Guitar Hero Lands Venue, Instrument Product Placements

Guitar Hero World Tour will allow gamers to score in-game sponsorship and gear from a slew of real world equipment manufacturers as they play through the game, Activision announced. The game will also feature digital recreations of Amoeba Music and Live Nation's House of Blues Sunset Strip for digital bands to jam on. "Gamers have come to expect a certain level of realism in video games and by collaborating with key brands in the industry we're able to deliver with Guitar Hero World Tour," said Dave Anderson, Head of Business Development for Activision. "With the most advanced wireless instrument controllers, the in-game likeness of multiple multi-platinum recording artists and authentic on-stage gear, the game offers the ultimate rock and roll experience." I love that the game is getting real world venues to play in, but personally I don't think I care that much about whether I have EMG pickups or Guitar Hero Fake-O pickups. The list of gear manufacturers include: AMPEG, Audio-Technica, EMG Pickups, Ernie Ball, Evans Drumheads, Guitar Center, Krank Amplification, Mackie, Marshall, Orange County Drum & Percussion, Pork Pie Percussion, Regal Tip, Sabian cymbals, Vox and Zildjian drumsticks. But honestly, that seems more like a way for Activision to make some money off product placement than something that's going to add to the game.GUITAR HERO® WORLD TOUR TO FEATURE EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH PROMINENT MUSIC INSTRUMENT AND EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS Game Set to Deliver Most Authentic Rock and Roll Experience Yet SANTA MONICA, CA – August 27, 2008 – After raising the bar of authenticity with every release in the Guitar Hero® franchise, Activision Publishing, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero® World Tour is cranking it to 11 by featuring several of the most influential instrument and equipment brands in the music industry. Gamers can score in-game sponsorships and gear from AMPEG, Audio-Technica, EMG Pickups, Ernie Ball, Evans Drumheads, Guitar Center, Krank Amplification, Mackie, Marshall, Orange County Drum & Percussion, Pork Pie Percussion, Regal Tip, Sabian cymbals, Vox and Zildjian drumsticks. In addition to featuring products, the game lets virtual bands play on the same stage as many of their favorite musicians with digital re-creations of Amoeba Music and Live Nation's House of Blues® Sunset Strip. "Gamers have come to expect a certain level of realism in video games and by collaborating with key brands in the industry we're able to deliver with Guitar Hero World Tour," said Dave Anderson, Head of Business Development for Activision. "With the most advanced wireless instrument controllers, the in-game likeness of multiple multi-platinum recording artists and authentic on-stage gear, the game offers the ultimate rock and roll experience." When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero's signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player "Battle of the Bands," which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n' roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations. Guitar Hero World Tour is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The Wii™ version is being developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version is being developed by Budcat. The game is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit www.guitarhero.com.