MTV Games & Harmonix Announce Upcoming Rock Band(TM) to Become First Videogame Ever to Offer Digitally-Distributed Game Levels Based On Full-Length Albums

MTV Games & Harmonix Announce Upcoming Rock Band(TM) to Become First Videogame Ever to Offer Digitally-Distributed Game Levels Based On Full-Length Albums

Developer Will Publish New Downloadable Content Every Week After Game's Release

Who's Next by Legendary Universal Music Group Artist The Who, to be First Album Available for Download; First 16 Rock Band Songs Officially Announced

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a division of MTV Networks which is a division of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), announced today that one of the most influential records in rock history, The Who's iconic Who's Next, will become the first full length album available as a digitally-distributed game level for the upcoming videogame Rock Band(TM) - a first ever offering for a videogame. In addition to announcing full-length album availability, MTV Games and Harmonix also announced the first 16 Rock Band songs, spanning every genre of rock from alternative to classic to heavy metal. As previously announced Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) will serve as the exclusive distribution and marketing partner for Rock Band, managing distribution for the game in US, Europe and Australia.

"Offering entire albums for play on the Rock Band platform is a monumental step forward in Harmonix's ever present quest to provide new ways for people to interact with music and creating the most authentic music experience possible," stated Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and CEO, Harmonix. "This will give players the opportunity to play through the entire album set list of arguably some of the most influential rock albums of all time and brings them one step closer to what it feels like to be a true rock star."

Who's Next will be the first album available for Rock Band owners to purchase soon after the game's release with new content planned every week following Rock Band's launch this Holiday. Universal Music Group along with other top record labels and music publishers announced earlier this year an unprecedented partnership with Harmonix and MTV to provide music for Rock Band, with this artist being the first of many being announced in the months ahead.

"Rock Band empowers users to interact with the music they love in a completely new way. This type of consumer engagement is vital in today's marketplace. We fully support licensing opportunities that allow consumers to have their music their way and it's a home run because of its cultural relevance," said Mike Davis, EVP/GM, Universal Music Enterprises.

"The Who's Who's Next is crystallized as one of the great moments in music history," stated Jeff Yapp, EVP, MTV Program Enterprises. "This is the first of many legendary albums available for download in Rock Band as a digitally- distributed game level. This enables us to connect music fans and gamers with the artists and songs they want to play so they can experience these historic moments through Rock Band."

The Who's Who's Next (1971 Release)
1. "Baba O'Riley"
2. "Bargain"
3. "Love Ain't for Keepin'"
4. "My Wife (Entwistle)"
5. "The Song Is Over"
6. "Getting in Tune"
7. "Going Movile"
8. "Behind Blue Eyes"
9. "Won't Get Fooled Again"

Influential British rock band The Who, featuring legendary guitarist Pete Townshend, has agreed to make its 1971 album Who's Next the first downloadable album available for Rock Band gamers. Considered by many to be The Who's greatest album, Who's Next has also been named one of the best albums of all time by VH1 (#13) and Rolling Stone (#28).

The song "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who will be included in the Rock Band catalogue along with the following songs:

FIRST 16 OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED ROCK BAND SONGS:
1970s
The Who "Won't Get Fooled Again"
Mountain "Mississippi Queen"*
David Bowie "Suffragette City"
Black Sabbath "Paranoid"*
Blue Oyster Cult "Don't Fear the Reaper"
The Ramones "Rockaway Beach"

1980s
Rush "Tom Sawyer"*
Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead or Alive"

1990s
Nirvana "In Bloom"
Stone Temple Pilots "Vasoline"
Weezer "Say It Ain't So"
Foo Fighters "Learn to Fly"
Metallica "Enter Sandman"

2000s
The Hives "Main Offender"
The Strokes "Reptilia"
Queens of the Stone Age "Go With the Flow"
* Indicates a cover song, all others songs are original master recordings

Rock Band is an all-new delivery 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. 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 www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.

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 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/.

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.

Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: Tracie Snitker of Reverb Communications, +1-209-586-1495 x104,
Tracie@reverbinc.com, for Harmonix; Jeff Castaneda of MTV Communications,
+1-212-846-6774, jeff.castaneda@mtvstaff.com; Bryce Baer of EA,
+1-650-628-5102, bbaer@ea.com

Web site:

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

-------
Profile: intent