Update 1/16 - So Gamestop "attempted" to deny me an exchange on a defective product.

I guess all the problems with Rock Band has got the Gamestop crew on edge. I wanted to exchange my defective Rock Band bundle with a working one (and I was within my 7 days) but was told by both employees that the EA sticker on the front of the bundle that says "If something doesnt work, please contact EA for a replacement instead of returning it" supercedes the Gamestop return policy posted in the store and on my receipt.

It took 20min and a call to a manager, but you can bet your ass I got a new bundle. I was told that if this bundle is defective that I must RMA it, I cant exchange it again. Whatever, let them try and pull that shit. There might be a broken Rock Band bundle in my house, but every last penny will be back on my Amex card and GS can take it up with Amex.


Edit:

The returned/replacement bundle I received was also defective so in order to get a feel for the RMA side of things I went through EA this time to get it replaced instead of returning it a 3rd time.

RMA and Tracking Number Information

Your RMA number is: rmaXXXXXXX
Your UPS tracking number is: 1ZW1A1828799739258
Please refer to your RMA number if you need to contact us for further information. Save these numbers for your records.
Thank you,
Electronic Arts Customer Support


I choose the "Express 2 Day RMA" method which requires a credit card so that a hold can be placed for $125.

RMA Status

12/28 - RMA Request Submitted
12/29 - UPS Billing Info Received
12/30 - No Activity
12/31 - No Activity
01/01 - No Activity
01/02 - No Activity
01/03 - Replacement Left KY - Delivered at around 3:30PM

The RMA guitar arrived today. It was a PS3 guitar so they did manage to get the correct version out to me. Thats where the positives end though.

The 3rd guitar is actually worse than the first 2 (imagine that). Im pretty sure its refurbished because its got some small scratches on it, but the orange fret doesnt work at all and down strumming often causes a double strum.

Anyway, I was going to set up yet another RMA and yet another hold on my CC and yet another 4-8 days wait (best case scenario), but the RMA process is down at the moment.

Not sure if I'll just exchange the bundle at Wal-Mart or if I'll wait till the RMA process goes back online and try again for guitar #4.


Update:

I ended up doing a 2nd RMA.

New Tracking #

1ZW1A1828796553258

01/03 - RMA Request Submitted
01/03 - UPS Billing Info Received
01/04 - No Activity
01/05 - No Activity
01/06 - No Activity
01/07 - No Activity
01/08 - No Activity
01/09 - No Activity
01/10 - Shipped from KY
01/11 - Arrived in AL


Update: 1/16/08

Final update on this fiasco....

Starting from the beginning in a quick recap:

Day 1: Bought bundle. Guitar strum bar did not work and red drum pad did not work.

Day 2: Exchanged bundle at Gamestop after much arguing. Returned bundle to Gamestop and repurchased it at Wal-Mart with 2 year replacement plan. Guitar did not work.

Day 3. RMA guitar with EA. - $125 hold is placed on my credit card

Day 7. Replacement guitar arrives. It is clearly used and orange fret does not work.

Day 8. RMA guitar again with EA. - A 2nd $125 hold is placed on my credit card.

Day 10. EA calls to tell me they are releasing one of the holds on my card and that my RMA got screwed up so they are issuing a new RMA # and not to bother sending in the 2 broken guitars. It will take up to 7 days to release the hold.

Day 18. Replacement guitar arrives. It works great!!!

Day 21. An email notification that the RMA from day 8 that was supposedly canceled on day 10, just shipped out and will be delivered tomorrow. TRACK. I call EA to find out whats going on and explain that another guitar from a supposedly canceled RMA will be here tomorrow. They tell me to keep the guitar and not send any of the previous 3 back. I will not be charged and all holds will be released. This could take up to 7 days.

Day 22. A quick call to Amex shows 2 pending holds on my account for $125 each. Including the original hold that was supposed to have been released 12 days ago.


Somehow this is going to end up costing me money or at the least costing me time and effort.

