Wherefore Art Thou, Rock Band 2?
Right. So I wanted to pick up Rock Band 2 today, and I figured the easiest way to do that would be to swing by the Columbus Circle-adjacent Best Buy on 62nd St. after me and my friend finished running the 5K in Central Park this morning. (Yeah, that's right. I'm running races now -- look what Wii Fit has done to me!) I got there just as the store was opening at 11:00, and went down the stairs to the videogame section. Oddly, I found no large endcap display, and on the actual shelf was just the fake pre-order box. I noticed a couple other guys walking around aimlessly, clearly looking for the same thing I was.
I asked the nearest employee, but since he's in the computer section, he had no clue. Although he did admit he used to work at a videogame store, so the release date is often the ship date, meaning it shows up on shelves the following day. I thanked him and headed upstairs, feeling that that shouldn't be true, because I was pretty sure the flyer said it was out on the 14th. I passed by a couple other employees discussing Rock Band 2, and I asked them if they knew where it was. They suggested I ask at customer service.
Over at that counter, I found two other guys (the ones from downstairs) who were also waiting as employees checked in the back and/or with the manager. I couldn't really tell what they'd told these guys, but since they were waiting, I waited, too. Plus, it didn't hurt that one of them was totally hot, and I chatted him up while we waited. I mentioned that I'd contemplated going somewhere else, but the Virgin Megastore and Toys R Us would likely be crowded, as would Times Square, since there's a free Broadway on Broadway concert today. He mentioned a GameStop uptown from here, but it was nearly 20 blocks, and neither of us wanted to deal with cranky GameStop employees not wanting to sell us the game because we hadn't pre-ordered it.
Eventually, a manager-looking type went in the back as the customer service girl asked him about Rock Band 2, and after a couple minutes, he came out of the back with a handful of the games. I know they sold four of them right there to those of us waiting patiently in line at customer service. Imagine how many more they'll sell if they'd actually put it out on the floor! I would assume that's exactly what they did, but I really figured there would've been a midnight launch last night, or else they'd have made sure it would be on the floor when the store opened. I mean, I thought Rock Band 2 would be a pretty important launch, and they'd want to promote the heck out of it. When I was at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square on Friday after work, I saw they were putting up a whole stage or something decorated for Rock Band 2 on the basement floor. I'm sure they had a massive display. Well, hopefully you guys didn't encounter any problems picking up your copies... now if you'll excuse me, it's time to stop blogging and start playing!
Wootini
Posted to Video Games on 14 September 2008
· Comments (14)
Other stuff like this: best buy, launch, rock band 2
Yeah, it just doesn't seem like there has been that big of a push for Rock Band 2. At least, not as much as the first one.
I didn't even realize it was coming out today. I mean, I suppose I knew it, but it just wasn't in my priority field maybe?
This morning my boyfriend and I walked into a near-empty GameStop asking if they had a copy of Rock Band 2 available. The guy handed us one, we played, and left. There was absolutely NO fanfare surrounding this game. (But, then again, as a diehard Harvest Moon junkie I'm used to running into stores and frantically asking, "Is it in yet!?!" only to perplex the employee as to what it is I'm talking about.)
But, fanfare or not, for $60 I can play Sonic Youth's "Teen Age Riot" on Rock Band. 'Nuff said.
This morning my boyfriend and I walked into a near-empty GameStop asking if they had a copy of Rock Band 2 available. The guy handed us one, we played, and left. There was absolutely NO fanfare surrounding this game. (But, then again, as a diehard Harvest Moon junkie I'm used to running into stores and frantically asking, "Is it in yet!?!" only to perplex the employee as to what it is I'm talking about.)
But, fanfare or not, for $60 I can play Sonic Youth's "Teen Age Riot" on Rock Band. 'Nuff said.
I went to rent it and it was rented out by someone who had been waiting out front when they opened... Being the poor person I am I busted out the credit card and bought it.
gamertag is wolverinefactor for anyone wanting to play and wootini I expect game invites!
part of the problem I think is that there is the delay between versions. of course, why give a head start to Company X and not publicize it?
I dunno, I am torn between buying the new game, or holding off for the new instruments. (GH: WT hasn't really interested me. =/)
I came here to say what fillerbunny said. Why have a huge launch party when it's only launching on one system? I think this whole delayed launch thing was a really bad idea and I hope one other companies don't adopt. I assume the PS3 one is actually finished they just can't release it yet right?
I live in Chicago and it's been raining for three days. Apparently, my Gamestop's shipment was delayed. I am so jealous of all of you... :(
I had a similar experience Wootini. I went to my local Best Buy to pick up Rockband 2 on Sunday. I looked for an endcap, no sign. I checked the 360 section, no sign. I checked the display where you could play Guitar Hero, no sign.
Finally, I spotted it in a cage. It was locked up with PS3s and DSs. I asked a nearby associate if I could buy it and she explained that all the copies for purchase were being kept right at checkout... hidden from view.
So bizarre.
Yeah, here is San Francisco they had them up front at the registers; HOWEVER, I think that's more for theft issues, since a lot of their expensive titles and all the hardware was also locked up at the front of the store. They had a big Rock Band 2 display in the electronics section and when I asked the employee working the section, he told me that they were up front, which is nice that he knew.
I, for one, am actually happy there wasn't a bunch of fanfare, it meant I didn't have to wait in line from 8am in the morning on a Sunday to get a copy of it, unlike with the Wii... 6 months after it had launched. Count your blessings ppl ;)
Yeah, I didn't experience any trouble picking up my preorder at the local gamestop. I was the first in line with three other people. The gamestop guy said there was no midnight openings for rb2 because Force Unleashed is having one this week. Horrible.
Also, for the record, "wherefore art thou" in Romeo and Juliet was not an inquiry into the physical location of Romeo, but asking WHY he was Romeo. Not where but why.
i am sorry for the issue Woots, rest assured if you had come into my location would have had the game right away :P
at any rate, the game itself has two different launch dates. One just for the game, and the second is in october for the new instruments and bundles. So maybe there big to do will be around the bundles, because they aren't really attracting any new customers with the sequal alone are they? at any rate, sounds like some of those employees need to step up their game, what with the random release dates that everything has nowadays. i wish we could go back to a simpler time when new release tuesday actually meant something.
The only confusion I had was not knowing when Best Buy opened. I ended up sitting in the parking lot for about 15 or 20 minutes until it opened. Then I walked to the 360 area, which was now suddenly the PS3 area. Eventually I got what I needed, and felt dumb because I walked right by a HUGE isle devoted to noting but Rock Band.
Isn't this just the 360-only game-only pre-launch? I expect the big launch hype when the 360 "Special Edition" (with instruments) and PS3 versions launch October 19. Presumably trying to preempt the hype for Guitar Hero World Tour on October 28.
At any rate, I picked up my copy at the local Best Buy last night.
wherefore actually means "why"