Rock Band 4 May Suffer Hardware Shortages

Plenty of games push pre-orders in the buyer's face just for the sake of guaranteed money, but it appears that's not entirely the case with Rock Band 4. In fact, pre-orders may be needed to secure those fancy plastic instruments.

In a recent interview with IGN, Harmonix CEO Steve Janiak warned of a possible hardware shortage for the upcoming Rock Band 4.

The response to our announcement of Rock Band 4 has been incredible. And as a result, demand from both retailers and consumers for product has exceeded our expectations. [Thus], we’re encouraging fans to sign up to be alerted when pre-orders go live, which we expect to happen in the coming weeks. While we’ll do everything we can to meet demand, the realities of manufacturing and getting hardware on shelves means that we can’t guarantee hardware for everyone on day one without a pre-order. For those looking for new instruments, pre-ordering ahead of launch will guarantee that you’ll be able to start a band and rock the world with your friends and family this holiday season.

I still remember spending an entire day trying to find a Rock Band 3 keyboard in stores shortly after the game's release, so I wouldn't be surprised by a repeat scenario with Rock Band 4 and its instruments. Then again, we all know about marketing strategies in the video game industry. I've never pre-ordered a game in my entire life, and I plan to keep the streak going despite my excitement for Rock Band 4.