The Canadian release of the hit game Rock Band is not going smoothly, leading to confusion and frustration among retailers and consumers alike.
The game was slated to ship December 20, but a CBC report says several EB Games stores have not yet received shipments, and were uncertain about how many copies were being shipped and when they would arrive. An EB outlet in Toronto had been expecting 50 copies of the game, but was informed earlier this week that its allotment had been cut to less than 20. Meanwhile, major electronics retailers Future Shop and Best Buy have been telling customers the game will not arrive until December 28.
A spokesman for Rock Band publisher Electronic Arts claimed the complexity of the game’s peripherals were a major part of the delays. “Demand has been incredibly strong in the U.S. and Canada and we’re shipping Rock Band to retailers as quickly as we can make them, but we suggest lining up early if you want to get one in time for the holidays,” he said. He said he didn’t know how many Rock Band units had been shipped to Canada.
Customers who did line up early Thursday were disappointed to find that the game was still not available, and at least one EB Games store reported that its anticipated shipment of the game would not even come close to meeting pre-orders, much less walk-in traffic. “There are going to be a lot of upset customers this Christmas,” a Toronto EB employee said.
