LAS VEGAS – Video games were everywhere at CES 2011, especially since the latest mobile phones and tablets open up greater opportunities for visuals and gameplay. EA Mobile’s ROCK BAND, which was created by developer Harmonix, made its mobile debut in Las Vegas at the Verizon Wireless press conference. ROCK BAND will be coming to select 4G smartphones from Verizon Wireless later this year.
When playing ROCK BAND on select Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphones, consumers will be able to rock out with their friends like never before – wherever they are hanging out. Packed with favorite hits, ROCK BAND will be ideal for music lovers looking to rock out on guitar, bass, drums and vocals. A Quick Play mode will provide casual jam sessions, and players can hit the road to rock sold-out stadiums in Tour Mode. Buddy Lists, a feature exclusive to ROCK BAND on select Verizon Wireless 4G LTE devices, will allow players to join games, locate others they have recently played with and search for friends. EA Mobile worked directly with Verizon Wireless to optimize ROCK BAND for Verizon Wireless' fast 4G LTE network.
"By bringing ROCK BAND to Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network, EA continues to innovate and change the way mobile gamers experience the popular music franchise," said Travis Boatman, vice president of worldwide studios for EA Mobile. "ROCK BAND is all about great music and having fun with your friends. With the integration of multiplayer over Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE mobile network, you will be able to play your friends anywhere they are, anytime you want, from your favorite Verizon Wireless 4G LTE device."
"We've worked with EA for years to bring exciting games to our customers, and ROCK BAND on the 4G LTE network takes it up a level and will deliver even more fun and entertainment on mobile phones," said Marni Walden, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. "Our 4G LTE network gives leading game developer and publisher EA the freedom to flex its creative muscles to give consumers new and innovative ways to play."
ROCK BAND for select Verizon Wireless 4G LTE devices will feature 20 popular songs, including: "Attack," 30 Seconds to Mars; "Girls Not Grey," AFI; "Sabotage," Beastie Boys; "All the Small Things," blink-182; "Hanging on the Telephone," Blondie; and "Learn To Fly," Foo Fighters.
The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network, launched in December 2010, is the fastest, most advanced 4G network in the United States, providing speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon Wireless' 3G network. Consumer devices with a wide range of applications, including ROCK BAND, are expected to be available later this year. Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network currently reaches one-third of all Americans, with plans to expand the network to the company's entire 3G coverage area over the next three years.
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About the Author
John Gaudiosi
Editor-in-Chief
John Gaudiosi has been covering videogames for the past 20 years for outlets like The Washington Post, CNET, Wired Magazine and CBS.com. He has focused on the convergence of entertainment and videogames for outlets like Video Business, Home Media Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Gamerlive.TV and is also a freelance game columnist for Reuters and writes for outlets like Forbes.com, NVISION, Official PlayStation Magazine, EGM Now, Geek Monthly, PrimaGames.com, and Yahoo! Games. John also serves as the video game expert for NBC in Washington D.C. and has produced videogame documentaries for The History Channel and Starz Entertainment. John was named one of the Top 50 Game Journalists in the world by Next-Gen.biz in 2007. He is the co-author of Scholastic Books' How to Get into Videogames, Prima Publishing's Madden: Twenty Years of Videogame Football and Electronic Arts: The Official History.