There was no free game, no 20% off at the EA store. I thought EA might have come out of this a shining star after they called me 2 weeks ago to explain the situation and how they planned to correct it but thus far the holds are still on my card and they have shipped me a 2nd guitar that I'm going to get charged for I'm sure.

Best case scenario, I end up with a 2nd guitar for free. Worst case scenario, I'm charged $250 on top of the $190 I already spent on the game just to get a single working guitar.

Thats why you get the damn warranty on the damn game, so that way you CAN do this if its within 7 days or within a year.. seriously people.. get the warranty on games like GH3 or Rockband that are KNOWN to have problems.

But they are right, you do need to call EA about a replacement guitar.

Yea, pretty much all the bundles are having problems. EA replaces instruments for free presuming you didn't smash it or something. Your meant to take it up with them, hell, some people even got a free game out of it.

If it's within 7 days of purchase I understand, but if it's past that time you should send to EA. The whole reason is so GS can supply the product to the most amount of people and move inventory. It looks good for their numbers, and if EA forced GS to do that, it would incite quality issues.

Basically, GS wants to keep the money you give them.

What are the problems with Rock Band and GH3?

.[quote name='doraemonkerpal']What are the problems with Rock Band and GH3?[/quote]Broken Guitars for GH3, Broken drum pedals, drums and guitars for RB.

Ouch. Thanks for the quick answer!

[quote name='Ice2Dragon']Thats why you get the damn warranty on the damn game, so that way you CAN do this if its within 7 days or within a year.. seriously people.. get the warranty on games like GH3 or Rockband that are KNOWN to have problems.

But they are right, you do need to call EA about a replacement guitar.[/QUOTE]

There's no reason to have to pay GameStop extra to replace a broken product. That's inexcusable.

Although I'm not sure if Gamestop really can be totally blamed here. If they're this adamant about not taking them back, I'm sure EA is putting some pressure on them not to send the rock band bundles back to them directly by not fully crediting them for defective rock bands sent by stores. If that is the case, you can see why any store wouldn't want to eat what is probably at least a $150 loss on a product.

Here is my post from the RB forums.. I cant retype all this, but I still feel the same as I did 2 hours ago. Having a kid open his Christmas gift only to find its defective and then being told "tough titty, take it up with the manufacturer" is beyond bullshit. Ohh and dont think Im the exception in this case, EVERYONE is having issues with RB quality control (or design flaws). The RMA process is advertised as painless but the official forums sing a different tune.


"Well I was able to successfully exchange my bundle at Gamestop but sure enough it was a hassle.

Not only are consumers buying into the whole "If its broke Ill RMA it instead of exchanging it" crap, but the Gamestop employees were actually trying to enforce it. The first salesman told me I couldn't exchange it because of the sticker on the front of the box (which he then proceeded to go get a bundle, bring it to the register, point at the sticker and read it to me) that said if anything is broke, please contact EA instead of returning it.

I explained to him that according to the return policy on my receipt I had 7 days to exchange defective merchandise and when I purchased the bundle there was no disclaimer that said otherwise or anything stating in the store that the posted return policy didn't apply to the purchase of Rock Band. The employee argued that the sticker on the box WAS the posting and that EA's sticker overrides the Gamestop policy........... (as if I needed a dramatic pause to show how ridiculous that statement was). I told him that no amount of stickers placed on the outside of a box by the manufacturer would nullify my right as a consumer to take advantage of the posted return policy and the policy stated on my receipt. Also, the sticker does not say that I can not return the game, it only states that I should contact EA if there is a problem.

Anyway, to shorten this up, a manager was called and the argument was repeated and the game was exchanged and I was told "If you have a problem with this bundle, we wont exchange it again". Well actually, yes they will, they just don't realize it yet. I can smell a class action suit brewing if Gamestop starts refusing exchanges within the posted time frame. If its "ok" to sell defective merchandise and then refuse a refund for it, why have consumer rights at all?

That brings me to another question thats sort of a sub-topic of this thread.

