For the first time ever in a video game, GRAMMY(R) Award winning DJ’s and producing duo, Daft Punk, will start the party right with Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) DJ Hero(TM) on October 27, 2009. Featuring 93 exclusive on-disc mixes from some of the biggest acts in hip-hop, pop, rock and dance, players will be able to test their DJing chops as virtual recreations of the renowned twosome and experience their iconic sounds in eleven original mixes, including two signature “Megamixes,” using their music.

Among the mixes in the game featuring Daft Punk are:

• Daft Punk “Around the World” vs. Young MC “Bust A Move”
• Daft Punk “Da Funk” vs. NASA “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB and Fatlip”
• Daft Punk “Da Funk” vs. Queen “Another One Bites the Dust”
• Daft Punk “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim “Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)” - Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts
• Daft Punk “Robot Rock” vs. Queen “We Will Rock You”
• Daft Punk “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions “Jack Of Spades”
• Daft Punk “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan “Cars”
• Daft Punk “Television Rules The Nation” vs. No Doubt “Hella Good”

“Partnering with Daft Punk is a rare opportunity in any medium and we are extremely honored to have worked with them so closely on integrating into DJ Hero in such a compelling way,” said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Guitar Hero(R). “This is the first time in a video game that fans will have this kind of direct interaction with Daft Punk while also experiencing never-before-released mixes that feature some of their most popular tracks. It’s amazing working with Daft Punk as they are the quintessential electronic music act known around the world for their unique style and music.”

Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics developed and refined in Guitar Hero, DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to start the party and not only experience, but to hear music in an all-new way. With over 100 individual songs, highlighted in 93 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, pop, rock and dance, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game by incorporating anthems from legendary artists. Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller immerses fans into the DJ culture and a sea of music as they utilize and master various DJ techniques including scratching, crossfading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party.

DJ Jazzy Jeff, GRAMMY(TM) Award winning hip-hop and R&B record producer, actor and world famous turntablist will ascend to the virtual stage this fall in Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Guitar Hero’s highly anticipated video game DJ Hero(TM). In addition to joining the distinguished rank of playable characters that will appear in the game, including DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip, Grandmaster Flash, DJ AM and others, DJ Jazzy Jeff will shake the room and bring the party to life with his own set list featuring two exclusive mixes hand created by the legend himself - Tears for Fears “Shout” vs. Eric B. & Rakim “Eric B. Is President” and LL Cool J “Rock the Bells” vs. The Aranbee Pop Symphony Orchestra “Bittersweet Symphony.”

“I am very, very excited DJ culture is finally getting its due. To have a song in DJ Hero is a dream come true; to be a character someone can pick up the controller and select you and play is probably the biggest thing to happen to me in my career,” said DJ Jazzy Jeff. “Music is so much a part of everyone’s life, DJ Hero is going to appeal to almost everybody.”

Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics developed and refined in Guitar Hero(R), DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to rule the party and not only experience, but to hear music in an all-new way. With over 100 individual songs, highlighted in over 80 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock and electronica, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game by incorporating anthems from legendary artists. Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller immerses fans into DJ culture and a sea of music as they utilize and master various DJ techniques including scratching, blending, cross fading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party.

DJ Hero is being developed by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION(R)3 and PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment systems and the Wii(TM) system from Nintendo. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information about DJ Hero, please visit djhero.com.

For more information on DJ Jazzy Jeff, please visit djjazzyjeff.com.

Featuring 93 Exclusive Mixes Spanning Hip Hop, Rock, Pop, R&B, Dance and More, Set List Delivers Original Music Only Available in DJ Hero

Hailed in the press as one of the most fun, innovative and highly-anticipated games of the year, Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today dropped the needle on DJ Hero’s(TM) full set list featuring 93 exclusive mixes from the biggest stars in hip hop, R&B, rock, pop and dance and created by some of the greatest DJs of all time. On October 27th, living room legends and budding superstar DJs alike will start the party off right with an unprecedented array of talent DJs including DJ AM, Cut Chemist, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Jazzy Jeff, J. Period, DJ Shadow and DJ Z-Trip spinning tracks from JAY-Z to Eminem; Daft Punk to Black Eyed Peas; Rihanna to The Killers; Kid Cudi to Gwen Stefani; and Marvin Gaye to Beastie Boys.

