Game Lets Players Choose Lead Guitar, Bass, Drums or Vocals and Four
Different Ways to Play
LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK & BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Sep 16, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- EA Mobile(TM), a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), Harmonix
and MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B),
and Verizon Wireless said that, beginning today, Verizon Wireless
customers can be the first to play Rock Band on their wireless
phones. This is the first time the award-winning music game is available
on the mobile platform, giving Verizon Wireless customer the chance to
rock out to 25 legendary songs from great artists including Smashing
Pumpkins, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Beastie Boys with MP3-quality sound.
"EA Mobile is excited to bring the cultural phenomenon, Rock Band,
to the mobile phone platform, allowing players to experience their
favorite bands from almost anywhere," said Adam Sussman, Vice President
of Worldwide Publishing for EA Mobile. "Rock Band has made its
way into mainstream culture, and we're glad to bring a customized mobile
version to Verizon Wireless customers. The game includes great features
like 'Cooperative Multiplayer' and 'Pass-n-Play' for play with family
and friends, and 'Tour' which shadows the life of a real rock star where
players can choose any key band position to play."
"Rock Band mobile gives our customers with feature phones yet
another super-cool game to play and another way to use their wireless
phones for entertainment," said Ryan Hughes, Vice President, Partner
Management and Business Development at Verizon. "Rock Band is an
iconic game and we're excited to be working with EA to be the first to
bring it to mobile customers."
Bob Picunko, Senior Vice President of MTV Games, added: "Rock Band
mobile is the next step in bringing the authentic rock experience found
in Rock Band and Rock Band 2 to an even broader group of
consumers on the mobile platform. We believe fans will respond as they
get to enjoy what is sure to be the dominant rock experience on their
phones."
Rock Band
In Rock Band for mobile phones, Verizon Wireless customers can
master all four ways to play, including lead Guitar, Bass, Drums and
Vocals, while rocking out to songs from great artists like 30 Seconds To
Mars, Blink-182, and Foo Fighters. Rock Band lets players hit the road
solo or form a band and play with friends. They can select Quick Play
Mode or travel the rock and roll highway in Tour Mode, and start by
playing in empty dives and making their way to packed arenas, all while
collecting rewards and working their way up the leaderboards.
Customers can get Rock Band mobile by texting ROCK to 4-2-6-3
(Game) from their Verizon Wireless phones or find it in the Get It Now(R)/Media
Center under Games>Get New Applications. The game is available for $3.99
monthly subscription or $9.99 one-time use on more than 30 handsets
including the just-launched Samsung Rogue(TM) and the LG enV(R) TOUCH and LG
enV(R)3.
To follow EA Mobile on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/eamobile.
About EA Mobile
EA Mobile(TM), is the world's leading wireless entertainment publisher with
award-winning games such as Tetris(R), Bejeweled(R),
The Sims(TM), and Need for Speed(TM). The EA Mobile portfolio also includes
casual games based on the company's partnership with Hasbro, Inc.
including MONOPOLY, YAHTZEE and SCRABBLE (in the U.S. and Canada) as
well as sports blockbusters from the EA SPORTS(TM) brand, including Madden
NFL Football, EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR. EA Mobile
develops games for multiple mobile platforms including mobile phones,
smartphones, the iPhone(TM) and iPod(R). For more information
about EA Mobile, please visit www.eamobile.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is
a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in
1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive
software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless
devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under
four brand names: EA(TM),EA SPORTS(TM), EA Mobile(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2009,
EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 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.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest
wireless voice and data network, serving 87.7 million customers.
Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 87,000 employees
nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon
Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE:VOD)(LSE:VOD). For more
information, visit www.verizonwireless.com.
To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and
high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the
Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the
world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that
engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile,
games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio
spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties
worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick
at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike
TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.
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 www.harmonixmusic.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, Pogo, The Sims and Need for Speed are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S.
and/or other countries. MONOPOLY, YAHTZEE and SCRABBLE are trademarks of
Hasbro and are used with permission. John Madden, NFL, Tiger Woods, PGA
TOUR and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and are used
with permission. iPhone and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc. Harmonix,
Rock Band and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix
Music Systems, Inc., an MTV Networks company. 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 trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
SOURCE: Electronic Arts Inc.
Verizon Wireless
Debra Lewis, 908-559-7512
Debra.Lewis@verizonwireless.com
or
Sparkpr for EA Mobile
Matt Marquess, 415-321-1874
matt@sparkpr.com
or
MTV Games
Mariana Agathoklis, 212-846-5755
Mariana.Agathoklis@mtvstaff.com
Copyright Business Wire 2009