EA Mobile™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS); Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and 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 customers 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 mobile, 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®/Media Center under Games>Get New Applications. The game is available for a $3.99 monthly subscription or $9.99 for a one-time use on more than 30 handsets including the just-launched Samsung RogueTM and the LG enV® TOUCH and LG enV®3.
To follow EA Mobile on Twitter, visit http://twitter.com/eamobile [1].
About EA Mobile
EA Mobile™, is the world’s leading wireless entertainment publisher with award-winning games such as Tetris®, Bejeweled®, The Sims™, and Need for Speed™. 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™ 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™ and iPod®. For more information about EA Mobile, please visit www.eamobile.com [2].
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™, EA SPORTS™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. 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 [3]. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com [4].
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 and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com [5]. 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 [6].
About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, 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 [7].
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.
Links:
[1] http://twitter.com/eamobile
[2] http://www.eamobile.com/
[3] http://www.ea.com/
[4] http://info.ea.com/
[5] http://www.verizonwireless.com/
[6] http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia
[7] http://www.harmonixmusic.com/