Yesterday, Nintendo of America announced an agreement with 4 Kids Entertainment that grants exclusive merchandising licensing agent for Nintendo game systems until 2005. Furthermore, the agreement also grants 4Kids exclusive rights to license live action or animated features for home video, TV or motion pictures. Here’s the press release with all the details!

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 10, 2001--4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) today announced that it signed a long-term agreement expiring December 31, 2005 with Nintendo of America Inc. to serve as the exclusive merchandise licensing agent for Nintendo game systems (Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance), Nintendo Classic characters (Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong etc.) and certain new Nintendo characters (Pikmin etc.) throughout the world excluding Japan.

The new agreement also gives 4Kids the exclusive right to license live action and animated television rights, home video rights and theatrical motion picture rights to Nintendo Classic properties, and certain new Nintendo properties. 4Kids also gains the right to produce, by itself or with partners, television series and other productions based on such Nintendo properties. The new agreement replaces the previous year-to-year agreement between Nintendo and 4Kids and does not affect Pokemon, which is covered by separate agreements between 4Kids and The Pokemon Company.

"We're delighted to receive this strong vote of confidence from Nintendo," said Al Kahn, Chief Executive Officer of 4Kids Entertainment. "The new agreement between 4Kids and Nintendo is an endorsement of 4Kids' capabilities and success to date in representing Nintendo properties outside of Japan. We're looking forward to Nintendo's successful Nintendo GameCube introduction in November 2001, together with exciting new games featuring Nintendo Classic Characters and certain new characters. With this agreement in place, 4Kids is positioned as a key long-term partner to one of the world's leading providers of interactive entertainment for kids."

"4Kids has been a valuable agent and partner for Nintendo over the years," says Minoru Arakawa, President of Nintendo of America. "The agreement means that the two companies can build upon past successes and go forward with marketing Nintendo's Classic Characters and our exciting new properties. We also can work together to produce television shows or license television broadcast rights to Nintendo properties. The success of Pokemon has demonstrated how combining successful video games and television series can create valuable franchises."