Apple Corps, Ltd., Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks, today announced the 9/9/09 worldwide release of The Beatles: Rock Band. The music-based video game, an unprecedented, experiential progression through and celebration of the music and artistry of The Beatles, will be available simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories for the Nintendo Wii, Sony PLAYSTATION 3, and Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
The Beatles: Rock Band will allow fans to pick up the guitar, bass, mic or drums and experience The Beatles extraordinary catalogue of music through gameplay that takes players on a journey through the legacy and evolution of the band’s legendary career. In addition, The Beatles: Rock Band will offer a limited number of new hardware offerings modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr throughout their career.
The Beatles: Rock Band will be offered as standalone software and hardware as well as a limited edition bundle. The game will be compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers and other current music-based video game peripherals.
Available on 9/9/09:
The Beatles: Rock Band Software – Wii, PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360: $59.99 MSRP
The Beatles: Rock Band Standalone Guitars – Wii, PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360: $99.99 MSRP
The Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition Premium Bundle: Wii, PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360: $249.99 MSRP
Please note: Pricing outside of the US to be announced at a later date.
The Beatles: Rock Band marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, has agreed to present The Beatles music in an interactive video game format. The Beatles: Rock Band will be published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band. Electronic Arts will serve as distribution partner for the game. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles innovative LOVE album project, is providing his expertise and serving as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.
Exclusive content created by Apple Corps, MTV Games and Harmonix will be made available to fans over the next few months who participate in a pre-order campaign through major retailers. More details on The Beatles: Rock Band game and pre-order will be revealed in the coming months.
More info: thebeatlesrockband.com
MacDailyNews Note: If you need us to explain the relevance of this news in regard to Apple, you must be a Windows PC sufferer. Uncharacteristically, we feel a smidgen of pity for you today, so we’ll help you out: The possibility for Apple’s iTunes Store to get The Beatles catalog this year just increased exponentially, regardless of whether it’ll be years too late when and if it does happen. The Beatles finally arriving on iTunes Store will be a watershed moment for Apple and online digital music distribution. Yes, we all ripped our Beatles CDs to iTunes several years ago, but, believe it or not, there is vast number of people in the demographic to which The Beatles most appeal that will buy their very first iTunes Store tracks due to The Beatles arrival on Apple’s revolutionary service. The press coverage alone will be worth millions in free promotion for iTunes Store to people who have never tried the service. That means millions more credit card accounts and, hence, more power, for Apple. Now, come on, you’re slower than The Beatles, go Get a Mac already!
