(CNN) -- The fourth quarter of 2009 for the music and video game industries is shaping up to be all about the Beatles. And both could use some "Help!"
The video game industry has high hopes The Beatles 'Rock Band' will pull it out of recession.
The band, which released its last full album of original music in 1970, is the focus of the simultaneous Wednesday release of "The Beatles: Rock Band" for the Rock Band video game franchise, as well as the digitally remastered box set of the Beatles 13-album discography by EMI. Analysts expect a spike in video game and CD sales, which have been declining through the year.
For audiophiles the release of the remastered CDs in mono and stereo is the first re-release of the Beatles catalogue since 1987.
"It's probably the biggest catalogue remaster that has ever happened," said Paul Bromby, EMI's senior marketing manager heading the re-release for the London-based company.
Given the state of CD sales, it may also be the last major event of its kind: Sales of CDs in the United States last year dropped 19 percent, according to entertainment market researcher the NDP Group, while purchases of digital downloads increased by 29 percent. Forrester Research estimates digital downloads will outstrip CD sales by 2012.
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