MTV said on Friday it will acquire Harmonix Music Systems, a music-orientated games creator, for $175 million in cash. The acquisition will offer MTV's website visitors a more diverse entertainment selection.

Harmonix, developer of the PlayStation 2 hit Guitar Hero and other music gaming titles sold its stock to MTV, a division of Viacom Inc. Harmonix will combine its assets in the music and game industry with MTV's brand to create new ways for website visitors to interact with music.

"The acquisition of Harmonix will deepen MTV's connection to its audience via on-line, mobile and console music gaming, and expand the relationship with both labels and artists through the creation of games based on classic songs as well as future album releases,' said Christina Norman the President of MTV in a statement.

MTV Games' first partnered with Harmonix in November last year when it agreed to feature Harmonix Guitar Hero across of range of MTV's platforms. MTV's website visitors will be able to play along with, or remix, their favorite songs when Guitar Hero 2 is released later this fall.

The transaction is expected to close in the 4th quarter of 2006, and is subject to certain regulatory conditions.