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Hidden cost revealed for Rock Band 2's backwards compatibility
Harmonix explained how they're implementing the promised feature of Rock Band 1 owners being able to play that game's song in Rock Band 2: by charging you a fee to cover the complicated licensing issues. Because I'm sure Harmonix wasn't going to make enough money from the actual game sales to cover the cost of porting the songs over. But they promise it's not going to be more than five dollars, so keep those 400 Microsoft points handy. They also point out you could easily do this with a rental copy of the game.
That's pretty cheap of Harmonix (pictured above administering a five-dollar kick to the face) to announce a feature and then later announce that, oh by the way, you have to pay extra for it. Up next: a fee for the new campaign, the new instruments, and the new online features. Also, a fee for the new songs. Because licensing doesn’t pay for itself!
By Trent Polack at 9:36 AM ON 08/22/08
Didn't they announce that there would be a minimal cost for transferring songs from Rock Band to Rock Band 2 when they announced the game and its details at the Microsoft E3 press conference?
By Pete Neill at 9:46 AM ON 08/22/08
Yeah, I think they've been careful to mention that there will be a fee every time they've mentioned the feature. It was the initial pre-E3 rumour that implied it would be free.
By Paul at 10:22 AM ON 08/22/08
Gotta agree with the above. I can't think of a time in interviews, online or in print when they said it would be for free. Just think of all the people who don't own RB1 who could gamefly or borrow it and get tracks for just pennies!
By ahvostik at 11:00 AM ON 08/22/08
Basically, you chose to be ignorant, and now you're annoyed.
You know they could have made you PURCHASE the entire Disc for Rock Band 1 which is currently selling for $49.99 at the LEAST. I'd say $5 is an EXTREMELY fair amount to ask and I will pay it gladly.
I am inclined to throw insulting remarks towards you but I will hold back because I don't want this post to be declined. Thank you.
By Justin Fletcher at 11:07 AM ON 08/22/08
Wow, if you can do it with a rental copy, Harmonix is scuttling RB1 sales less than a year after release. Super cool for the fans, but I don't understand the business sense. Maybe they think it will encourage RB2 sales, but it seems too soon. Cutting the original's price in half on September 14 would be a good incentive to but the sequel without essential giving 58 tracks away.
Maybe I'm overestimating the purchasing cycle for music games, but the original Guitar Heroes still have decent legs several years after release.
By Anonymous at 11:23 AM ON 08/22/08
I think you meant "...Rock Band 2: by charging you a...
instead of "...Rock Band 2: by changing you a...
By Tom Chick at 4:35 PM ON 08/22/08
If that is indeed the case, thanks for the corrections about this having been announced before. It was certainly news to me. At the E3 demo, despite being asked several questions about how backwards compatibility would work, they didn't say anything about making the users pay for it.
My annoyance still stands on principle. I'm surprised Harmonix is passing along to us the cost of whatever additional licensing fees they're being charged for backwards compatibility.
By malkav11 at 2:39 AM ON 08/23/08
Eh? I don't remember them ever saying anything about letting you play the on-disc songs from Rock Band 1 in Rock Band 2. I'm pretty sure it's only ever been the DLC.
By Tom Chick at 2:51 AM ON 08/23/08
Malk, Rock Band 2's backwards compatibility with the on-disc songs for Rock Band 1 has been a bullet point since E3, if not earlier.
By nilsen31 at 2:15 PM ON 09/13/08
ur bitchin about $5, and for something that actually makes sense...I don't think Harmonix WANTS to charge us $5...They probably HAVE to...gotta keep the people supplying the masters happy...poor people suck.
nilsen31:
ur bitchin about $5, and for something that actually makes sense...I don't think Harmonix WANTS to charge us $5...T...More »