At what point did we as consumers become ok with a retailer selling defective merchandise that's advertised as non-defective?

Then to top it off we became ok with them not taking it back? I don't get it. There isnt another industry in the US (other than software/games in general) where its ok to sell defective/incomplete merchandise and then tell people you arent taking it back."

[quote name='jer7583']There's no reason to have to pay GameStop extra to replace a broken product. That's inexcusable.

Although I'm not sure if Gamestop really can be totally blamed here. If they're this adamant about not taking them back, I'm sure EA is putting some pressure on them not to send the rock band bundles back to them directly by not fully crediting them for defective rock bands sent by stores. If that is the case, you can see why any store wouldn't want to eat what is probably at least a $150 loss on a product.[/quote]

Even if that were true, the fault still lies squarely on GS. If they choose to sell a product then they have to accept whatever the result of that sale is (even if it means taking returns on defective products). If EA is stiffing them on returns, then they need to tell EA to find another vendor. Now the entire quality control/R&D issues are squarely on EA's shoulders, but I just mentioned that in the post above this one.

To be fair, Rock Band has a HUGE disclaimer as soon as you open the box to NOT return any defective components to the retailer.

Seriously, it's a giant bright pink flyer you see as soon as you open the box. EA does not want to deal with retail returns.

[quote name='Zingela']To be fair, Rock Band has a HUGE disclaimer as soon as you open the box to NOT return any defective components to the retailer.

Seriously, it's a giant bright pink flyer you see as soon as you open the box. EA does not want to deal with retail returns.[/QUOTE]

They might not want you to, but you have every right to. They (large companies) do everything they can to make it cheaper for them, and harder for the consumer. Of course they don't want the expense of retail returns...but then they shouldn't sell a defective product. If I have to lug it home, and open it up, and be met with disappointment, they should have to deal with their poor quality control and deal with standard procedures for returns...why should my life be more difficult because a pink paper in a game box tells me to do something?

lol, I don't know what people were thinking was going to happen when just looking at them you could tell they were gonna fall apart. Especially at the prices they were asking.

You get a big bright pink sheet that tells you to contact EA. You can't wait for them to send a replacement with UPS 2 day and then you send back the non-broken one? For free nonetheless. A friend of mine has done it at least 3 times already with no issues and THEY EVEN GIVE YOU FREE GAME (even new ones like Skate). The GS shouldn't have to return it and they have every right to deny the exchange. Your just making it a bigger issue than it is. And what makes you thinks any huge retailer believes the product they are selling (SEALED nonetheless) to be defective? Not one. As far as they all know, the product they are selling is 100% working until proven it isn't. With the time you took to deal with this, a new one would of been on the way. The only problem here is laziness.

Oh yeah... that's right it's made by EA too. lol

[quote name='Zingela']To be fair, Rock Band has a HUGE disclaimer as soon as you open the box to NOT return any defective components to the retailer.

Seriously, it's a giant bright pink flyer you see as soon as you open the box. EA does not want to deal with retail returns.[/quote]

But if you notice most product's have this 'disclaimer'. Go look at the warranty page of your TV...right there it says if there are any problems please contact customer service before returning it to the store. Heck, I see it in almost every game instruction manual for PC's.

I can tell you if I bought a $1,200 TV that didn't work, I sure as hell am taking it back to the store FIRST. Same thing for Rock Band.

Unfortunately, I got mine at launch and kept it sealed for Christmas presents...If things start to go bad, I have no alternative than to contact EA. But if I just bought it, why should I as a consumer have to deal with the hassle of an RMA?

[quote name='NismoZZzz']You get a big bright pink sheet that tells you to contact EA. You can't wait for them to send a replacement with UPS 2 day and then you send back the non-broken one? For free nonetheless. A friend of mine has done it at least 3 times already with no issues and THEY EVEN GIVE YOU FREE GAME (even new ones like Skate). The GS shouldn't have to return it and they have every right to deny the exchange. Your just making it a bigger issue than it is. And what makes you thinks any huge retailer believes the product they are selling (SEALED nonetheless) to be defective? Not one. As far as they all know, the product they are selling is 100% working until proven it isn't. With the time you took to deal with this, a new one would of been on the way. The only problem here is laziness.[/QUOTE]
So he would have been stuck without a game for two days, plus having to deal with UPS hassles.

