Music oriented video games turned out to be a profitable business prompting MTV Games and developer Harmonix to make a deal with legendary rock band AC/DC and its label for the band's very own version of MTV's "Rock Band," according to the New York Times.

Upon rife speculation, MTV announced on Tuesday the release of "AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack," a multiplatform "Rock Band" standalone retail game due in November, featuring live songs from the Australian hard rock group.

"We're excited to be part of AC/DC’s and Columbia's global plan for the release of their new album, DVD and now, videogame. Being the first to present these revered songs in interactive form, exclusively on the Rock Band platform is a true honor," MTV's SVP of Electronic Games and Music Paul DeGooyer said.

The video game, which will allow players to experiment with the master recordings from 18 of the band's best live performances, will be available starting November 2, alongside the group's upcoming album "Black Ice," both being exclusively sold through Wal-Mart stores.

The "AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack" will be available as a stand-alone product for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for $39.88 and the PlayStation 2 for $29.88. A Wii edition will arrive on November 16 for $39.88 in the US and Canada, with all four versions hitting the UK, Europe, and Australasia in December.

Wal-Mart will create a special area in each of its stores to display the new album and the new game, as well as the band’s other CDs, DVDs and T-shirts and other licensed clothing. This will be Wal-Mart’s first significant exclusive video game, but the chain has already emerged as a force in the music business because of the promotional muscle it has put behind recent albums from the Eagles and Journey, which were available only in its stores. The deal is equally significant or for AC/DC, since the band does not sell its music on Apple’s iTunes store.

"If you want to be a physical band, you better make an alliance with a strong physical retailer," said Steve Barnett, chairman of Columbia Records. "It’s a great way to sell the new album, the catalog, the game, merchandise and DVDs." MTV and Wal-Mart are exploring the idea of setting up temporary shops to sell the game and the album in Manhattan and Los Angeles, where the retailer has no stores.

The group's music has rarely been featured in today's music games, appearing only once in "Rock Band 2" and not at all in "Guitar Hero." AC/DC's "Rock Band" treatment balances the move last summer by Activision that made Aerosmith the first band to get its own version of "Guitar Hero." The latest release from the Guitar Hero franchise, produced more money from sales then any of Aerosmith's actual albums ever have.