Guitar Hero 5

Friday 11th September/...Continuing to transform the way people experience music, the highly-anticipated Guitar Hero® 5 video game hits European store shelves today with unprecedented music variety featuring an expansive, pulse-pounding 85-song on-disc set list, more than 150 songs available via downloadable content, and the capability to import select songs from other Guitar Hero® games.

Featuring some of music’s leading bands and artists across a multitude of genres, the ability for players to rock any way they want with any combination of multiple guitarists, bassists, drummers and singers in any game mode, Guitar Hero 5 allows players to step into the spotlight as iconic rockers of the past, present and future with an all-star line-up of in-game playable characters, including Kurt Cobain, Johnny Cash, Carlos Santana, Garbage’s Shirley Manson and Matt Bellamy of Muse.

Whilst stocks last, consumers in the UK and Germany who purchase a Guitar Hero 5 guitar bundle will receive a copy of the hit release Guitar Hero® World Tour® for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system or the Wii system from Nintendo.

Five live downloadable tracks from the 1969 concert by The Rolling Stones will be digitally released for Guitar Hero 5, to coincide with ABKCO ‘s 40th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set release of GET YER YA-YA’S OUT. In Europe, from launch day through January 6, 2010, “Satisfaction (Live),” “Under My Thumb (Live)” and “I’m Free (Live)” will be released as singles exclusively via Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system. Two additional live tracks, “Prodigal Son (Live)” and “You Gotta Move (Live)” will also be available at launch as downloads on Xbox LIVE®, the PLAYSTATIONStore for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection for Wii™.

Early reviews and previews of the game have been outstanding. Official Xbox Magazine (US) gives Guitar Hero 5 a final score of 95 out of 100 saying, “Party Play mode instantly reinvigorates the social fun of music games… It is the new standard for social rocking.” The magazine goes on to say, “This is musical fun done right… This is the Guitar Hero to own.”

“Guitar Hero 5 is the best Guitar Hero game yet and an incredible value for consumers by providing hours of entertainment as they play along to the music they love and discover new artists and tracks,” said Dan Rosensweig, president and chief executive officer of Guitar Hero. “The game offers consumers access to an extensive library of music, including 85 songs on-disc, more than 150 songs available via DLC and the ability to import music from previous Guitar Hero games.”

Guitar Hero 5’s refined GH™Music Studio combines remarkably comprehensive features including improved editing tools, new guitar samples and more than 400 easy-to-use music patterns with complete accessibility for players of all creative abilities. To date, more than 300,000 songs have been uploaded to GHTunes and have been downloaded for free more than 17 million times by users.

Features exclusive to the Wii™ version of Guitar Hero 5 deliver a unique and unforgettable gameplay experience with unprecedented integration, where up to two Nintendo DS™ players engage in an intense competition with two Wii guitarists in the new Roadie Battle mode. Mii™ Freestyle returns for a unique gameplay experience that allows Wii players to jam along to different genres, including Rock, Metal and Blues. The new Mii Freestyle Stage Manager allows Nintendo DS players to call the shots with control of on-stage lightshows, camera angles and pyrotechnics.

The entire set list is at players’ finger tips from the start, featuring genre-defining hits from some of the biggest rock artists and bands of all time, including The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, Kings of Leon, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Vampire Weekend. Players take complete control as Guitar Hero 5 allows gamers to personalise and customise how they experience music by being able to play with any in-game instrument combination -- multiple vocalists, guitarists, bassists and drummers, in any game mode. With the game’s all-new Party Play Mode, getting the band back together has never been easier. Players can now jump in or drop out of gameplay seamlessly, without interrupting their jam session. Elevating the Guitar Hero® series to new heights with unmatched social gameplay, an enhanced style, new in-game artists and more rock legends, Guitar Hero 5 features new surprises and challenges that will fire-up long-time fret board fanatics and create a new generation of addicts.

Published by Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), Guitar Hero 5 is developed by Neversoft Entertainment for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and by Vicarious Visions for the Wii system from Nintendo. Budcat is developing Guitar Hero 5 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The game is rated 12+ by PEGI. For more information about Guitar Hero 5, please visit GH5.GuitarHero.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

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