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Mindscape brings Bang on the Door’s popular Groovy Chick license to its fashion Nintendo DS™ game

Sydney Australia, 20 August 2009 – Mindscape Asia Pacific Pty Ltd, today announces its latest release for the Nintendo DS – Groovy Chick My Fashion World licensed from the hugely popular, Bang on The Door™©. Groovy Chick My Fashion World has totally redefined the fashion genre on Nintendo DS with innovative, rich gameplay and an aspirational in-depth storyline never seen before in the fashion space.

In Groovy Chick My Fashion World players manage their own salon and makeover their clients, plus live an exciting adventure in New York. There are five main areas within the game – the changing room, the hairdressing salon, the make-up salon, the manicure salon and three fashion studios.

Players select the right look for their client from 1,600 garments and accessories and match it with the right haircut, makeup and manicure to make them totally amazing! There’s 12 styles to choose from – casual, glamour, ball, rock, hip hop, beach, sporty, college, formal, disco, fluokids and 70’s collection. Satisfy the clients and be rewarded with new clothes and accessories for any of the 12 wardrobe styles. As players progress through the game they will become more well-known and have lots more customers to style!

In storyline mode, players participate in fashion shows and live an exciting adventure in New York’s fashion jungle. The storyline consists of episodes that take place in unique settings. Players need to complete a number of challenges and tasks to progress through the episodes.

Bang On The Door is one of the most successful art and design concepts in licensing with over 20 years of success and an impressive 50 licensees and products.

Groovy Chick My Fashion World will be available through all major retailers and computer software outlets from the 20th August 2009 and is retailing for $49.95 inc. GST. For further information please visit www.nintendonow.com.au.

 
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Mindscape signs deal with Universal Music to bring U-Sing an all new music franchise to video gaming

Sydney Australia, 20th August 2009 – Mindscape Asia Pacific Pty Ltd is proud to announce it has signed a deal with leading global music publisher Universal Music to bring their extensive catalogue of songs to video gaming. The new karaoke music series, U-Sing, will launch exclusively for the Nintendo® Wii this Christmas.

U-Sing offers people of all ages the chance to sing all the hits from Universal Music including all the classics through to the latest popular songs. In addition to the songs, U-Sing will also offer all the original music clips. U-Sing will feature a different song list for each territory based on the country’s most popular local and international artists and will offer players the opportunity to download additional songs in the future.

U-Sing blends fun with skill thanks to its state of the art voice recognition technology VOXLERä which analyses a player’s tone, pitch and rhythm. Players select a song, the screen displays bars to highlight the pitch, rhythm and tone of the player’s singing. Lyrics appear at the bottom of the screen while the original music clip plays in the background as the player gets scored on how accurate their singing is. U-Sing offers a variety of game modes allowing players to sing on their own, with others or against each other.

The U-Sing series of games will be launched in France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux and Australia and New Zealand. Other territories to be announced.

About Mindscape (www.mindscape.com.au)

Mindscape develops, publishes and distributes kids and family games, productivity and reference software on the PC, Mac, DS, Wii and online platforms. The company’s rich portfolio of award-winning products include Broderbund, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Endemol, Hoyle Games, IMSI, Legacy Interactive, Myhorseclub, Nancy Drew, Nuance, The Learning Company, Punch, Playfirst, PopCap, Thomas & Friends and Roxio. Mindscape is a publicly listed company on the Paris Stock Market – Alternext since December 2007.

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world’s leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry’s leading global music publishing operation.

Universal Music Group’s record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino, Universal Records South and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world’s most popular artists and their recordings. UMG’s catalog is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division; and Helter Skelter, its live music agency.

 
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Mindscape Announces Ready Steady Cook for Nintendo® DS & Wii

Sydney Australia, 20th August 2009 – Mindscape Asia Pacific Pty Ltd and leading TV production company Endemol have teamed up to release the hugely successful daytime TV cooking show Ready Steady Cook on Nintendo® Wii and DS.