And GS has no right to deny the exchange, as their written policy is a warranty of merchantability, as well as the standard implied warranty.

Should have done it through EA, you would have gotten a free game out of it I believe.

HEY GUYS HERE'S SOME INFORMATION

No store (GS, Best Buy, I'm sure others) is supposed to take back Rock Band. It's a directive given BY EA. The Rock Band packages tell you TWICE not to take back to store, and when GameStop sells them, they're supposed to say that we don't do returns on it. Don't get all pissy because you can't follow directions.

Edit: And I haven't had a single issue with my launch day Rock Band. NONE. Strum bar works perfectly, and the only problem with the drums is that I'm not good enough on them. It's not every unit.

[quote name='reibeatall']HEY GUYS HERE'S SOME INFORMATION

No store (GS, Best Buy, I'm sure others) is supposed to take back Rock Band. It's a directive given BY EA. The Rock Band packages tell you TWICE not to take back to store, and when GameStop sells them, they're supposed to say that we don't do returns on it. Don't get all pissy because you can't follow directions.[/quote]Customer idiocy aside, does GH3 have the same "restrictions" on it for returns?

There's no directive from Activision on GH3, but it's going to be YMMV on that, Shrike. I've personally swapped at least 6 GH3 and I didn't sell them the warranty on it, either. That whole thing is BS. Stupid GS sales add-ons aside, we have no restrictions on GH3.

[quote name='reibeatall']There's no directive from Activision on GH3, but it's going to be YMMV on that, Shrike. I've personally swapped at least 6 GH3 and I didn't sell them the warranty on it, either. That whole thing is BS. Stupid GS sales add-ons aside, we have no restrictions on GH3.[/quote]I'll keep that in mind when figuring out where I want to pick it up from. Thanks for the clarification.

Well, I guess the moral of the story here is, people don't know how to read and are whiny bitches who expect to get their way all the time.

[quote name='Tromack']Well, I guess the moral of the story here is, people don't know how to read and are whiny bitches who expect to get their way all the time.[/QUOTE]

Bingo. Let's blame Gamestop because he can't read.

Christ. I agree with Gizmo.

I kinda picture the OP as onea'them Tejas "Cowboy" types, waddling up to GS with his spurs, dinner-plate sized belt buckle, too-tight jeans, a nice oxford in a gingham pattern, and a planned diatribe that probably involved the phrase "I'M A GODDAMNED AMERICAN, I TELL YOU WHUT!" at some point.

Really, EA's replacement policy is very good for RB, so your whole "consumer rights about being refused returns" is pure folly, slanted to make your argument look proper. You act as if the giant arm of evil multinational corporations (which you're evidently fine giving money to, but they suddenly are only manipulative and evil when they sell you a faulty product!?!?! What inconsistency and absurdity!) is forcing you to play RB with a busted gee-tar or drums. Instead, they have a in' great plan in place to replace equipment, and does so without forcing them to take back working equipment (working drums, mic, software, whatever) and trash it/sell it as a refurb. If you're so goddamned high and mighty, consider the environmental impact of you forcing a company to ship and trash an entire (mostly) working RB package because your gee-tar doesn't work.

You live up to your name, although I typically consider "tirades" to be done appropriately, with a modicum of wit and cleverness, and done so for a noble, worthy, or at least laughable cause. With that in mind, I think you ought to change your username to "prattling twat."

And I hope your drums break on day 8.

So do all you board warriors lack reading comprehension or is it just a select few?

