According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple Corps Ltd which is the Beatles' recording company and MTV Networks are expected to announce that the Beatles have licensed songs to the popular video game “Rockband,” a 4-person game that allows you to emulate your favorite bands with 2 guitars, drums and a microphone. The deal marks the first time that The Beatles' music will play on video games.

“Rock Band 2” is available on the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 consoles. MTV Games and Apple Corps said that surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon, Olivia Harrison, and Beatles producer Giles Martin, were to provide input for the game. Nevertheless no further specific details about the timing, price, platforms, or specific songs or albums were given yet.

"It will be an interactive music-making game," Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music/Logo Group, said during a conference call with reporters. "I would say that there will be interactive performance of Beatles music, as well as a number of new dimensions that you haven't seen from us so far."

The deal is pretty serious, though, as Apple Corps has been in talks with MTV and Harmonix for about 17 months now, according to the companies. Activision Blizzard, which produces “Rock Band’s” competitor “Guitar Hero,” was also reportedly in a heated battle to win the rights to the Beatles catalogue.

Nevertheless, Activision has already released an Aerosmith-themed “Guitar Hero,” and they’ve also signed up with Metallica for a future “Guitar Hero” game.

Even though MTV has sold 4 million copies of “Rock Band,” the “Guitar Hero” franchise, which started in 2005, has sold 23 million copies, and “Guitar Hero III” was the bestselling game of last year.