Activision (3)

Activision are really going all out making Guitar Hero III, with the game taking on a boot full of exclusive partners. Equipment manufactures that have signed on are Axe, Gibson, Guitar Centre, Audio-Technica, Crate, Ernie Ball, Krank, Line 6, Mackie and Zildjian.

Media publications are also there to boost your virtual ego, they include Alternative Press, Decibel, Guitar Player, Kerrang and Paste magazines. Dave Anderson, senior director of business development for Activision had this to say about their new partnerships:

“By forging exclusive relationships with key companies in the music and consumer packaged goods industries we are able to bring an even greater depth of realism to Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. From venues like Pontiac Garage, to customised guitars from Axe, the game delivers the ultimate rock and roll experience.”

Once again the Office of Film and Literature Classification in Australia has banned a game because of a lack of sufficient ratings. The game in question is Activision’s Soldier of Fortune: Payback, and although reasons weren’t given we presume it’s for excessive gore.

In related news the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia has stepped up their campaign to have an R18+ rating for videogames in response to the looming federal election. The IEAA says Australia is the only developed democracy in the world without a R18+ classification for games, the result is that if a game exceeds the MA15+ rating it is banned.

via The Age

Ever wanted to be a rock god surrounded by groupies, but can’t be bothered learning an instrument? Activision is coming to the rescue with the launch of a Guitar Hero community site. While it’s currently little more than a teaser site, once Guitar Hero III hits on October 28, the site will allow players to earn groupies, find friends, compare scores and enter tournaments. Though the press release is a little obtuse, we presume that the site will operate similar to Bungie’s Halo 3 site.

Press release after the jump.

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Infinity Ward and Activision have announced details on the music for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The game will feature an original score by Stephen Barton (Shrek 2, Team America: World Police, Man on Fire), performed and recorded by a full orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London, and produced by award-winning composer Harry Gregson-Williams (Metal Gear Solid 2/3/4, Shrek, Enemy of the State).

Just in case you’re struggling to grasp that this means “good music”, listen to Grant Collier, studio head at Infinity Ward:

Harry Gregson-Williams was the perfect choice to craft an immersive and rich soundtrack that matches the heightened atmosphere and tension of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, […] Harry’s wealth of experience, passion and intensity together with the talents of young composer, Stephen Barton, shine through in the score draws gamers deeper into the epic and cinematic experience that is Call of Duty 4.

Activision today announced their acquisition of UK-based game developers Bizarre Creations, the developer of Microsoft’s hugely popular Project Gotham Racing series, for an undisclosed sum.

Bizarre Creations team of 160 people will start work on two new AAA titles (not surprisingly including one racing game) while they finish their current projects - Project Gotham Racing 4 for Microsoft, The Club for SEGA and Geometry Wars: Galaxies for Sierra.

Activision expects to publish their first Bizarre title after fiscal 2009.

When Activision found themselves unable to locate the master recordings for the Sex Pistols songs they wanted in Guitar Hero III, their solution was simple - get the band back in the studio.

You have to admire their attention to detail too - they managed to get three original band members, the original producer and the same analog sound desk that was used to record “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” involved in the process.

Guitar Hero III will be available in the US on October 28, for the Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 - including the Sex Pistols “Anarchy in the U.K” and other unannounced goodies.

Activision’s aptly timed demo of Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground has just been released onto Xbox Live, in an attempt to convince you not to rush out and buy skate when it hits shelves across the US tomorrow.

After seeing both games in action at Leipzig, Proving Ground looked far more impressive (and dare I say, complete) - but with both games now having demos available on Xbox Live, I’d suggest you go try them out for yourselves, rather than listen to me prattle on.

The leap to modern warfare may have sparked apprehension amongst some, but the COD series has never been one to disappoint. The good people at Activision were kind enough to hook us up with keys to COD4’s Xbox360-only multiplayer beta, and we soon got our teeth stuck into a multiplayer FPS that will soon keep members of the wider public awake till the wee hours of the morning and beyond.

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Registration for the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare multiplayer beta will open at 12 noon PST on August 27th (that’s soon.) Head over to charlieoscardelta.com to sign up - provided you have the pre-requisite Xbox 360.

Activision have also announced an upcoming release of the beta on Xbox Live for Australians. When, you say? All we have is a wonderfully vague release window of “before the game hits stores on November 7th.” Don’t hold your breath, kids!

I got my hands on Guitar Hero III at GC, and while the tracks on offer in the demonstration build were particularly underwhelming, the appearance of Pearl Jam meant I could give it a decent run for its money.

Hit the jump for a full video of me hacking my way through “Evenflow” on Hard, and my impressions.

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