Rock Band Bar Nights

[eric_1963]

Harmonix and MTV Games to Offer Exclusive Five-Song Preview of The
Beatles(TM): Rock Band(TM) to Participating Bars





NEW YORK, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Harmonix Music Systems and MTV Games, a part
of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today announced the launch of
"Rock Band Bar Nights," a ground-breaking initiative providing tools for U.S.
bar owners to host their own Rock Band(TM) Nights. The program gives bars a
cutting-edge in-bar entertainment option to help increase foot traffic and
provide Rock Band fans with the opportunity to take the stage for a true rock
star experience.

Rock Band - featuring a full band performance with guitar, bass, drums and mic
- is revolutionizing the standard karaoke night in bars. The Rock Band Bar
Nights program expands the Rock Band social experience for current fans and
gives new fans the opportunity to try the game in an authentic performance
setting with a live crowd cheering them on.

To help venues host and promote their own Rock Band Bar Nights, the program
offers support to registered bars with everything from exclusive Rock Band
product offerings to multiplatform marketing support. Through an exclusive
e-commerce store, the program will also provide bars with a full music
solution to easily rock their bar with the extensive Rock Band catalogue
featuring more than 800 tracks and growing every week!

To kick off the program, Harmonix and MTV Games are providing bars that sign
up before September 8th with an exclusive five-song preview disc from The
Beatles: Rock Band, allowing their customers to experience the highly
anticipated game before it hits stores on September 9th.

In addition to offering in-bar support for this new entertainment option, the
Rock Band Bar Nights program extends online and gives members direct access to
the Rock Band community with hundreds of thousands of fans, as well as the
chance to stay connected on Rock Band's official Facebook and Twitter pages.
In the coming months, Rock Band fans will be able to find official Rock Band
Bar Nights in their area through an online application searchable by zip code
and a mobile version available for download as a free iPhone application.

Interested bar owners or fans can check out www.RockBand.com/BarNights for
registration and more information.


About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a division 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.

SOURCE MTV Games

Mariana Agathoklis, MTV Games, [phone],
[e-mail]; or John Drake, Harmonix, [phone] ext.
116, [e-mail]




www.rockband.com/BarNights/

(source: www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS202354+31-Aug-2009+PRN20090831)