Hot Video Game Console and Leading Artist to Hit the Road to Entertain Fans

REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced that Linkin Park is slated to be the first music promotional partner for the popular Microsoft® Xbox(TM) video game system. Kicking off the partnership with the band's first Projekt: Revolution tour, the two entities aim to expand their rapidly growing fan bases in a promotional campaign designed to reach each other's core audiences nationwide

``We're huge fans of Xbox,'' said Linkin Park guitarist Brad Delson. ``We've been playing it since before it came out, and we're excited about the opportunity to include Xbox in the first Projekt: Revolution tour.''

The partnership follows the launch of Linkin Park's new Web site dedicated to their multigenre tour, Projekt: Revolution. Xbox plans to extend substantial promotional support to the tour while Linkin Park generates awareness of Xbox with tour signage, logos on merchandise and autographed consoles for radio promotions. Both parties also plan to feature reciprocal Web site links on http://www.xbox.com/ , http://www.linkinpark.com/ and http://www.projektrevolution.com/.

``Linkin Park is an amazing band and a great partner,'' said John O'Rourke, director of sales and marketing for Xbox. ``They've taken the music industry by storm, and we feel Xbox couldn't tour with a cooler group.''

Both chart-topping Linkin Park and hot entertainment product Xbox carry momentum from 2001 into the new year. Microsoft sold 1.5 million Xbox units in North America between the Nov. 15, 2001, product launch and Dec. 31, 2001, executing one of the most successful launches in video game history. This unprecedented attention has fueled worldwide excitement for Xbox, which remains on track to launch in Japan on Feb. 22, and in Europe and Australia on March 14. Also pulling in record numbers, Linkin Park's debut LP ``Hybrid Theory'' was the best-selling album of 2001, with 4.81 million copies sold in the United States, according to SoundScan year-end charts.

``This is the ideal, synergistic relationship between artist and brand,'' said Eric Cohen, executive vice president of The Stronghold Group, the entertainment brand management firm that represents Linkin Park and the Projekt: Revolution property. ``With Projekt: Revolution designed as an annual event, the relationship between Linkin Park and Xbox will help further establish and communicate the identities between artist and brand.''

The Linkin Park Projekt: Revolution tour will begin Jan. 29, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Currently scheduled to travel to 19 markets nationwide, the tour also will feature bands Adema, Cypress Hill and DJ-ZTRIP. Supplementary tour dates and locations are as follows: Jan. 30 in Wichita, Kan.; Feb. 1 in Chicago; Feb. 2 in Madison, Wis.; Feb. 4 in Detroit; Feb. 5 in Dayton, Ohio; Feb. 7 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Feb. 8 in Uniondale, N.Y.; Feb. 9 in State College, Pa.; Feb. 11 in Lowell, Mass.; Feb. 12 in Fairfax, Va.; Feb. 13 in Philadelphia; Feb. 16 in Memphis, Tenn.; Feb. 17 in Dallas/Fort Worth; Feb. 18 in Oklahoma City; Feb. 20 in Phoenix; Feb. 22 in Long Beach, Calif.; Feb. 23 in San Diego; and Feb. 24 in Las Vegas.

About Linkin Park

Founded in 1997, Linkin Park has a strong base of dedicated fans worldwide and was recently named by Billboard Music Awards as modern rock artist of 2001. The Southern California band -- composed of vocalist Chester Bennington, guitarist Brad Delson, vocalist/MC Mike Shinoda, DJ Joe Hahn, drummer Rob Bourdon and bassist Phoenix -- has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide of their platinum debut album, ``Hybrid Theory.'' Part of the Warner Bros. Records label, Linkin Park continues to top charts, recently securing nominations in the categories of Best New Artist, Best Hard Rock Performance and Best Rock Album for February's Grammy Awards. After more than 300 days on the road, Linkin Park will return to the studio following their first Projekt: Revolution tour to begin work on their sophomore album.

About Xbox

Xbox is Microsoft's future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences ever. Xbox empowers game artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Xbox is now available in North America at the estimated retail price of $299.99.* More information on Xbox can be found at http://www.xbox.com/ .

About The Stronghold Group

Headquartered in Los Angeles, The Stronghold Group provides a single-source destination for artist, athlete and entertainment property for licensing, retail merchandising, commercial sponsorship and endorsement, as well as proprietary product development. In addition to Linkin Park, clients also include Dave Matthews Band, Sugar Ray, Nelly and Victoria Silvstedt. For information on The Stronghold Group, please contact Ray Doustdar at 323-951-1890.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.  Actual retail prices may vary.

NOTE: Microsoft and Xbox are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.