The Beatles have enlarged been rock-and-roll’s most notorious holdouts from the digital revolution. Stroll through the electronic aisles of Apple’s iTunes Store, and there’s a big, gaping gap where the Fab Four should be, a gap not really filled by A Tribute to the Beatles by The Silver Beatles, or Lullabye Renditions of the Beatles by Rockabye Baby.

But that may be changing. On Thursday, MTV Games and Apple Corps Ltd., the primary rights holder for the Beatles catalog, announced that by the coming year they will collaborate on a new interactive music video game featuring the band’s music.

The game will be developed by Harmonix, publisher of the phenomenally popular Rock Band. The company expects it to be available in moment for the 2009 holiday season.

“Introducing the genius of The Beatles to a whole new generation of music lovers through original and inspired ways is extremely exciting to us at Apple Corps,” said Jeff Jones, CEO of

Apple Corps. “We are truly pleased to be working with the innovative forces at MTV and Harmonix as they embody our mutual passions for music and creativity.”

Support From Beatles

The project has received strong support from the two remaining Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as representatives of the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison.

“The project is a fun view,” McCartney said, “which broadens the appeal of The Beatles and their music. I like citizens having the opportunity to get to know the music from the inside out.”

Ringo Starr agreed: “The Beatles continue to evolve with the passing of instance, and how wonderful that The Beatles’ legacy will find its natural progression into the 21st century through the computerized world we live in. Let the games commence.”

Huge Potential

The deal brings together music’s best-selling group with one of the breakout video-game hits…

Original post by dhiram