March 30, 2009
ACTIVISION’S GUITAR HERO
METALLICA EXPLODES ONTO RETAIL SHELVES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA
Experience the Intensity of
Musical Icons Metallica and Over 20 Other Rockin’ Bands in the Newest Entry to
the Smash-Hit Franchise
Having pioneered and expanded the
heavy metal genre while gaining critical and popular success over the past 25
years, Metallica invites gamers to “Ride the Lightning” with them and over 20
other rocking artists in Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) latest
release – Guitar Hero® Metallica®. Enter the world of Lars Ulrich, James
Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo and experience the intensity and
skill of one of the greatest bands of all time. Shred on the guitar controller,
rip on the drum kit controller and wail on the mic to over 45 explosive hits
from both Metallica’s illustrious career and a variety of other legendary
artists selected by the band, such as Alice In Chains, Bob Seger & The Silver
Bullet Band, Foo Fighters, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Queen.
"When Guitar Hero® came to us with
the idea to do a game based on Metallica, we call this a no brainer and said yes
very quickly," said Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica. "It seemed like the next
step – a whole other platform for musicians to reach an audience. If we talk
about this in five years, I think it will turn into an expected way to release
music.”
"Guitar Hero is a great way for
people to experience the music of a band. Not just Metallica, but many bands.
It’s almost educational in that sense, where people can learn about groups that
range from Santana to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Journey," said bassist Robert Trujillo.
“We are extremely excited to partner
with Metallica, bringing one of the world’s best-selling artists together with
one of the biggest video game brands allowing consumers to connect with artists
and their music in a uniquely interactive way,” said Will Kassoy, Head of
Publishing for the Guitar Hero franchise. “Guitar Hero Metallica will appeal to
a wide range of fans including those of Metallica, rock music, and Guitar Hero
as well as introduce the franchise to new audiences.”
Guitar Hero Metallica allows fans to
“spend an evening with Metallica,” and more than 20 other popular artists, while
performing in venues reminiscent of their epic album covers, themes from their
music and real world locales. Guitar Hero Metallica introduces an all-new
Expert+ drum difficulty setting, featuring two bass drum kick pedals that offer
an authentic Metallica experience with note-for-note tracking, and Metallifacts,
which, after nailing a song, lets players enjoy a virtual concert filled with
on-screen facts and trivia about the song being played.
The game is rated “T” for Teen by
the ESRB.
The PlayStation®2 computer
entertainment system version will be available in North America in April 2009.
All versions of Guitar Hero Metallica will be available in Europe beginning May
2009.
