Thirty Seconds to Mars Brings "WAR" to Dragon Age: Origins

Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), announced today that award-winning rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars will headline the in-game soundtrack for the new epic RPG, Dragon Age™: Origins. The title song from the band’s new album “THIS IS WAR” will make its world debut in Dragon Age: Origins before the highly-anticipated album (EMI’s Virgin Records) drops on December 8th. Available in the game today, fans and press can also get a first-listen of “THIS IS WAR” in an exclusive game trailer co-produced by Thirty Seconds to Mars front-man, Jared Leto. The trailer can be downloaded at: http://press.bioware.com/ThisisWarDAO (Username: media; Password: BioAssets2get)

“EA has always had a forward-thinking relationship with Thirty Seconds to Mars and we are overwhelmed with excitement about the band’s involvement and creative contribution to Dragon Age: Origins,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing at EA. “This exciting song debut exemplifies our continued commitment to working with great bands that move the needle to where music is going.”

“We always like to push the envelope in the entertainment and media space and debuting our title track in a game of this caliber is a great way to communicate our music to fans around the world,” said Jared Leto, lead singer of Thirty Seconds to Mars. “We’ve come a long way from having to rely solely on radio to approach and engage music fans, and Dragon Age: Origins is the perfect game to do this with.”

In Dragon Age: Origins, players take the role of a Grey Warden, one of the last of an ancient order of guardians. Now, as a rising evil threatens to destroy all life, it is up to players to unite the shattered lands and slay the corrupted dragon known as the Archdemon. To restore peace, players must make ruthless decisions and be willing to sacrifice their friends and loved ones for the greater good of mankind.

Dragon Age: Origins is available now in North America on PlayStation®3, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC. In Europe, Dragon Age: Origins will be released on November 6th on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC and later in November on PlayStation®3. Dragon Age: Origins is rated M by the ESRB and 18+ by PEGI. More information on Dragon Age: Origins can be found at: http://www.dragonage.com.

With more than 100 million views on YouTube, 40 million plays on MySpace and more than one million fans on iLike/Facebook, Thirty Seconds to Mars have always been quick to embrace digital culture. Formed by brothers Jared and Shannon Leto, Thirty Seconds to Mars have won numerous awards and accolades, including an MTV Video Music Award, three MTV EMA’s, an MTV Latin and Asia Award, a Fuse Award, and three Kerrang! Awards. Thirty Seconds to Mars’ sophomore record, “A Beautiful Lie” hit platinum status after almost two years of heavy touring and winning fans over, one by one. The media caught on too - Alternative Press raved that the band "...just might be rock's best-kept secret. He [Jared Leto] sings with a range and ease that makes cathedrals jealous" while the Washington Post exclaimed, "hard-driving guitar riffs and powerful vocals carry this head banging outfit all the way to the rock-race finish line." The record spawned two Top 5 Modern Rock singles, “From Yesterday” and “The Kill” and the latter set a radio record for the longest-running hit in the history of Modern Rock radio play when it remained on the national airplay chart for more than 50 weeks following its #3 peak in 2006. “From Yesterday” was the band’s first #1 at the format and its epic video was the first American music video ever shot in the People's Republic of China. Thirty Seconds to Mars have over 500 live performances under their belts since the release of “A Beautiful Lie”, including major festival shows like Lollapalooza in the United States, Holland’s Pinkpop Festival and Japan’s Summer Sonic, which has earned them a growing, loyal, global fan base.