New York - Video game publisher Activision (NASD: ATVI) has affirmed plans to extend its wildly popular "Guitar Hero" franchise beyond the guitar and bass to other instruments, a la rival music-based game "Rock Band," Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said in an interview with Portfolio.com. "We'll include a lot of other instruments [and] vocals," said Kotick, while refraining from giving any clues as to when these new elements might appear in the game franchise.

Sunnyvale, Calif. - Video game publisher Activision announced on Wednesday that surviving members of the legendary punk band the Sex Pistols have re-recorded their classic track "Anarchy in the U.K.," which will be included in the guitar-based karaoke title "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock."

Sunnyvale, Calif. - Activision on Wednesday announced details for the forthcoming third installment of its "Guitar Hero" air guitar video game, scheduled for release in the fall for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii. A new multiplayer battle mode will allow players to compete online, using new wireless guitar controllers modeled after Gibson's Les Paul and Kramer models. The latest version, developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane, will feature licensed songs from artists including the Rolling Stones, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, Weezer, Alice Cooper, Foghat and Heart.