This week, Electronic Arts finally announced a European release date for the rhythm game Rock Band--May 23. The title will be a timed Xbox 360 exclusive in the region, with other formats being released sometime in the summer. The game won"t come cheap, despite the delay--a full set of instrument peripherals and a copy of the game will cost £180 ($355) or €240 ($380). In the States, the game plus the instruments has a recommended retail price of $169.99 (£86).
European gamers were less than pleased, with many pointing out that they could buy an Xbox 360 console for less, given the recent price cuts in the region. Now, in response to posts on the official Rock Band site"s forums, Greg LoPiccolo, vice president of product development at Harmonix, has offered an explanation.
LoPiccolo says, "We"re not making a killing on Rock Band in Europe. We are incredibly sensitive to pricing issues. We are painfully aware that the higher the price we charge, the less copies we"ll sell. The fact of the matter is, the costs of releasing in Europe are far higher than in the US."...