Grab your ingredient bags and let’s start cooking with Ready Steady Cook, the official game for the hit TV series. A true adaptation of the hugely popular television show, aired on TEN, Monday to Friday at 2.00pm, Ready Steady Cook brings all the excitement of the show to your Nintendo® Wii & DS. Just like in the show, there are two teams – Red Tomato and Green Capsicum. Five colourful chefs guide you through cooking their specialities – Mediterranean, Continental, Indian, Asian and Mexican. Battle it out against the clock, master your cooking skills and get voted the best chef of the day by the audience. Players simulate actual cooking by slicing, chopping, mixing and frying their way through 60 recipes using their WiiMote or Stylus.

Ready Steady Cook also has a cookbook mode, which gets the family into the kitchen and cooking the recipes from the game. It is so simple, the recipes use everyday ingredients common to every household and are sure to get everyone cooking.

Ready Steady Cook will launch on 20 August 2009 on the DS & Wii. Both versions will retail for $49.95. Ready Steady Cook the game will be available from all major retailers and computer software outlets. For further information please visit www.nintendonow.com.au.

About Mindscape (www.mindscape.com.au)

Mindscape develops, publishes and distributes kids and family games, productivity and reference software on the PC, Mac, DS, Wii and online platforms. The company’s rich portfolio of award-winning products include Broderbund, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Endemol, Hoyle Games, IMSI, Legacy Interactive, Myhorseclub, Nancy Drew, Nuance, The Learning Company, Punch, Playfirst, PopCap, Thomas & Friends and Roxio. Mindscape is a publicly listed company on the Paris Stock Market – Alternext since December 2007.

 
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Race Wheel accessory announced for F1 2009 as Codemasters reveals gameplay trailer featuring the Valencia street circuit.

F1 2009 for Wii™ to launch with limited edition Race Wheel accessory for authentic FORMULA ONE™ experience. First F1 2009 gameplay video reveals Valencia street circuit.

– Wednesday, 19th August – F1 2009, the official game of the 2009 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, is set to deliver an even more authentic experience for gamers as Codemasters® today announced that a limited edition Race Wheel accessory, styled after the steering wheel of a FORMULA ONE car, will ship with the Wii™ edition in select territories†.

Images released today show the F1 2009 bundle box and the exclusive white Race Wheel, which the Wii Remote slots into, enabling players to steer FORMULA ONE cars in the game like their heroes.

The news comes ahead of the 2009 FORMULA 1 TELEFÓNICA GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in Valencia this coming weekend (August 23rd) and the circuit is featured in the first F1 2009 gameplay video released today. Packed with race action from the Valencia street circuit, playable for the first time in F1 2009 complete with unique swing bridge, the Valencia video is available from www.formula1-game.com.

F1 2009 will offer a fully authentic FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP experience with all the teams, drivers, cars and tracks from the enthralling 2009 season. Due for release this Spring, F1 2009 on the Wii version will set new standards for racing immersion and authenticity while remaining accessible for the entire family and the PSP version will allow fans the opportunity to enjoy the world’s most thrilling and glamorous sport on the move.

 
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More special guests confirmed for A Night in Fantasia 2009 – the spectacular!

SYDNEY – Thursday 20 August, 2009 – The Eminence Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce that there will be even more special guests joining them on stage when they present the spectacular ‘A Night in Fantasia 2009’ at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Saturday 26 September, 2009.

The Eminence team is billing ‘A Night in Fantasia 2009’ as the biggest, boldest and best concert in the ‘A Night in Fantasia’ series to ever be held. This concert series has been recognised around the world as the most popular brand of video game / anime concerts.

Featuring a full Symphony Orchestra, a mind blowing choir, special guest performers and boasting a score of popular tracks from the worlds of video games and anime,

“A Night in Fantasia 2009 is a must see for ardent Eminence fans and lovers of music alike. We are extremely pleased to confirm yet more special international guests who will join us on stage in Sydney and help us bring the roof down,” commented Hiroaki Yura, Founder and Director of the Eminence Symphony Orchestra.

Wataru Hokoyama (AFRIKA and Resident Evil 5), Go Shiina (Tales of Legendia and Tekken: Dark Resurrection), Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Chross and Xenosaga) and Kow Otani (Godzilla series, Shadow of the Colossus) have been confirmed to appear as guests of honour at A Night in Fantasia 2009.

Chiaki Takahashi, singer for Idolm@ster who is also known for her work with Aice5 and her roles in ‘Rumbling Hearts’, ‘School Days’ and ‘Futakoi’ will appear as a special guest performer. Chiaki, who is also an actress and model, is sure to set hearts pounding when she hits the stage.