Tapping a massive cultural phenomenon and bringing the most popular music of almost every genre to the masses in an all-new, interactive way, media are already taking notice:

“House parties will never be the same” - Best Social/Casual/Puzzle Game - Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2009

“DJ Hero is going to do what Guitar Hero did for guitars.” - San Jose Mercury News

“A reminder of why the music genre became so popular in the first place” - IGN.

The complete DJ Hero 93 mix, on-disc set list will include:

• 2Pac - “All Eyez On Me” vs. The Aranbee Pop Orchestra - “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)”
• 50 Cent - “Disco Inferno” vs. David Bowie - “Let’s Dance”
• 50 Cent - “Disco Inferno” vs. InDeep - “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”
• Afrika Bambaataa - “Zulu Nation Throwdown” vs. Freedom Express - “Get Down”
• Beastie Boys - “Here’s A Little Somethin’ For Ya” vs. DJ Shadow - “The Number Song (2009 Version)” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Beastie Boys - “Intergalactic” vs. Blondie - “Rapture”
• Beastie Boys - “Lee Majors Come Again” vs. Daft Punk - “Da Funk” (Produced and mixed by Cut Chemist)
• Beck - “Where It’s At” vs. DJ Shadow - “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
• Bell Biv DeVoe - “Poison” Beat Juggle
• Bell Biv DeVoe - “Poison” vs. Beastie Boys - “Intergalactic” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
• Bell Biv DeVoe - “Poison” vs. Cameo - “Word Up!”
• Benny Benassi - “Satisfaction” vs. Tiesto - “Elements Of Life”
• Billy Squier - “The Big Beat” vs. N.E.R.D. - “Lapdance” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Black Eyed Peas - “Boom Boom Pow” vs. Benny Benassi - “Satisfaction”
• Bobby “Blue” Bland - “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. 2Pac - “How Do You Want It”
• Bobby “Blue” Bland - “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. Connie Price & The Keystones - “Fuzz And Them”
• Boogie Down Productions - “Jack Of Spades” vs. David Bowie - “Let’s Dance” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers - “Bustin’ Loose” vs. The Zombies - “Time Of The Season” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers - “Bustin’ Loose” vs. Young MC - “Bust A Move”
• Common - “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” vs. Masta Ace - “Jeep A** Gutter (Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir RMX)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Cypress Hill - “Insane In The Brain” vs. Classics IV - “Spooky”
• Cypress Hill - “Insane In The Brain” vs. David Axelrod - “The Edge”
• Daft Punk - “Around The World” vs. Young MC - “Bust A Move”
• Daft Punk - “Da Funk” vs. N.A.S.A. - “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip”
• Daft Punk - “Megamix 1″
• Daft Punk - “Megamix 2″
• Daft Punk - “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim - “Al Naafyish (The Soul)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Daft Punk - “Robot Rock” vs. Queen - “We Will Rock You”
• Daft Punk - “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions - “Jack Of Spades”
• Daft Punk - “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan - “Cars”
• Daft Punk - “Television Rules the Nation” vs. No Doubt - “Hella Good”
• David Axelrod - “The Edge” vs. Eric B. & Rakim - “Eric B. Is President”
• Dizzee Rascal - “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. DJ Shadow - “Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)”
• Dizzee Rascal - “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. Justice - “Genesis”
• DJ Shadow - “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)” vs. D-Code - “Annie’s Horn”
• Eminem - “My Name Is” vs. Beck - “Loser”
• Fedde Le Grand - “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn - “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
• Foo Fighters - “Monkey Wrench” vs. Beastie Boys - “Sabotage” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Foreigner - “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs - “DJ Hero” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Foreigner - “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs - “DJ Hero” (DJ-Guitar mix, produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Gang Starr - “Just To Get A Rep” vs. Mobb Deep - “Shook Ones, Pt 2″ (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
• Gorillaz - “Feel Good Inc.” vs. Blondie - “Atomic”
• Grandmaster Flash’s - “Boom” vs. “Tap” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
• Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool, DJ Demo - “Here Comes My DJ” vs. Gary Numan “Cars” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
• Gwen Stefani - “Hollaback Girl” vs. Gorillaz - “Feel Good Inc.”
• Gwen Stefani - “Hollaback Girl” vs. InDeep “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
• Gwen Stefani - “Hollaback Girl” vs. Rick James - “Give It To Me”
• Herbie Hancock - “Rockit” Beat Juggle
