At a recent PlayStation event in Toronto, games blog thebbps threw a slew of Rock Band questions at a Harmonix PR representative, and surprisingly got some pretty solid answers. Must be that famed Canadian politeness.
Among the bigger news they trudged out of Harmonix is confirmation that the big $169.99 bundle -- with the game, guitar, drum kit and microphone -- will be the only way to buy Rock Band this year. So much for those suggestions of getting your friends to buy their own preferred instrument, huh? Harmonix says the reason is the high cost of shipping what would be four different bundles (the full group, and one specifically for guitar, drum kit and microphone). Their goal is to get the individual instruments out by early 2008.
In better price and availability news, they also got some DLC info. While exact prices for downloadable songs and albums weren't revealed, what Harmonix did have to say sounds like we won't get completely screwed after all. "I don't know if I can say we're cheaper or more expensive but remember, where as in other games they adjust the tracks for one or two guitars, in Rock Band it's vocals, drums, guitar and bass on multiple difficulties," said the PR representative. "One thing we will do is give the gamer options. You can buy an album, or if you only want one or two tracks you can purchase those items separately."
Purchase songs separately? Yes, please. Also mentioned were possible promotions such as buy two songs and get one cheaper or even free. And when can we start downloading new songs? Try one week after launch - that's when The Who's Who's Next? album will be available, and Harmonix has more DLC scheduled for every week until the end of 2007. Cool...but that does again broach the delicate question of DLC timing. After all, if the content is available just one week after launch, why not include on the disc to begin with?
Check out the interview write up for more, including their thoughts on competing with the Guitar Hero brand name, whether the online experience will lack the energy of rocking with friends in the same room, and -- for our friends up north -- why Rock Band will still cost more for Canadians despite the nearly equal exchange rate between Canadian and US dollars. Sorry, Canucks.
By Kris Pigna
Among the bigger news they trudged out of Harmonix is confirmation that the big $169.99 bundle -- with the game, guitar, drum kit and microphone -- will be the only way to buy Rock Band this year. So much for those suggestions of getting your friends to buy their own preferred instrument, huh? Harmonix says the reason is the high cost of shipping what would be four different bundles (the full group, and one specifically for guitar, drum kit and microphone). Their goal is to get the individual instruments out by early 2008.
In better price and availability news, they also got some DLC info. While exact prices for downloadable songs and albums weren't revealed, what Harmonix did have to say sounds like we won't get completely screwed after all. "I don't know if I can say we're cheaper or more expensive but remember, where as in other games they adjust the tracks for one or two guitars, in Rock Band it's vocals, drums, guitar and bass on multiple difficulties," said the PR representative. "One thing we will do is give the gamer options. You can buy an album, or if you only want one or two tracks you can purchase those items separately."
Purchase songs separately? Yes, please. Also mentioned were possible promotions such as buy two songs and get one cheaper or even free. And when can we start downloading new songs? Try one week after launch - that's when The Who's Who's Next? album will be available, and Harmonix has more DLC scheduled for every week until the end of 2007. Cool...but that does again broach the delicate question of DLC timing. After all, if the content is available just one week after launch, why not include on the disc to begin with?
Check out the interview write up for more, including their thoughts on competing with the Guitar Hero brand name, whether the online experience will lack the energy of rocking with friends in the same room, and -- for our friends up north -- why Rock Band will still cost more for Canadians despite the nearly equal exchange rate between Canadian and US dollars. Sorry, Canucks.
By Kris Pigna
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