Not only will these special guests attend the concert to address the audience, they will also spend time meeting with the audience, signing autographs and talking about their music – something not done at previous concerts.

The score of tracks to be performed include AFRIKA, Ace Combat V, Darksiders: Wrath of War, Metal Gear Solid, Prince of Persia, Red Alert 3, Shadow of the Colossus and a wide range of anime titles, including Astro Boy (which will hit cinemas in September), Studio Ghibli, Totoro, Laputa, Princess Mononoke, Deathnote and many, many more ….

The concert will be recorded and released on CD in the weeks following A Night in Fantasia 2009. A special CD with a ‘behind the scenes’ DVD will be released – in limited editions. Packages can be pre-ordered via the Eminence website, www.eminenceonline.com

“We promise that this will be one Eminence concert you don’t want to miss… and will never forget,” Mr Yura concluded.

 
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NAMCO BANDAI GAMES AMERICA TEAMS UP WITH UK-BASED NINJA THEORY ON NEXT-GEN PROJECT

COLOGNE, Germany – 20th August 2009 – Today at Gamescom, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. announced its partnership with UK-based video game developer Ninja Theory Ltd. to publish a next-generation title for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The title, an original new IP, will be released in 2010 and more details on the game will be divulged in the coming months.

Ninja Theory Ltd., is a video game developer based in Cambridge, UK and creators of the visually stunning, critically acclaimed PLAYSTATION 3 system exclusive title, Heavenly Sword™.

“Ninja Theory’s first title exemplified their incredible talent and ability to deliver a high-quality, cinematic and captivating gameplay experience,” said Makoto Iwai, executive vice president and chief operating officer at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “With producers from our North American office working closely with such a strong European development studio, we will be able to create a blockbuster title with strong pan-Western sensibilities and appeal for a global gaming audience.”

“This new project pushes our core strengths of rich story-telling, cutting-edge technology and exciting gameplay beyond anything we have created before,” said Nina Kristensen, co-founder and chief development ninja, Ninja Theory Ltd. “The support of NAMCO BANDAI combined with the skills and talent we have nurtured over the years means that players are going to be in for a truly deep and memorable experience.”

About NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. is a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer based in Santa Clara, CA. The company is a part of the NAMCO BANDAI group of companies known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including the PAC-MAN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and Tekken® brands. For more information about NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., and our products log onto http://www.namcobandaigames.com/.

About NINJA THEORY Ltd

Ninja Theory was formed in Cambridge England, in November of 2004, by Nina Kristensen (Chief Development Ninja), Mike Ball (Chief Technology Ninja), Tameem Antoniades (Chief Creative Ninja) and Non-Executive Ninja, Jez San OBE.

Ninja Theory believes that games can be a true artistic and dramatic medium to rival film, theatre and literature. Ninja Theory was one of the first studios in the world to focus exclusively on next generation gaming, creating the flagship title Heavenly Sword for Playstation3, published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in 2007. Ninja Theory was formerly known as Just Add Monsters Ltd and was the team behind Kung Fu Chaos. www.ninjatheory.com

 
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Namco Bandai GAMES announces MAJIN – The Fallen Realm (working title) FOR Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION®3

– Spellbinding Fantasy Action Adventure from Game Republic Re-defines Cooperative AI Gameplay, Coming 2010 –

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 20th August 2009 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S today announced the forthcoming release of Majin – The Fallen Realm (working title), the ground-breaking new fantasy action adventure title from renowned Japanese development studio Game Republic. Coming to Australia in 2010 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PLAYSTATION®3, Majin The Fallen Realm (working title) pushes the boundaries of cooperative AI gameplay to deliver a new kind of experience set in an exotic and mysterious wide open fantasy universe.

With a compelling original story based on the theme of battle against darkness that revolves around the lost kingdom, Majin creates a new fusion of stealth and action adventure as the player takes the role of the game’s hero to fight alongside the AI-controlled monster Majin and overcome the obstacles and adversaries in their path. They pursue their individual objectives while fighting against darkness which brings them strong friendship, and the secrets around the lost kingdom and Majin unfold as the story continues.