• Herbie Hancock - “Rockit” vs. N.E.R.D. - “Lapdance” (Produced and mixed
• by Grandmaster Flash)
• InDeep - “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” vs. Cameo - “Word Up!”
• Jackson 5 - “I Want You Back” vs. Gang Starr - “Just To Get A Rep” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
• Jackson 5 - “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind - “Semi-Charmed Life” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Jackson 5 - “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind - “Semi-Charmed Life”
• JAY-Z feat. Pharrell - “Change Clothes” vs. 2Pac - “All Eyez on Me”
• JAY-Z - “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Eminem - “My Name Is”
• JAY-Z - “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Jackson 5 - “I Want You Back”
• JAY-Z - “Excuse Me Miss” vs. Rick James - “Give It To Me”
• Jean Knight - “Mr. Big Stuff” vs. Masta Ace - “Born To Roll”
• Jurassic 5 - “Jayou” vs. Billy Squier - “The Big Beat”
• Jurassic 5 - “Jayou” vs. Herbie Hancock - “Rockit”
• Kid Cudi - “Day ‘N’ Nite” vs. Black Eyed Peas - “Boom Boom Pow”
• Kool Moe Dee - “How Ya Like Me Now” vs. Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad
• Stuntman - “I Like To Move It”
• Little Richard - “Tutti Frutti” vs. Shlomo - “Beats” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
• M.I.A. - “Paper Planes” vs. Eric B. & Rakim - “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• M.I.A. - “Paper Planes” vs. Wale - “Lookin’ At Me”
• Marvin Gaye - “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. David Bowie - “Let’s Dance”
• Marvin Gaye - “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. Gorillaz - “Feel Good Inc.”
• Motorhead - “Ace Of Spades” vs. Noisia - “Groundhog” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• N.A.S.A. - “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip” vs. Isaac Hayes - “Theme From Shaft”
• Noisia - “Groundhog” Beat Juggle (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Paul van Dyk - “Nothing But You” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn - “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
• Public Enemy - “Shut ‘Em Down” vs. Beck - “Where It’s At”
• Public Enemy ft. Zakk Wylde - “Bring The Noise 20XX” vs. Justice - “Genesis” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Public Enemy featuring Zakk Wylde - “Bring The Noise 20XX” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Q-Tip - “Good Thang” vs. Billy Squier - “The Big Beat” (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
• Queen - “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Beastie Boys - “Brass Monkey” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Queen - “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Daft Punk - “Da Funk”
• Rihanna - “Disturbia” vs. Kid Sister - “Control”
• Rihanna - “Disturbia” vs. The Killers - “Somebody Told Me” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Rihanna - “Disturbia” vs. The Trammps - “Disco Inferno”
• Shlomo - “Beats” vs. Billy Squier - “The Big Beat”
• Street Sweeper Social Club - “Fight! Smash! Win!” vs. Beastie Boys - “Intergalactic” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Tears For Fears - “Shout” vs. DJ Shadow - “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
• Tears For Fears - “Shout” vs. Eric B. & Rakim - “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
• Tears For Fears - “Shout” vs. Eric Prydz - “Pjanoo”
• The Aranbee Pop Orchestra - “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)” vs. LL Cool J - “Rock The Bells” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
• The Scratch Perverts Beats and Pieces (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• The Killers - “Somebody Told Me” vs. Eric Prydz - “Pjanoo”
• Vanilla Ice - “Ice Ice Baby” vs. MC Hammer - “U Can’t Touch This”
• Vanilla Ice - “Ice Ice Baby” vs. Paula Abdul - “Straight Up”
• Wale - “Lookin’ At Me” vs. Black Eyed Peas ft. Tippa Irie - “Hey Mama”
• Weezer - “Beverly Hills” vs. Evidence, The Alchemist, Aceyalone, Rakaa & 88 Keys - “Fresh Rhymes And Videotape” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Wild Cherry - “Play That Funky Music” vs. Gang Starr - “Just To Get A Rep” (DJ-Guitar mix)

Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics developed and refined in Guitar Hero(R), DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to start the party and not only experience, but to hear music in an all-new way. With over 100 individual songs, highlighted in 93 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, pop, rock and dance, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game by incorporating anthems from legendary artists. Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller immerses fans into the DJ culture and a sea of music as they utilize and master various DJ techniques including scratching, crossfading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party.

