Rockstar and Amazon bring digital music distribution to GTA4

Rockstar's soon-to-be-released Grand Theft Auto 4 has the potential to be one of the biggest titles of all time. Looking to cash in on that potential, Amazon and Rockstar Games have teamed up to create an interesting new aspect of the game that will leverage the ever-increasing bond between gamers and music: Grand Theft Auto 4 is set to include a unique new model for digital music distribution: gamers will be able to buy music for their iPods, PCs, and other devices in-game. (Ars Technica)

Gibson Guitar tangles with game makers

Gibson Guitar Corp. has widened its attack on the video game industry with a second patent infringement lawsuit. It claims, in a case filed Thursday in federal district court in Nashville, that by developing, distributing and promoting the video game "Rock Band," Harmonix, MTV Networks and Electronic Arts are violating a virtual-reality patent the guitar maker holds. (AP)

Notes Of Discord For Guitar Hero

Last year, However, success has brought with it familiar challenges: imitation, competition and a falling out with partners. "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" was the best-selling game of 2007, with 5.7 million units sold. A cell-phone version was also recently launched. One very real threat is "Rock Band," a game that allows multiple users to play various instruments and sing in a virtual band. (Forbes)

MTV: 'Rock Band' Song Purchases Double

MTV has revealed that more than 6 million songs have been purchased as new playable levels for the popular "Rock Band" video game—doubling the number of purchases as of just two months ago. In late January, MTV announced it had sold 2.5 million songs since the game's Nov. 20 release. The game now has more than 70 songs available for individual download. A new Rock Band Music Store feature will allow gamers to browse, preview and purchase tracks through an interface included in the game. (Billboard)

Video game sales grow 34 percent in February, PS 3 stays ahead of Xbox 360

Total video game industry sales were up 34 percent to $1.3 billion, year over year. Hardware was up 19 percent, a strong showing in spite of recent price cuts. Software was up 47 percent and accessories were up 36 percent. Year to date, the industry was up 26 percent. (Venture Beat)

Paramount seals Blu-ray sweep

All six major Hollywood studios are now in the Blu-ray Disc camp, a day after Toshiba has pulled the plug on HD DVD and Blu-ray became effectively the only next-gen game in town. Paramount Home Entertainment quietly came onboard via a statement sent exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday: "We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer," the statement reads. (Hollywood Reporter)

Aerosmith Rocks This Way to Guitar Hero

Fire up the fret board, crank the amp to 11 and get ready to rock this way with Activision, Inc.’s Guitar Hero Aerosmith, the first game built around the legendary music of America’s Greatest Rock ‘N Roll Band. To celebrate this historic, ground-breaking collaboration, fans will have the opportunity to download and jam to Aerosmith’s “Dream On.” The song will be available for free from February 16-18. (USA Today, PR, Billboard)

January video game sales hit $1.18 billion

U.S. sales of video game hardware and software were $1.18 billion, with Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii console keeping a slim edge over rivals amid ongoing supply constraints. Overall sales fell 6 percent, partly due to January 2008 covering a four-week period, compared with a five-week period for the same month a year ago, NPD said, adding that sales were up 18 percent on an average weekly basis. (Reuters)

'Rock Band' pumps up music sales

The success of the video game Rock Band is drumming up revenue for the music industry. Virtual rockers downloaded roughly 2.5 million songs in the eight weeks since the game launched on the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 systems. Rock Band, developed by Harmonix, which also created Guitar Hero, comes with 58 playable songs including the Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter and Metallica's Enter Sandman. But many more tunes can be downloaded over the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live for prices varying from 99 cents to $2.99. (USA Today, Billboard)

Microsoft Gains Traction In Media Devices

Just last week, Microsoft apologized for persistent glitches in its Xbox Live video-on-demand service. It took $1 billion in charges in its 2007 fourth fiscal quarter to cover warranty expenses stemming from a widespread hardware malfunction in the Xbox 360 game console. Those events left many of the company’s detractors positively aglow in schadenfreude. But Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division, which includes the Xbox, the Zune and other media platforms, is doing a lot better than those critics might think. (Forbes)