“Majin is an extremely important title for us, and one we believe will pioneer a new genre of advanced artificially intelligent cooperative gameplay,” said Daisuke Uchiyama, the chief producer at NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. “We’re very proud to be working with the legendary Yoshiki Okamoto and the extremely talented team at Game Republic, and we’re equally pleased to have Majin on our side in a fight.”

The unique AI makes the player’s partner Majin autonomous and creates perfectly refined stress-free gameplay. It also invites players to confront the major obstacles, spilt the roles and overcome increasingly complex conundrums and fierce foes. Over thirty hours of gameplay will take the player seamlessly through the vast, open world of Majin and its many rich character interactions, with the constantly evolving gameplay and absorbing storyline designed to keep the experience gripping throughout.

Majin is developed by the Game Republic team behind acclaimed titles Folklore, while Executive Director on the project is Yoshiki Okamoto, the man responsible for Street Fighter II and Resident Evil, and one of video gaming’s most respected and talented creative forces.

Majin is scheduled for launch in Australia in 2010 for XBOX 360 and PLAYSTATION®3.

For more information, please visit www.namcobandaipartners.com.au

 
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“CLASH OF THE TITANS” VIDEO GAME FOR XBOX 360® AND PLAYSTATION®3

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 19 August 2009 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announce a licensing agreement for Clash of the Titans, a new action-adventure video game for Xbox 360® and PLAYSTATION®3. Developed by Japanese studio Game Republic, the game is scheduled for release in Autumn 2010 in conjunction with the worldwide theatrical release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ feature film “Clash of the Titans.”

“’Clash of the Titans’ will be the movie event of 2010, and we are thrilled to be releasing a video game inspired by the film,” said Tomoaki Nanjo, the producer of the videogame at NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. “Thanks to the incredibly talented team at Game Republic, we are confident Clash of the Titans will surpass all expectations of a traditional movie-based game, bringing Greek mythology into the players’ hands like never before.”

The game takes players into the heart of one of the greatest mythological battles ever fought. Clash of the Titans is the ultimate battle of good verses evil, set in the timeless grandeur of Greek mythology and telling the story of the epic battle for dominance between the human race and the powerful gods Hades and Zeus. This monumental game will take players on a vast and perilous quest through swamps, mountains, deserts and the underworld.

Delivering an unprecedented style of action-adventure game play, the game will equip players throughout their journey with a formidable and ever-changing arsenal of weaponry and powers to defeat the legendary foes before them, including Medusa and the hideous sea monster, the Kraken.

# # #

About NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe

NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S., is a leading interactive entertainment software publisher based in Cergy-Pontoise, France. The company is a part of the NAMCO BANDAI group of companies known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including the RidgeRacer™, Tekken™, SOULCALIBUR™, Tamagotchi™, Digimon™, Dragonball® and Naruto™ brands.

For more information, visit : www.namcobandaigames.eu

About Clash of the Titans film

In Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Picutres’ “Clash of the Titans,” the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.

Based on the 1981 film of the same name, written by the late Beverley Cross, “Clash of the Titans” is directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay by Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi, story by Travis Beacham and Hay & Manfredi. The film is produced by Basil Iwanyk and Kevin De La Noy. The executive producers are Academy Award® winner Richard D. Zanuck and Legendary Pictures’ Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and William Fay.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, “Clash of the Titans,” to be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

 
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ASUS ROG MARS: Limited Edition. Unlimited Power – The World’s Fastest Graphics Card with 23% Performance Boost!

Harnessing exclusive ROG features to unleash the power of NVIDIA® GeForce® GPUs, the ASUS ROG MARS is currently the fastest graphics card in the world. Dual NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 285 GPUs, an awe-inspiring 4GB of onboard memory and the world’s first 1024-bit memory bandwidth work seamlessly with cutting-edge technologies from NVIDIA such as Quad SLI® and PhysX® to deliver astronomical graphics. With its expert integration of ROG and NVIDIA technologies, the ROG MARS yields an astounding 23% improvement in terms of single card performance when compared to reference designed boards, setting eye-popping 3DMark Vantage Extreme, High and Performance Preset scores of X25949, H34711 and P40824 respectively with Quad SLI®—cementing the perfect partnership between ASUS and NVIDIA.  The FPS (Frames Per Second) of the ASUS ROG MARS is 28 versus the 16 of a reference design board when running Crysis Warhead at 2560×1600 Very High Resolution. The ROG MARS increases its performance by 75% to allow users to fully enjoy games without lag or stuttering—even at the highest resolutions and maximum quality settings. The ROG MARS features an improved thermal design that increases heatpipe coverage by 65%—as well as the heat dissipation rate by 20%—to ensure cooling even during graphically intensive operations.

