LINKIN PARK's BENNINGTON, SHINODA Take Part In Online Video Chat

LINKIN PARK vocalist Chester Bennington and resident rapper and sonic mastermind Mike Shinoda took part in an online video chat on March 31, 2010. The results of the question-and-answer session can be viewed below.

LINKIN PARK recently announced the upcoming release of "Linkin Park 8-Bit Rebellion!", a groundbreaking game app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

Production on "Linkin Park 8-Bit Rebellion!" began more than a year ago, when LINKIN PARK partnered with game developer Artificial Life, Inc. to create a heightened app experience for music fans and gamers alike. The result is the first-ever massively multi-player app to be designed around a music artist. The band (who appear as characters in the game) was intimately involved in every aspect of the game: storylines, gameplay, character design and music.

Unlike other apps offering simple rhythm games, "Linkin Park 8-Bit Rebellion!" plays like a full-on action-adventure game. Players must free LINKIN PARK's idyllic 8-bit world from the clutches of the evil PixxelKorp, whose corrupt agents have stolen the band's music. As members of the rebellion, players will take on missions that lead them through several unique districts in the game — each district is themed after a different band member. During their missions they will fight off the PixxelKorp forces, hunt down the lost tracks and save the band from pending disaster to become an 8-bit hero! Among its many highlights, the app features "Blackbirds", an exclusive LINKIN PARK song that's unlocked upon completion of the game. This is the first time an artist has released a brand-new song through a mobile game app.The game also features original and 8-bit interpretations of some of LINKIN PARK's greatest hits, including "New Divide", "One Step Closer", "In The End", "Crawling", "QWERTY", "Hands Held High", "Faint", and "No More Sorrow". This marks the first time that LINKIN PARK's music has been reinterpreted using old-school video game sounds. The game, which also includes original artwork by the band, opens with "One Step Closer" sounding like it was coming out of a first-generation NES.

"Linkin Park 8-Bit Rebellion!" provides players with the ability to create and outfit avatars by choosing from hundreds of different combinations. The app's seamless integration of online features allows for a unique game experience, in which players can embark on their own journey while meeting and chatting with friends. The online community features IM chats, in-app messaging, message boards, ranking other players and sending gifts. The game also has an offline mode in which players can still complete missions and buy new items in stores. This allows users without a stable internet connection to play the game wherever they are. Once back online, they can sync their scores, items and game progress onto the server and continue with the game. Simply put, "Linkin Park 8-Bit Rebellion!" is the only app to ever integrate gaming, social networking and news updates all in one.