Here is the verbatim wording of the sticker on the outside of the box:

"If you encounter a problem with any Rock Band peripheral, DO NOT return to the store. Contact http://support.ea.com/rockband"

I especially liked Tromack's reply "Well, I guess the moral of the story here is, people don't know how to read and are whiny bitches who expect to get their way all the time."

Yes, CLEARLY I don't know how to read. You see, I thought it read "do not return to the store" but it obviously says "you can not return to the store"...

Now I'll admit, I'm probably somewhat at fault here. I agree that I should have taken heed of all the warnings from EA (both inside and outside the box) that there were bound to be problems with my Rock band bundle. Hell I didn't even go visit the official site and read EA's official response that there were indeed faulty guitars shipped out in all the inital releases. I guess thats the GODDAMNED AMERICAN in me who expects something to work correctly right out of the box and if it doesnt then I expect to be able to return it or exchange it.

Maybe you guys are right though. Its not EA's fault, it's not even Gamestop's fault. Perhaps the blame should lie on the "roll-over and stick it to me good" consumers that you seem to have become.

Its laughable that you applaud EA for "Setting up a nice RMA program" rather than taking notice of the fact that they shipped out a defective (by their own admission) product. Then to take it a step further, you place the blame on me because I'm not happy that the $170 bundle I purchased didn't work and I wanted a refund?

Oh and as for that nice RMA program that EA has set up... go read the forums and tell me again how nice it is. The express 2 day delivery service is AFTER a 1-5 day processing time (which most people are claiming is closer to 1-2 weeks) and its AFTER you've given them your credit card info and they have placed a hold on your card for another $170. Then again thats only if you live in the US because Canadian purchases are 4weeks+ even with express and outside of the US doesnt even have a replacement service. If you dont want to fork over your credit card info, you can wait 2 weeks for them to send you an empty box, another 2 weeks to process your return and another 2 weeks to get a replacement. To top it all of, most of the "replacements" are refurbished units that still arent fixed.

Again, I apologize. I should have paid my $170 and when I noticed it was broken I should have drank my shut-up juice, bent over and then waited a few weeks for a used replacement set that may or may not work.

Oh and no worries about GS from me, I returned it today and bought it from Wal-Mart. I paid the additional $17.88 for a 2 year replacement plan. I guess in the end I did bend over.

Actually stores do take back the rock band, as opposed to what that one guy said about bb not taking returns. I actually got a warranty there and so did a friend and he returned his rock band and got a new one.

No matter what the box says, you shouldn't have to buy a game, then wait 2 weeks for it to get fixed, so you can play it. Gamestop should give you a replacement one if the other doesn't work. And if Gamestop knows that the game is defective, and doesn't want to deal with it, they can just stop carrying the item.

not to sound dumb but what does YMMV stand for?

You sir are an idiot and whats wrong with the world. The return policy for Rock Band is clearly stated twice, on the sticker and the pink sheet in the box.

No one is authorized to do returns on Rock Band unless the selling company, Wal-mart, Best Buy, etc is offering a warranty plan for it. And in that case they take it upon them to return it if its defective.

Gamestop is not doing defective returns on Rock Band and whats so hard for you to understand? I wish they would have said no so you would have called Corporate and bitched and then to the DM and bitched and for them to all tell you no.

But instead you come to this messageboard acting like some tough guy and crap. Its hilarious.

[quote name='chunkay']Actually stores do take back the rock band, as opposed to what that one guy said about bb not taking returns. I actually got a warranty there and so did a friend and he returned his rock band and got a new one.[/quote]

I guess Best Buy is giving warranties on them. When I talked to my friend there, he said that they weren't to take them, so I guess it's YMMV (and to who asked, it's Your Mileage May Vary).

gingham, lol.

Myke uses them funnay words!

And a rock solid reply. I think EA/GameStop's stance in this matter is retarded, but then I didn't buy Rock Band (or any other instrument game) so what do I care. The issues were well known by now. EA practically says on the box "This probably will break" but people still pay $170 for it. Why is that, again?

