#FF00AA

Filed under “I’m posting this because it’s news, but I’m fully expecting an upcoming denial”: whereas the Rock Band pack was launched at $170, the European release on May 23rd (ah, it wasn’t available yet?) would be priced at 170 € for the same instruments without a game, so you’d have to add the usual 70 € for the DVD (as an Xbox 360 exclusive for a couple of months).

It’s not so much the price difference I have trouble believing (even though it’s borderline extortion considering the current exchange rates), but the idea of selling the guitar + drums + mic kit without a game, which would benefit strictly nobody. Except Electronic Arts, that is. But why would EA Europe now be even cheaper than the mothership? Because they know Rock Band is a success, and they think they can do whatever they want with it? Because Europe is the only territory where the PS3 started having decent sales before its price dropped, so we’ve got to be dumb enough to pay twice as much as in the US? Well, remember the analogy goes both ways: we’re also favoring the PS3 over the 360 just because we’re used to the PlayStation brand, even though it’s a less compelling gaming experience.