Earlier this week, Activision announced that late singer/guitarist Jimi Hendrix will be making his first ever video game appearance in the upcoming Guitar Hero World Tour . Players will be able to step into the shoes of this icon of 20 ^th century music, as he will be featured in the game as a playable character. Not only that, but two of his most recognizable master tracks, Purple Haze (Live) recorded in 1969 at the San Diego Sports Arena and The Wind Cries Mary will be included with the game. A number of additional exclusive Hendrix songs will also be made available later on as downloadable content.

“ Guitar Hero games have become the virtual rock stage for the industry’s most beloved artists and Guitar Hero World Tour continues that tradition by honoring the great Jimi Hendrix and celebrating some of his greatest work,” said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Activision Blizzard. “His presence in the game will serve to satisfy multiple generations of his fans and Guitar Hero devotees, as well as create new fans by reintroducing his genre-defining guitar style through the unique Guitar Hero experience.”

Guitar Hero World Tour is currently in development for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 by Neversoft Entertainment. Vicarious Visions is handling the development of the Wii version, while Budcat is taking on the Playstation 2 development. The game is set to release on October 26 ^th and will be competing with both Rock Band and Rock Band 2 (releasing in September). This game is not yet rated. For more information on the Guitar Hero franchise, check out www.guitarhero.com.