beano: i believe it's out here in norway, i've seen it in quite a few shops!

  • Tweakmonkey #37 3 years ago

    UK PS2 Bundle = £109 + £29
    US PS2 Bundle = $99

    Something is not quite right there...

  • Arwin #38 3 years ago

    But when will RB2 come? :D

    Good though, that it's coming so soon.

  • bslsimes #39 3 years ago

    A whole £20 off? Be still, my beating heart.

  • daz_john_smith #40 3 years ago

    So lets be clear here:
    Band in a Box (without game) - £110
    Game - £50
    Total - £160
    So this price drop must apply to high street retailers, cos it's been £140 from launch at most online retailers.

    GH:WT is £150 on both Play and Amazon and with a free additional guitar controller on both websites.

    I've played all the games (with the exception of Aerosmith, since I don't like the band) and I found RB to be a lot of fun with others but even then its a bit too easy, very drum focussed and personally the disc based set list doesn't excite me. As for the whole note chart debate, Harmonix aren't immune from crappy note chart either or from adding seemingly extra notes.
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/08 @ 19:28

  • Jmog #41 3 years ago

    When will RB be available in Scandinavian countries?

    What? I bought it in Copenhagen in Game only last week. They've had it for months. Elgiganten (Elköp in Norway/Sweden I think) also has it here so I would assume the same goes for the rest of Scandinavia.

  • Gaol #42 3 years ago

    "Will the Guitar Hero 3 controller for the PS3 work for the PS3 version?

    Yes, it will be patched on Thursday :) Source.
    "

    Bigger news than the price.

    Cheers!

  • jlaakso #43 3 years ago

    Regarding the Scandinavian versions: most of the big Scandinavian retailers carry it. In Finland, at least Gamestop, OnOff and Anttila have it. I think it's a Swedish version? Not sure. I think it's still not "officially" out here, but more and more retailers are finding a way.

    I imported mine from the UK in the spring. Not regretting the outrageous price at all, it's been so much fun. Even the bundled guitar has found some use now that one of my GH guitars has stopped working.