(LOS ANGELES) — Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. and MTV Games are making a generous minimum
$50,000 gift to Starlight Children’s Foundation to bring the power of music to children facing chronic
and life-threatening illnesses. The partnership will allow Harmonix, the world’s premiere music video
game development company and creators of Rock Band®, and MTV Games, publisher ofRock Band,
to give Starlight children the chance to relax, enjoy and rock out to music in a fully interactive and
social setting. In addition, more than 650 Rock Band® bundles have been provided to Starlight’s
seriously ill children at its Great Escape™ family events and to hospitals around the country.
“We’re honored to work with Starlight, which has an amazing tradition of offering support to seriously
ill children,” said Alex Rigopulos, CEO and co-founder of Harmonix Music Systems. “We hope that our
contribution will give these deserving families a new avenue to spend time together and enjoy great
music.”
Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games and Music for MTV Networks Music & Logo
Group, added: “We’re very excited to be part of a program enabling Starlight kids and their families to
rock out a bit through our placement of games in hospitals and at family events, facilitating once-in-alifetime
getaways, and donations. It truly is a privilege to help Starlight and its mission.”
Beyond the monetary gift and product donation, the partnership will:
– enable select Starlight families to attend the Rock Band tour events,
– provide Rock Band bundles to Starlight families at Starlight’s Great Escapes family activities,
– provide Rock Band bundles to pediatric patients at select Starlight hospital partners, and
– provide Rock Band themed Great Escape family activities, which will be hosted for Starlight
families by Harmonix and MTV Games.
Great Escapes (www.starlight.org/greatescapes) is a program created by Starlight to provide families
with seriously ill children with a chance to spend recreational time together to relax, regroup and
return home with a renewed sense of strength and hope. Great Escapes include movie screenings,
trips to the circus, ball games, harbor cruises, mother-daughter makeovers, picnics, pajama parties
and many more special activities. Starlight currently provides regular Great Escapes in more than 30
communities throughout the country.
The Rock Band themed Great Escapes will give Starlight children and family members a behind-thescenes
look at Rock Band, a chance to meet the game’s creators, a sneak peak at new content and
other once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
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HARMONIX AND MTV GAMES PARTNER WITH STARLIGHT
February 19, 2009
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“We all know that music is healing, and we are expecting Rock Band products to have a powerful,
therapeutic effect on our children,” said Paula Van Ness, CEO of Starlight Children’s Foundation. “Rock
Band will provide distractive entertainment therapy for thousands of seriously ill children and their
families, both in the hospital setting and on an out-patient basis.”
About MTV Games
MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive
products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks
brands.
About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of
entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television,
online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more
than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT,
Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY
CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.
About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading
developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos
and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the
unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US.
For more information please visit: www.harmonixmusic.com.
About Starlight Children’s Foundation
When a child or teenager has a serious medical condition, everyone in the family is affected. For 25
years, Starlight Children’s Foundation has been dedicated to helping seriously ill children and their
families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.
Starlight’s programs have been proven to distract children from their pain, help them better
understand and manage their illnesses, and connect families facing similar challenges so that no one
feels alone. Through a network of chapters and offices, Starlight provides ongoing support to children,
parents and siblings in all U.S. states and Canadian provinces with an array of outpatient, hospitalbased
and Web offerings. Programs are also delivered internationally through affiliates in Australia,
Japan and the United Kingdom. To learn more visit www.starlight.org.