The DJ Hero Renegade Edition featuring JAY-Z and Eminem includes a copy of the game, a premium Renegade turntable controller, hardshell turntable carrying case that converts to a performance-ready DJ stand, and an exclusive JAY-Z and EMINEM 2-CD pack featuring “best of” and new, unreleased material.

Firmly planting the arrival of DJ Hero(TM) as a new force in music and gaming, JAY-Z and EMINEM, two of the industry’s most influential and successful artists, unveiled the hand-selected track list on their 2-CD pack included only in the DJ Hero Renegade Edition, Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today. JAY-Z’s CD — his first “best of” compilation ever — features one hit song from each of his 11 chart-topping studio albums, plus his contribution to the Notorious feature film soundtrack. The EMINEM CD contains deep album cuts, rarities and an all-new, unreleased track titled “Taking My Ball,” making its exclusive debut only on the DJ Hero Renegade album. Fans eager to hear “Taking My Ball” before its October 27, 2009 debut with DJ Hero Renegade Edition can tune-in to the All Out Show on EMINEM’s Sirius XM Radio Channel SHADE45 on October 16, 2009 at 6:00pm to hear the track drop before the game’s release.

“The tracks we put on this disc are mostly overlooked or rarer favorites of mine from all different parts of my career,” said EMINEM. “I also put a brand new, unheard song on there so even the biggest fan has something new.”

“JAY-Z and EMINEM are two of the biggest selling artists of the last decade and have influenced music, arts, entertainment, fashion and technology around the world,” said Dan Rosensweig, president and CEO of Guitar Hero. “Their involvement with the game, especially the Renegade Edition and DJ Hero Renegade album, shows their commitment to being on the bleeding edge of entertainment.”

In addition to the exclusive DJ Hero Renegade album, the DJ Hero Renegade Edition featuring JAY-Z and EMINEM includes a DJ Hero game, a premium Renegade turntable controller and a hard shell turntable carrying case that converts to a performance-ready DJ stand.

DJ Hero Renegade album - JAY-Z’s disc track list:

• Ain’t No N***a - JAY-Z Featuring Foxy Brown
• Where I’m From - JAY-Z
• Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) - JAY-Z
• Jigga My N***a - Ruff Ryders Featuring JAY-Z
• I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me) - JAY-Z
• Izzo (H.O.V.A.) - JAY-Z
• 03′ Bonnie & Clyde - JAY-Z Featuring Beyonce Knowles
• Dirt Off Your Shoulder - JAY-Z
• Show Me What You Got - JAY-Z
• Roc Boys (And the Winner Is). . . - JAY-Z
• Brooklyn Go Hard - JAY-Z Featuring Santigold
• D.O.A. (Death of Auto Tune) - JAY-Z

DJ Hero Renegade album - EMINEM’s disc track list:

• Taking My Ball - EMINEM
• Say Goodbye to Hollywood - EMINEM
• Soldier - EMINEM
• The Re-Up - EMINEM & 50 Cent
• Rabbit Run - EMINEM
• Get U Mad - EMINEM
• Bad Guys Always Die - Dr. Dre & EMINEM
• Public Enemy No. 1 - EMINEM
• Say What You Say - EMINEM Featuring Dr. Dre
• Lose Yourself - EMINEM
• Hey Lady - Obie Trice Featuring EMINEM
• One Shot 2 Shot - EMINEM Featuring D-12

Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics developed and refined in Guitar Hero(R), DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to start the party and not only experience, but to hear music in an all-new way. With over 100 individual songs, highlighted in 93 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, pop, rock and dance, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game by incorporating anthems from legendary artists. Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller immerses fans into the DJ culture and a sea of music as they utilize and master various DJ techniques including scratching, crossfading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party.

FreeStyleGames and Activision took DJ Hero to E3 2009 and came back with a bunch of awards.