 

The ROG MARS will only be available as a limited edition. Just 1,000 units will be produced, with each graphics card assigned a unique serial number—making the ASUS ROG MARS a true masterpiece of power and performance.

 

Specifications

ASUS ROG MARS/2DI/4GD3
3D Mark 2006 11292
(Vantage Extreme)
Memory Size 4096M DDR3
Memory Interface 1024 bit
Memory Type 32M*32
Engine CLK (MHz) 648
Shader CLK 1.242
GHz
Memory CLK (MHz) 1150
DVI DVI-I * 2
(HDCP support)
HDMI Support Yes (Native)
HDMI Version 1.3a
Cooling Solution Active
Slot 2 Slots
Production Location

 

CHN (SZ)
Chip GTX285 X2
Core Name D10U-50
Bus
Standard

 

PCI-E 2.0

 

External
Power
8+8PIN
D-sub Max. Resolution 2048*1536*85HZ
DVI Max Resolution 2560×1600*60Hz
Dual link
Support
Yes
Dual View mode Yes
Splendid HD  /Splendid Yes
Gamer OSD Yes
Smart
Doctor
light
version
 
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The Beatles™: Rock Band™ set to descend down-under

20 August 2009, Australia – Harmonix Music Systems, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom?s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), along with distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) have confirmed that The Beatles™: Rock Band™ will hit Australian shores on the 9 September 2009 as previously announced, in keeping with the worldwide simultaneous release date.

The Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition Premium Bundle (including a large scale replica of the Höfner bass controller famously used by Sir Paul McCartney, a Ringo Starr inspired and Ludwig-branded Rock Band 2 drum set, microphone, microphone stand, game software and special game accessories) will be available for PlayStation®3, Xbox 360® and Wii™ for $369.99 through JB Hi Fi, Dick Smith, Gamesmen and GAME.

Furthermore, The Beatles: Rock Band software (which can be used with existing all Rock Band instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero® and other authorised third-party music video game peripherals and microphones) will be made available via all leading game retailers nationwide on PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360® for $89.99 and Wii™ for $79.99.

With fans across the country already gearing up for the true ‘Limited Edition’ experience, pre-ordering is already taking place, and is recommended for enthusiasts wanting to avoid disappointment.

The Beatles: Rock Band allows Australian fans to pick up the guitar, bass, mic or drums to experience The Beatles’ extraordinary catalogue of music through gameplay that takes players on a journey through the legacy and evolution of the band’s legendary career. From the early touring days in 1963 Liverpool to the immortal, final performance on the Apple Corps rooftop, fans can follow in The Fab Four’s footsteps as they traverse the globe during the height of Beatlemania.

For the first time in a music videogame, The Beatles: Rock Band introduces three-part vocal harmonies to gameplay, allowing players to revel in the unparalleled vocal stylings of The Beatles.

As previously announced, the entire Abbey Road album will be available for future download purchase. In addition, “All You Need Is Love” will be released Sept.9, 2009, exclusively through Xbox LIVE for a limited time as a downloadable song for The Beatles: Rock Band, with all Apple Corps Ltd, MTV Games, Harmonix and Microsoft proceeds benefitting Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

In conjunction with the release of the entire, original, digitally re-mastered Beatles CD catalogue, The Beatles: Rock Band will be available Sept. 9, 2009, simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories for the Xbox®360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), and the Wii™ system from Nintendo. The game will be compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero® and other authorised third-party music video game peripherals and microphones.

The Beatles: Rock Band marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, has agreed to present The Beatles music in an interactive video game format. The Beatles: Rock Band will be published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band. Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) will serve as distribution partner for the game. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles innovative LOVE album project, is providing his expertise and serving as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.

For more information on The Beatles: Rock Band, as well as art and video assets, please visit http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com/press.