THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK) today
announced an agreement
with PC-Online game developer
Vertigo Games for WWE® SmackDown®
vs. Raw® Online (working title). Scheduled
for release in Asia in late 2010, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw Online
will mark the debut of the popular SmackDown vs. Raw franchise in
the PC-online space.
"We are pleased to bring the #1 fighting
franchise, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw, to an online format, offering
gamers an immersive online experience based on the world of the WWE,”
said Brian Farrell, president and CEO of THQ. "We
view the online game market as an important driver of future growth and
this new title further expands our portfolio of great games for this
exciting market.”
"Now more than ever, fans can become their
favorite Superstar in a WWE virtual world of their own creation,”
said Nelo Lucich, senior vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific. "Our
entry into the online arena allows us to reach sophisticated gamers with
unique and compelling content, engrossing fans in their own personalized
WWE world.”
"We are very excited about the opportunity to
work with THQ, one of the world’s leading
videogame publishers, to develop the first PC-online version of the
blockbuster WWE SmackDown vs. Raw franchise,”
said Junk Kim, CEO, Vertigo Games. "We plan
to deploy our deep online technology and development experience to
deliver a highly successful SmackDown vs. Raw game in the online space.”
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw Online marks THQ’s
fourth game in development exclusively for the growing PC online market,
following an MMO game based on the popular Warhammer 40,000 universe,
Company of Heroes Online, and Dragonica, a casual MMO.
About WWE SmackDown vs. RAW Online
WWE SmackDown vs. RAW Online is a fighting action game that
allows players to enter the world of the WWE and play as their favorite
Superstar. Players can create their own Superstar to compete and seek
virtual wealth and fame in order to achieve the ultimate ranking in the
Hall of Fame. Offering single player and multi-player modes, players can
earn respect and points to unlock special features, items and level up
their rankings. Players can purchase additional items, abilities and
themes to enhance and personalize their Superstar in this exciting
head-to-head online wrestling experience. The game will offer ongoing
content updates and features to enhance the players’
experience as they progress through the ranks, as well as season mode.
Players will also be able to enter the lobby to challenge opponents,
shop or interact with other connected players. WWE
SmackDown
vs. RAW Online provides the ultimate wrestling experience appealing
to both beginner and advanced PC-online players.
About World Wrestling Entertainment,
Inc.
Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:WWE),
can be found at wwe.com
and corporate.wwe.com.
For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
About Vertigo
Established by experienced veterans of online game industry in Korea,
Vertigo Games, Inc. has been developing PC-online games from 2006
starting from their first title, Black Shot, a military FPS massively
online game. After merging Radio Games of the world 1st
online martial arts fighting online game, Kwonho, in 2007, Vertigo Games
has been growing with three projects including a co-development with
Chinese Our Games. Vertigo’s core technology
is called "Magellan Engine”
which is a proven strong platform consists of efficient and flexible
modules that can be easily integrated into an massively online game.
SmackDown vs Raw Online will be their 4th
project to date. You can visit www.vertigogames.co.kr
for more detail.
About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK) is a leading designer and marketer of
toys and consumer products, with a wide range of products that feature
some of the most popular children's toy licenses in the world. JAKKS’
diverse portfolio includes Action Figures, Art Activity Kits,
Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports
Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys,
Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories,
sold under various proprietary brands including JAKKS Pacific®,
Play Along®, Flying Colors®,
Creative Designs International™, Road Champs®,
Child Guidance®, Pentech™,
Trendmasters®, Toymax®,
Funnoodle®, Go Fly a Kite®,
Color Workshop®, JAKKS Pets™,
EyeClops™ and Plug It In & Play TV Games™.
JAKKS is an award-winning licensee of several hundred nationally and
internationally known trademarks including Disney®,
Nickelodeon®, Warner Bros.®,
World Wrestling Entertainment®, Ultimate
Fighting Championship® and Cabbage Patch Kids®.
JAKKS and THQ Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide
rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment video games.
For further information, visit www.jakks.com.
About THQ
THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of
interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products
for all popular game
systems, personal computers and wireless
devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells
product through its global network of offices located throughout North
America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its
products may be found at www.thq.com
and www.thqwireless.com.
THQ, THQ Wireless and their respective logos are trademarks and/or
registered trademarks of THQ Inc.
All World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. programming, talent names,
images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, and logos are the
exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All other
trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective
owners.
The statements contained in this press release that are not
historical facts may be "forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These forward-looking
statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections
about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively
referred to as "THQ”),
including, but not limited to, expectations and projections related to
the WWE SmackDown vs. RAW Online video game, and are based upon
management’s current beliefs and certain
assumptions made by management.
Such forward-looking statements
are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, business,
competitive, economic, legal, political and technological factors
affecting our industry, operations, markets, products or pricing.
Readers
should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could
materially affect THQ’s financial results,
described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2008, and particularly the
discussion of risk factors set forth therein.
Unless otherwise
required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any
such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results
of any revision to these forward-looking statements.
Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
This press release may contain forward–looking
statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995) that are based on current expectations, estimates
and projections about JAKKS Pacific's business based partly on
assumptions made by its management.
These statements are not
guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and
assumptions that are difficult to predict.
Therefore, actual
outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or
forecasted in such statements due to numerous factors, including, but
not limited to, those described above, changes in demand for JAKKS'
products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the
impact of competitive products and pricing, and difficulties with
integrating acquired businesses.
The forward-looking statements
contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and
JAKKS undertakes no obligation to update any of them to reflect events
or circumstances after the date of this release.