The whole "Oh, well, it's stated on the box, so just follow that" policy argument, IMHO, is a load of BS. I haven't personally purchased the game, but I can tell you right now, if I go into a store and pay my hard earned money for something, you better damn well believe that I'm going to leave there satisfied. If there's a return policy in place, then I as a consumer am going to take advantage of it if necessary. I'm giving my money in exchange for something; if I don't receive that item in the condition it's supposed to be in (i.e. working), then I'm going to take it back.

Now, I really have no knowledge of the return policy in place for RB. Maybe it's lighting quick like some make it out to be, maybe it's not. If it's very quick, chances are that I'm going to opt for that; it saves me the hassle of having to pack up the entire game, lug it into the car, go down to where I purchased it, drag it into the store, and repeat when bringing the new one back home. It's much easier just shipping the guitar or whatever part is defective off, waiting a few days, and getting a new one back in the mail.

However, if it's going to take 2+ weeks, why should I follow the "return policy" set in place by EA? To save them money? Last time I checked, I didn't purchase products with the intent of making somebody rich; nor will I follow a policy put in place at my expense to save the company money. You want to save money? Here's a great idea: test the product before you bring it to market. Then you won't have to deal with expense of having the products returned. Just becase a sticker and flyer tells me to not exercise my right to return something that is defective to the place of purchase, either for a refund or an exchange, and to instead waste my time waiting for the product to arrive in the mail, doesn't mean I have to mindlessly follow it.

I agree with the OP. Every Gamestop receipt states "Opened new video games, new PC games & new systems can be exchanged for an identical item w/in 7 days". Unless they've added "except Rock Band" on there they should take the return. EA's policy about Rock Band returns is irrelevant, Gamestop's stated policy is that they'll replace it within 7 days.

I don't agree with neither the op or the people complaing about the op. I see both sides of the issue. Personally, if I bought Rockband I'd be hoping it broke to get the free game after paying 170 bucks for the set.

[quote name='jer7583']The issues were well known by now. EA practically says on the box "This probably will break" but people still pay $170 for it. Why is that, again?[/QUOTE]


Because people are stupid. These are the same type of people that when their XBox breaks instead of waiting for it to get fixed they go and buy another one.

[quote name='Tirade']So do all you board warriors lack reading comprehension or is it just a select few?

Here is the verbatim wording of the sticker on the outside of the box:

"If you encounter a problem with any Rock Band peripheral, DO NOT return to the store. Contact http://support.ea.com/rockband"

I especially liked Tromack's reply "Well, I guess the moral of the story here is, people don't know how to read and are whiny bitches who expect to get their way all the time."

Yes, CLEARLY I don't know how to read. You see, I thought it read "do not return to the store" but it obviously says "you can not return to the store"...

Now I'll admit, I'm probably somewhat at fault here. I agree that I should have taken heed of all the warnings from EA (both inside and outside the box) that there were bound to be problems with my Rock band bundle. Hell I didn't even go visit the official site and read EA's official response that there were indeed faulty guitars shipped out in all the inital releases. I guess thats the GODDAMNED AMERICAN in me who expects something to work correctly right out of the box and if it doesnt then I expect to be able to return it or exchange it.

Maybe you guys are right though. Its not EA's fault, it's not even Gamestop's fault. Perhaps the blame should lie on the "roll-over and stick it to me good" consumers that you seem to have become.

Its laughable that you applaud EA for "Setting up a nice RMA program" rather than taking notice of the fact that they shipped out a defective (by their own admission) product. Then to take it a step further, you place the blame on me because I'm not happy that the $170 bundle I purchased didn't work and I wanted a refund?

Oh and as for that nice RMA program that EA has set up... go read the forums and tell me again how nice it is. The express 2 day delivery service is AFTER a 1-5 day processing time (which most people are claiming is closer to 1-2 weeks) and its AFTER you've given them your credit card info and they have placed a hold on your card for another $170. Then again thats only if you live in the US because Canadian purchases are 4weeks+ even with express and outside of the US doesnt even have a replacement service. If you dont want to fork over your credit card info, you can wait 2 weeks for them to send you an empty box, another 2 weeks to process your return and another 2 weeks to get a replacement. To top it all of, most of the "replacements" are refurbished units that still arent fixed.

