Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett believe collaborative projects between bands and video game developers, such as the upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica, could lead to the music and games industries merging.

In an interview with USA Today, the celebrities were asked what they think of video games as a music delivery system. Hammett said: “I have a sneaking suspicion that the video game industry and the record industry are going to eventually just merge into one big thing.

“That’s cool in that it gives you a different sort of dynamic, a virtual aspect of the delivery of music rather than it just being one-dimensional. It’s enabling the artists to present the music in a very new and different and modern way.”

Ulrich added: “It’s unfolding as we are watching. It is definitely the new frontier. We put out our new album Death Magnetic the day it came out on downloadable format for the game, and it’s been through the roof and reception has been incredible. Certainly, as I have seen with my kids, it is a way to get kids passionate and involved in music.”

Guitar Hero: Metallica is due to be released in early 2009.