Sydney, Australia – September 3, 2008 – The Smashing Pumpkins, one of rock’s defining and most acclaimed bands who’ve sold over 30 million albums, is coming to Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero® World Tour in a ground-breaking way as the band will debut their new single “G.L.O.W.” exclusively in the game. This marks the first time a band has recorded a new song exclusively for the franchise which will be released afterwards, giving Guitar Hero® fans exclusive access to Smashing Pumpkins music before anyone else. The new track, bundled with two other rocking Smashing Pumpkins hits, “1979” and “The Everlasting Gaze,” will be available post-launch of the game as a three-song downloaded content pack.
Additionally, on-disc with the release of Guitar Hero World Tour this spring, The Smashing Pumpkins’ singer, songwriter and lead guitarist Billy Corgan will appear as an in-game character and will bring with him “Today,” the band’s smash hit from their pivotal and four-times platinum 1993 album Siamese Dream. “Today” is one of the band’s many hits that have defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation. Players will be able to experience the unique alternative rocker’s likeness in-game as he sings and shreds on guitar, or play as the revered rock star throughout their vocal and axe careers.
When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest instalment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player “Battle of the Bands,” which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n’ roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.
Guitar Hero World Tour is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The Wii™ version is being developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version is being developed by Budcat. The game is rated “PG” (Mild themes and Violence, Sexual references and mild coarse language) by the Classification Board. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit www.guitarhero.com.