GRAPEVINE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Pull out the leather pants, round up your friends and crank your amps up to eleven! GameStop (NYSE:GME), the world's largest video game and entertainment software retailer, today announced that it will host events at 1,800 of its stores in celebration of the midnight release of Activision Publishing, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero(R) World Tour on Saturday, October 25, 2008.

With festivities at GameStop stores coast-to-coast kicking off Saturday at 10 p.m., teens, adults and families can put their rock 'n' roll skills to the test with Guitar Hero(R) matches, air guitar challenges, rock star impersonation games and more. Attendees will also have an opportunity to get their hands on the highly-anticipated Guitar Hero World Tour game.

"At GameStop, we are witnessing a new generation of gamers who are interested in casual, more social gaming experiences," said Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising, GameStop. "Partnering with Activision for the launch of Guitar Hero World Tour lets us give power to the players of all skill levels and gaming abilities."

In addition to widespread midnight madness launches, GameStop will host three marquee events at retail locations located in New York City (33RD Street & Broadway), Dallas (Park & Preston) and Los Angeles (Universal CityWalk). Event goers will get a chance to showcase their Guitar Hero prowess with a Guitar Hero shred-off, see-and-be-seen with celebrity VIP guests and more. Attendees at marquee events will also have the opportunity to experience Guitar Hero World Tour before it goes on sale at midnight.

When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero's signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player "Battle of the Bands," which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock 'n' roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunes(SM) where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.

For more information on an event near you, log on to www.gamestop.com, and search using the 'Store Locator.'

About GameStop Corp.

Headquartered in Grapevine, TX, GameStop Corp. is the world's largest video game and entertainment software retailer. The company operates 5,557 retail stores in 16 countries worldwide. The company also operates two e-commerce sites, GameStop.com and EBgames.com, and publishes Game Informer(R) magazine, a leading multi-platform video game publication. GameStop Corp. sells new and used video game software, hardware and accessories for video game systems from Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. In addition, the company sells PC entertainment software, related accessories and other merchandise. General information on GameStop Corp. can be obtained at the company's corporate website: http://www.gamestopcorp.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan and South Korea. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook", "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to help identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales of Activision Publishing's titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms (including next-generation hardware), declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, Activision Blizzard's success in integrating the operations of Activision Publishing and Vivendi Games in a timely manner, or at all, and the combined company's ability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction to the extent, or in the timeframe, anticipated. Other such factors include additional risk factors identified in Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

*Online gameplay is only available for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system and Wii(TM) and may require an additional subscription.

Guitar Hero World Tour (C) 2008 Activision Publishing, Inc. Guitar Hero, Activision and RedOctane are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

"PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION" and "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Used with Permission. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Wii and the Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo.

Source: GameStop Corp.