WINNERS

GamePro – E3 2009 Awards: The 27 Best Games / GamePro – Best of E3: Best Music Game
IGN – Overall Best of E3: Best Music/Rhythm Game / IGN – Best of E3 2009: Best Music/Rhythm Game (PS3)

RUNNER-UPS

1up.com: Best of E3 Music Game Runner-UP
Eurogamer: Game of the Show Honorable Mention
GameSpot – E3 Editors’ Choice Finalist: Best Rhythm Game
GameSpy – Best of E3 2009: Music/Rhythm Game of Show Runner-Up, Best Music/Rhythm Game Runner-Up (Xbox 360), Special Achievement for Innovation Runner-Up (PS3), Best Hardware/Peripheral Runner-Up (PS3), Best Hardware/Peripheral Runner-Up (Xbox 360)
IGN – Overall Best of E3: Special Achievement in Innovation, Best Hardware/Peripheral
GameTrailers – Best of E3: Most Innovative, New IP

NOMINATIONS (AWARD WINNERS TBD)

Game Critics: Best Hardware, Best Social/Casual Game

Also of note was Eurogamer’s “Best Publisher” with an Honorable Mention for Activision “which won 2009 at a stroke with Modern Warfare 2 and DJ Hero. Everyone else might as well go home…”

Innovative Partnership Includes Special Edition Featuring Music CDs from Both Artists Jay-Z and Eminem - two of the music industry’s most influential and successful artists - will join DJ Hero™, the highly-anticipated new game that is bringing DJ culture and new music genres including hip-hop, electronic, R&B and soul music to the successful Guitar Hero® platform, Activision Publishing, Inc.

Jay-Z and Eminem will contribute some of their popular songs to DJ Hero and will collaborate on a special branded edition of the game that will include an advanced version of the game’s turntable controller, a metal traveling case that transforms into a performance-ready DJ stand and two exclusive music CD compilations featuring greatest hits and new mixes from each artist. Jay-Z and Eminem will both provide downloadable content later this year that will give DJ Hero fans fresh mixes of their material.

“Jay-Z and Eminem are innovators and they share a vision for expanding their genre by letting fans embrace technology and music in new and exciting ways to get the most out of the experience,” said Dan Rosensweig, president and CEO of Guitar Hero. “Jay-Z and Eminem embody an entire generation and will continue to influence popular culture. Now their fans can experience what it’s like to play the music, mix the music and compete with themselves and others in a game that expands with the user.”

“A DJ has the ability to use music to control people’s emotions and is responsible for the entire vibe of a room, a club or a party,” said Jay-Z. “DJ Hero is the first video game that allows everyone to enjoy the unique experience of creating that environment.”

“I came up doing freestyle battles on local stages with other MCs and DJs,” said Eminem. “DJ’ing is an essential part of hip-hop and DJ Hero will give people all over the chance to experience the music from the other side of the turntables.”

DJ Hero immerses fans into DJ culture and a sea of music as they take turns with their friends, scratching songs, playing along to the hottest tracks and ruling the party. The game’s innovative turntable controller was created exclusively for the game and features familiar DJ tools including a fully-rotating turntable, sample buttons, effects dial and crossfader. Players master various DJ techniques as they play along to visual cues for scratching, blending, crossfading and sampling, and can also add their own creative spark by choosing to add a variety of effects, samples and scratches. Social expression is heightened with euphoric multiplayer gameplay where two DJs can battle competitively or have a player join in to emcee over any track in the game using any USB compatible microphone. Additionally, gamers can rock together as DJ Hero features DJ-guitar exclusive mixes played with a turntable controller and Guitar Hero® guitar controller.

DJ Hero is part of a highly anticipated fall video game lineup that includes Guitar Hero®5 and Band Hero™, which will redefine how consumers interact with music. Through unique partnerships with some of the hottest rock, hip-hop and top 40 artists, these games are bringing more fun ways to explore, share and participate in music for millions of people around the world.

DJ Hero is being developed by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems and the Wii™ system from Nintendo. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information about DJ Hero, please visit djhero.com.

