Among the bands performing was Jazz group One-Ups, here's a taste of their take on Chrono Trigger.

“MvG has been created with the goal of bringing fun and easily accessible music games to an audience that has largely remained unnoticed to this point,” said Vincent Bitetti, CEO of MvG. “The music video game market and the online casual games market both continue to grow exponentially. MvG will provide games that will appeal to both demographics.”

Five years ago this would have been perfect. Now I'm not so sure we need more music games, casual or otherwise. Still, maybe MvG will find their niche. They've certainly got a dynamic name going for them, and a kick-ass logo. Go get 'em, plucky little upstart!

Veteran Video Game Talents Announce Launch of New Company, Music Video Games (MvG)
Seasoned Executives From the Music and Entertainment Space Join Forces to Launch Video Game Portal Focused on Casual Gamers and Music Fans

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Today the formation of Music Video Games™ (MvG) was announced, a music-based game company focused on delivering interactive entertainment experiences for both casual gamers and music fans. MvG was founded by David Warhol, president of video game studio Realtime Associates, Inc., and Vincent Bitetti, a video game publishing executive and former CEO of TDK Mediactive, which was sold to Take Two Interactive (NASDAQ:TTWO) in 2004.

“MvG has been created with the goal of bringing fun and easily accessible music games to an audience that has largely remained unnoticed to this point,” said Vincent Bitetti, CEO of MvG. “The music video game market and the online casual games market both continue to grow exponentially. MvG will provide games that will appeal to both demographics.”

Mr. Bitetti will act as the company’s CEO while Mr. Warhol will be the Chief Creative Officer. Acting as strategic advisors to the new company are music industry veteran Mark Goldstein, former Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Warner Bros Records Inc. (NYSE:WMG), and interactive entertainment guru Tim Walsh, formerly the Senior Vice President of International Publishing, President of THQ Wireless, and a Corporate Officer at THQ (NASDAQ:THQI).

According to Pacific Crest Securities the U.S. online casual games business will grow to $725 million in 2008 from $375 million in 2006, with casual games becoming a primary industry growth driver for 2008 and beyond.

To find out more about MvG, please visit www.musicvideogames.net.

Irrational's 'The Lost' Turns Up... In Bollywood?! [GameSetWatch]

Electronic Arts today announced the line-up of artists who will be making musical appearances in their upcoming Sims 2 expansion pack FreeTime. Among the list is English siren Natasha Bedingfield who actually rerecorded her recent single Pocketful of Sunshine for the game in Simlish. That's right, the song was translated to the Sims invented tongue and then she had to learn and sing it. Sounds kinda cool, though my wife's convinced she's just babbling.

Bedingfield's music video was also recreated using a Sim singer look-a-like and all of the same moves. Check out the video above for a brief interview with the singer and some voiceover outtakes. I've posted the full Simish music video on the jump.

Proving that it's not just the Japanese who can milk the pop star and video game connection (Squeenix and Gackt, I'm looking at you), Beijing Perfect World is assaulting the ears and eyes of the world with two songs by pop star Richie Ren, featuring terrifically awful Chinese pop in the way only Chinese pop music can be. Most of the clip looks like a rip off of Zhang Yimou's 2002 movie Hero, but with magic, demons, and overwrought pop stars.

"Zhu Xian: I'm back" ... topped several music charts and bill-boards for nearly a month after its release .... In the Shanghai press conference, Richie Ren, showed up in his devil custom with a soul-destroying stick, reminded the audience of Zhu Xian's Zhang Xiao-fan.

I think that's supposed to be 'costume,' but I'm not sure what a 'soul destroying stick' is. Catch clip of " . ? " (I'm Back) here, replete with what I think are 'soul destroying sticks.' Maggie Greene

Richie Ren Launches New Global Album Featuring Theme Songs from 'Zhu Xian Online' [PR Newswire via Xinhua]

Now he's back with a new music video, Things Are Familiar" featuring all your favorite Mushroom Kingdom pals, although some of them may be hard to recognize. The absolutely terrifying puppets are tempered by a charming song and the earnestness of the performance. I don't know what GameJew's smoking, but whatever it is it must be really good. Flynn De Marco

The GameJew Video Treasury [Screwattack]

Even when in the context of a mellow and soothing video commercial, Silent Hill is pretty nightmarish. Reminds me a lot of Malden, Massachusetts, frankly.FLORIAN ECKHARDT

Loading Ready Run is a rap group straight outta Victoria BC that just upped a game-laden video called 1337. The video starts with the Commodore 64 and cranks through my lifetime of gaming, ending with next-gen. Their rap skills need a little work, but the lyrics are hella sweet.

Loading Ready Run [Human Inbox]