Harmonix and MTV have announced their collaboration on a new project called Rock Band, which allows players to perform music with their friends and online using drum, bass, guitar and microphone peripherals in a virtual band.
MTV and Harmonix have signed unprecedented deals with major record labels and music publishers to give gamers access to a huge library of music that spans many genres.
The two leading music publishers, EMI Music Publishing and Warner/Chappel Music, are allowing unrivaled access to their catalogs, and record labels EMI Music, Hollywood Records, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Groups Universal Music Enterprises and Warner Music Group’s Rhino Entertainment have all agreed to supply master recordings by their artists for use in Rock Band.
Alex Rigopulos, Co-Founder and CEO of Harmonix, said, “Rock Band is Harmonix’s most ambitious project to date, and it will take music gameplay to an entirely new level.”
Jeff Yapp, EVP of MTV Program Enterprises, said, “Joining forces with EA and the music industry’s largest record labels and publishers, we are striving to create a groundbreaking new platform that allows people to connect with their favorite music and artists in ways they never have before.”
Electronic Arts will serve as exclusive distribution and marketing partner for Rock Band in the U.S., Europe and Austrailia. Rock Band is slated for release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 during the 2007 holiday season.
