Metallica Lets Fans Dig Deeper With Rock Band(TM)

Metallica Lets Fans Dig Deeper With Rock Band(TM)

Harmonix, MTV Games and the Superstar Band Bring Multiple Tracks to Rock Band Videogame

Game Disc to Feature The Band's Iconic Hit 'Enter Sandman'

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, MTV Games, a division of MTV Networks which is a division of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), and rock icons Metallica announced today a deal that will showcase the incredible depth of the band's music in the highly anticipated videogame Rock Band(TM). The Grammy-award winning thrashers are making key tracks from their celebrated catalog available as digitally-distributed game levels. The incomparable metal song "Enter Sandman," will ship on the game's disc this holiday season.

"Metallica is one of the best loved bands in the world and their albums redefined hard rock and metal. Its one of the bands we had to bring to the Rock Band experience," said Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and CEO of Harmonix. "Rock Band will allow gamers to jam with the guys through their long, successful career, from young, raw talent to mega stars, playing the hard- rocking sounds that the band is known for."

Distributed by Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), Rock Band is a new platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music like never before. Offering four music games in one - Rock Band challenges rockers to master the lead/bass guitar, drums, and vocals or play in a cooperative band experience. Built on unprecedented deals with the world's biggest record labels and music publishers, the music featured in Rock Band will span all genres of rock and include many of the master recordings from the greatest songs and artists of all time.

Best known for its thrash-metal sounds, Metallica's 11 albums have sold more than 95 million copies over their 26-year career. Easily one the most influential and intense metal bands of all time, the range of Metallica songs that will be available to Rock Band players will allow them to play along as the history of the genre unfolds.

"Enter Sandman," the first single from the band's self-titled album and one of the best known tracks, is a staple at Metallica's live concerts. VH1 ranked it as the 22nd in its "40 Greatest Metal Songs of All Time."

"Our goal was to bring a deep musical experience to Rock Band by providing not just one song by a player's favorite artist, but a carefully-chosen career-spanning array," stated Paul DeGooyer, MTV's Senior Vice President, Audio, Home Video and Games. "Metallica has never been afraid to let their fans get closer, and now those fans will be able to inhabit this incredible music in a completely new way."

Rock Band is slated for release on Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft(R) and PLAYSTATION(R) 3 computer entertainment system this Holiday 2007. For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit http://www.rockband.com/ and http://www.harmonixmusic.com/.

About Metallica

Since they formed in 1981, San Francisco Bay Area band Metallica have gone from an underground heavy metal band to one of the most successful acts in the world, with an intensely loyal fan base. Sales of Metallica's albums (including 8 studio albums, and one e.p.) total over 95 million copies worldwide (with over 60 million coming in North America alone), and have earned gold and/or platinum certifications in over forty countries. Metallica have garnered numerous awards and accolades throughout the world over their career, including 7 Grammy Awards, 2 American Music Awards, 2 MTV Video Music Awards, a VH-1 Award, the MTV: ICON award of 2003 and most recently, the ASCAP Creative Voice award for 2004 - to name a few. Their documentary film, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in February 2004 and was nominated for several critics choice awards, appeared on many "Top 10 films of the year" lists, and won "Best Documentary" at the 2005 Independent Spirit Awards. When it comes to touring, there are few, if any, bands who deliver live the way Metallica do. Their shows, which began in clubs and garages in the early eighties, are now selling out in arenas and stadiums throughout the world, and continue to be among the most intense, powerful and visually stimulating concert experiences ever delivered. Metallica are a band whose success can be directly attributed to a passion and no-compromise attitude in every project they undertake.

About MTV Networks:

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 130 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

About MTV Games:

MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc:

Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit:

http://www.harmonixmusic.com/

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA(TM), EA SPORTS BIG(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2006, EA posted revenue of $2.95 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is http://www.ea.com/. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com/.

(C) 2007 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Harmonix, Rock Band and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., a division of MTV Networks. Rock Band developed by Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. MTV: Music Television, MTV Games and all related titles and logos are trademarks of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: Tracie Snitker of Reverb Communications, +1-209-586-1495 X104,
Tracie@reverbinc.com for Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., or Jeff Castaneda of
MTV Networks, +1-212-846-6774, jeff.castaneda@mtvstaff.com

Web site:

http://www.mtv.com/
http://info.ea.com/
http://www.ea.com/
http://www.harmonixmusic.com/
http://www.rockband.com/

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