Again, I apologize. I should have paid my $170 and when I noticed it was broken I should have drank my shut-up juice, bent over and then waited a few weeks for a used replacement set that may or may not work.

Oh and no worries about GS from me, I returned it today and bought it from Wal-Mart. I paid the additional $17.88 for a 2 year replacement plan. I guess in the end I did bend over.[/QUOTE]

Now you've done it. Expect a bible length reply from Myke.

You shouldn't have to send shit back to EA. If Gamestop stocks it knowing it's a POS they should take the responsibility for it.

I bought rockband two days after the second shipment came into gamestop.

As soon as i read on forums like these that the number of bullcrap defects occured still, i returned rockband immediatly.

As desireable and fun as rockband seemed ; I didnt want to put up with the near promise that I will have to ship something or another back to EA for replace.

I agree with many topic posters here ; if your paying 170 dollars , plus tax ; then you should not have to make such a purchase with a doom and gloom face on knowing your basically throwing money in the fire.

Ea knows as good as any that this is an industry of hype, and 2-4 weeks waiting for instruments to turn around back to you affects the enjoyability of this product. Especially if you get the broken instruments fixed and all your buddies have moved on to something else.

The reason i returned I rockband is not because I didnt want to play it, It's because I think the crap around this game has been handled poorly by all three facets that make up the economy. The Devolopers (EA) for lowering the price of the bundle for mass market appeal by making the bundle 30 dollars cheaper and showing threw with the quality of their merchandise.

The distributors (Gamestop) for allowing EA to make them look like fools by not adhereing their own return policy and making them look like monkeys with bannana's up their asses because a sticker on the box of a new product makes it look like they are selling promised to not work merchandise out of the box.

Then of course there is the consumers, who are at fault buying this product and not complaining enough and saying its ok that the RMA policy EA has on Rockband is acceptable when in any other instance, such a situation is laughable. It shouldn't be ok that you have to wait a month to fully enjoy a product you invested nearly 200 dollars for ; and if you feel any other way, then im sorry ; your letting the hype of the product go to your head and your damaging future occurances of how such situations will be handled by lack of foresight.

:lol:

You're still going the "evil corporation who wants to stick it to the little guy" route, are you?

They're offering a free new game with the replacement. They're offering 2-day shipping. I'm not sure where you see this as a terrible thing? Processing time? In a bureaucracy? On, dear. That's a new one.

You're entitled to what opinions you want, but that doesn't make them intelligent. If you put sugar in your gas tank, and your car runs like shit (or not at all), you wouldn't act shocked, would you? If you shoved a knife in your gullet, and you passed out or required significant surgery to repair the damage...would you be surprised?

The fact of the matter is you KNEW AHEAD OF TIME that Rock Band is prone to failure in greater rates than expected: then you bought it, and were SHOCKED AND DISMAYED that parts of it didn't work (through all your blather, you never did say what broke in your kit). A warning on the box, a warning on the inside of the box, and how many dozens of anecdotes from gamers? Yet you're still shocked?

Get shocked by something worth being shocked over (flying donuts!). All you're experiencing is probability at work.

You're like those "OMG WHY MEEEEEEEEE?!?!?!?!?!!?" people whose 360s red ring. Well, no shit. Are you truly surprised? Who's the sap now?

As I said, we're entitled to opinions; I happen to feel that a free game and my lack of contribution to solid waste in the form of all the crap that would go back to EA and not be able to be resold as new equipment (let alone the foolish notion that, if I have a working drum kit now, why would I want to send it back to EA on the chance I'd get a busted one in exchange, just b/c the guitar didn't work!?!?!?)...is all worth it for the meager number of days that I'm waiting. The universe is not ending in this time frame. I'm going to live. This isn't a liver transplant. It's Rock Band.

