Developed by 7 Studios with creative input from music legend Quincy Jones III, CEO and chief creative officer of QD3 Entertainment and music producer for top artists Tupac Shakur, LL Cool J and Ice Cube, among others, Scratch combines free-form DJ tricks with great rhythm game-play. Scratch is set in distinctive urban environments and features songs from the biggest names in Hip Hop.

Featuring game-play similar to top-selling rhythm games, Scratch players use a realistic turn-table controller, the Scratch Deck, created by Numark, the world's largest manufacturer of DJ equipment, to manipulate music tracks in real-time. Players can choose from a diverse array of DJ personalities to make their way from garage DJ to scratch-master of the hottest nightclubs.

“For decades, Numark has been developing turntables, DJ mixers and digital DJ controllers. We know what professional DJs demand, and we used that knowledge to produce Scratch Deck,” said Adam Cohen, Director of Business Development, Numark. “It was critical that we deliver an authentic DJ experience to gamers, whether they be experienced DJs or players who have never put a needle to vinyl.”

Scratch Deck combines two essential elements of the DJ and hip-hop experience - a free-spinning, touch sensitive turntable with a crossfader and 5 Akai Pro MPC-style drum pads. The turntable allows players to add their own style and manipulate the songs in real time, while the MPC-style drum pads give players the opportunity to perform and customize tracks by triggering samples using the very same pads that are the cornerstone of professional hip-hop beat production. Samples can either be pre-loaded into the game using 60 unique battle records that will ship with the software, or players can record and upload their own samples using a compatible USB microphone.

In addition to the features created by Numark, Scratch Deck also contains standard game controls found in music rhythm games. The turntable features a realistic surface that feels remarkably similar to a vinyl record. The drum pads and the crossfader also deliver an authentic and realistic music production experience. Left-handed DJs will appreciate that Scratch Deck is designed for use in right or left-handed configurations.

“Being involved with Hip-Hop for so long, Numark has consistently been the standard for innovation and leadership in computer DJ controllers, their quality is second to none,” said Quincy Jones III of QD3 Entertainment. “We are very excited to partner with them to deliver the most authentic DJ experience for gamers and look forward to letting gamers and Hip Hop enthusiasts get their hands on the controller for the first time at E3.”

Scratch: The Ultimate DJ features 60 original and licensed tracks from the most popular hip-hop and R&B artists.

The setlist will include:

• Flashing Lights- Kanye West
• Intergalactic- Beastie Boys
• Let’s Get it Started- The Black Eyed Peas
• Slacker- Tech N9ne
• Don’t Sweat the Technique- Eric B. and Rakim

Additional music from artists:

• Run DMC
• The Gorillaz
• Nelly
• Deltron 3030

The Scratch development team has collaborated with Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys, who is providing creative and technical input for the game. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ will also feature music from Mix Master Mike’s upcoming album, set to launch later this year.

“I’m honored to be featured on the Scratch: The Ultimate DJ setlist, alongside some of the most talented artists in hip-hop,” said Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys. “It’s exciting to work on a project that gives fans the opportunity to create their own music using the turntable and sampler.”

“As a music producer for some of the biggest artists in hip-hop music, I can’t stress enough the importance of having a credible playlist in a music game such as Scratch,” said Quincy Jones III, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of QD3 Entertainment. “The artists and songs that were announced today definitely sets the stage for Scratch and lets gamers and hip hop fans know that we are serious about making a game just for them. We look forward to enticing fans even more, with other names we’ll be announcing in the months to come.”

In addition to a heavy-hitting setlist, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ features distinctive urban environments, an array of customizable DJ personalities and a turntable style controller created by Numark, one of the leading manufacturers of DJ equipment.

Scratch: The Ultimate DJ will be available on multiple next generation game systems, and is currently scheduled to arrive in stores summer 2009.