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Rock Band in Europe: "We're not trying to rip anyone off"

Harmonix isn't out to screw Europe, the company told Eurogamer today after the release date and price for the European version of Rock Band was announced.

"We're not trying to rip anybody off," said the developer's Rob Kay. "Rock Band isn't normal in videogames. This is an entirely new thing. What other game comes with three peripherals that are all different? It just makes sense for the experience we're trying to deliver."

Which is great, Rob, but doesn't exactly explain why the game's going to be £180 in Europe and £85 in America. Does it? Is it down to tax and VAT?

"These are definitely not excuses so much as contributing reasons," Kay said. "I can't talk to the explicit pricing - how it gets split down between retailers and distributors and the whole chain - because I don't actually know that much about it."

Expect this to run and run.

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Rock Band

iOS, PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, Nintendo Wii

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Patrick Garratt avatar

Patrick Garratt

Founder & Publisher (Former)

Patrick Garratt is a games media legend - and not just by reputation. He was named as such in the UK's 'Games Media Awards', the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award. After garnering experience on countless gaming magazines, he joined Eurogamer and later split from that brand to create VG247, putting the site on the map with fast, 24-hour a day coverage, and assembling the site's earliest editorial teams. He retired from VG247, and the games industry, in 2017.

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