OTOH, you think that your insatiable demand for instant gratification is more important. Well, more power to you, I suppose. Even if, still, your outrage and aggression are better found in something that you should be outraged over (that is, things that aren't so damned probable and knowable prior to the purchase). Just keep in mind your fixation for instant gratification cost you extra, and made you lose out on a game. But hey, that's the way those evil mega-corporations treat folks, I suppose.

IMO, all of you wanna be rock stars should get away from your tv and learn to play real instruments. Take my word, it's a lot more gratifying.

[quote name='Friend of Sonic'] Personally, if I bought Rockband I'd be hoping it broke to get the free game after paying 170 bucks for the set.[/quote]

my 2 cents, I wish one of my instruments broke so could get a free game. I guess I have to play a working RB game now

Fair enough Myke.

We can agree to disagree on the instant gratification part though. I do expect it to work out of the box and if not, I expect to be able to exchange it for a working version.

Anyway, the broken part(s) was the guitar strum bar (no down strum) and the red drum pad (only registering 1/3 of the notes)

Out of the box, the 2nd bundle (the new one from Wal-Mart that we bought yesterday) is also defective. The strum bar on this guitar is actually worse than the first one (intermittent down strum and almost no up strum at all). We havent tried the drums from the new bundle yet.

So yes, now Im once again at a cross-roads. Do I RMA the brand new guitar and hope the process goes smoothly and Im shipped a working new revision guitar, or do I exchange the bundle again at Wal-Mart?

As a PS3 owner, this decision would be a LOT easier to make if I could use my GH3 controller with Rock Band. Hell if I could do that I probably wouldnt even send in the RB controller to get fixed as Id never use it.

[quote name='Tirade']As a PS3 owner, this decision would be a LOT easier to make if I could use my GH3 controller with Rock Band.[/QUOTE]

Don't even get me started on that. That's something to be angry about, that's for damn sure.

Well as a test and also as a "I tried it thier way and this is what happened" scenario, I went ahead and set up an express RMA on the new guitar. They put a hold on my Amex for $125 and I'm going to paste in the tracking # so we can see how well the 2 day express service works. Obviously its a Saturday so I can assume nothing will get done until Mon.

RMA and Tracking Number Information

You will receive a confirmation e-mail shortly with details of your replacement request.

Your RMA number is: rmaXXXXXXX
Your UPS tracking number is: 1ZW1A1828799739258
Please refer to your RMA number if you need to contact us for further information. Save these numbers for your records.
Thank you,
Electronic Arts Customer Support

No RB problems whatsoever here!

[quote name='mogamer']IMO, all of you wanna be rock stars should get away from your tv and learn to play real instruments. Take my word, it's a lot more gratifying.[/quote]

Totally. And everybody that wants to kill prostitutes and steal cars should do that. It's a lot more gratifying.

[quote name='mogamer']IMO, all of you wanna be rock stars should get away from your tv and learn to play real instruments. Take my word, it's a lot more gratifying.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I guess I could learn how to play two types of guitar and drums in the next couple weeks, and force 3 of my friends to do the same, with each of instruments costing more than the Rock Band game.

Get real, not everyone has the time or desire to learn to play the real instrument, and outside of maybe a couple people nobody is going to want to listen to your shitty attempts at music anyway.

[quote name='mogamer']IMO, all of you wanna be rock stars should get away from your tv and learn to play real instruments. Take my word, it's a lot more gratifying.[/QUOTE]

IMO, all you wanna be rock stars should put down your "real" guitar (not the one you pawned for dope, the cheap Rickenbacker you kept), take the needle out of your arm, get away from your employed-at-a-liberal-independently-owned-coffeehouse-and/or-bookstore girlfriend, take a bath, go get tested for social diseases, go become gainfully employed, rent your own damned apartment, and learn to play plastic instruments. Take my word, it's a lot more gratifying.

Wait, the RMA needs a credit card? Reason number one to exchange it in store.