One of the Most Anticipated Video Games of the Year Offers a Globally Diverse Collection of Music Including Hip-Hop, Pop, R&B, Electronica, Rock and More. SANTA MONICA, CA – May 28, 2009 – DJ Hero™ will drop the needle on one of the most anticipated new video games of 2009 with a completely fresh experience and legendary artists including Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, Justice, Marvin Gaye, Beck, Beastie Boys and N.E.R.D. DJ Hero features more than 100 individual songs that have been transformed into more than 80 exclusive, original mixes by superstar DJs including DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip, DJ AM and Cut Chemist. With an innovative, new turntable controller and the hottest music collection of original music, DJ Hero is a unique new social music gaming experience that will excite the millions of dance club music fans who can now play along to hit songs from a range of genres including hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock and electronica allowing them to rule the party with original mixes. Joining the internationally acclaimed DJ, producer and recording artist DJ Shadow, who has been consulting and contributed several mixes for DJ Hero, and making their video game debuts, DJ Z-Trip, a founder of the mashup movement who’s known worldwide for his sold out shows and eclectic style, and DJ AM, one of the world’s premier and most in-demand DJs today, appear as in-game characters and have each created multiple exclusive mixes for DJ Hero. Additionally, founding member of both the rap group Jurassic Five and the Grammy award winning Latin funk outfit, Ozomatli, Cut Chemist will debut an exclusive mix in the game.

In DJ Hero, faces in the crowd are transformed into the life of the party as the game’s turntable controller – created exclusively for DJ Hero and featuring familiar DJ tools including a fully-rotating turntable, sample buttons, effects dial and cross fader – immerses fans into the authenticity of DJ culture and a sea of music. By utilizing and mastering various DJ techniques including scratching, blending, cross fading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, gamers will rule the party performing music as only a DJ can. Social expression is heightened with euphoric multiplayer gameplay where two DJs can battle competitively or have a player join in to emcee over any track in the game with a mic. Additionally, gamers can rock together as DJ Hero features DJ-guitar exclusive mixes played with a turntable controller and Guitar Hero® guitar controller. DJ Hero is being developed by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems and the Wii™ system from Nintendo. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information about DJ Hero, please visit djhero.com. For more information on DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip, DJ AM and Cut Chemist, please visit djshadow.com, djztrip.com, djam.com and cutchemist.com, respectively.

We have purpose built studios with chill out areas, open plan work spaces and meeting rooms (see the photos below from our Leamington Studio). There is an energetic, creative vibe in the studio which is also reflected in the studio’s interior design.

Our Leamington Studio is based just minutes walk from the centre of town and also only a few minutes from the town’s parks and the River Leam.

Our London Studio is in the heart of Brick Lane and is buzzing with energy and the beat of our latest re-mixes.

We encourage our team to enjoy fun adventurous lifestyles and our motto is Work Hard, Play Hard!!

Some members of the FreeStyle Team:

Click here to find out about employment opportunities at FreeStyle.

It’s obviously a huge decision for the management team at FreeStyleGames to take and it has been done with our team, projects and future in mind. We have been working hard over the last few months to plan the company’s future and ensure we’re able to continue to compete at the very highest level within the industry, retain and recruit the very best people, and deliver critically and commercially successful games.

It’s no secret that we’re in an increasingly competitive market place, where fewer and fewer games succeed, but those that do enjoy greater success. We want to ensure FreeStyleGames, our team and our titles, are best placed to continue to compete now and in the future.

Being part of the Activision family of studios gives us the infrastructure, support, and financial muscle to continue to deliver on the ambition for FreeStyleGames. Activision also bring a wealth of experience to our projects, which will result in lower risks and better games.

One of the key drivers in our decision to sell to Activision is their independent studio model. This means that we retain our name, brand, identity and culture. Life goes on very much as it was and everything that people love about FreeStyleGames will stay the same.

It’s an exciting time for the company and great recognition of our success to date that Activision would look to welcome us to their studio roster. The partnership and what it provides to FreeStyleGames going forward is something we’re very excited about. Here are some of the reasons why:

• FreeStyleGames keeps its name, identity and culture.
• All current projects continue and become even more important to FreeStyleGames and Activision.
• We can begin to leverage Activision’s experience, infrastructure and support to deliver on the games we have in development.
• FreeStyleGames retain creative control, continue to run the studio and have the opportunity to continue to achieve our own ambitious targets.
• We can accelerate our recruitment plans for both the Leamington and London studios.

Obviously we’ll be in touch with all of the many friends of FreeStyleGames in the coming days, if we haven’t been already. We also expect to be able to announce more information about our projects soon.

For now, we’re back to work and looking forward to deliver some incredible games.

For the full press release, follow this link:

Press release

Jamie Jackson, Art Director, commented “We do like to be beside the seaside…”

Phil Hindle, Techincal Director added “Oh I do like to be besides the seaaaaaa…”