TDK partners with Infogrames and nabs the Tonka license for GameCube, GBA, and GBC.
TDK MEDIACTIVE AND INFOGRAMES ANNOUNCE LICENSING ALLIANCE
TDK Mediactive to Bring TONKA Brand to Nintendo Platforms
CALABASAS, Calif. – May 20, 2002 – TDK Mediactive, Inc. (OTC: TDKM.OB), a global publisher of interactive entertainment software, announced today that it has added the TONKA brand from Hasbro, Inc. to its strong stable of licensed properties. The company has gained exclusive rights to develop and publish interactive games using the TONKA MONSTER TRUCKS and TONKA SEARCH AND RESCUE license for Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy® Advance and Game Boy® Color video game and handheld systems. TDK Mediactive will produce these titles under a sub-licensing agreement with Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFGM), the master licensor and publisher of CD-ROM games based upon Hasbro’s intellectual property.
"Content is king in the video game marketplace and we are excited to be working with a company with such great intellectual content," said Vincent Bitetti, chief executive officer, TDK Mediactive. "The TONKA brand is a proven toy line and interactive property, having sold millions of copies on PC CD-ROM since inception. We believe TONKA is a perfect property for the Nintendo hardware platform and are excited to begin what we believe will be a mutually beneficial, strategic business relationship with Infogrames.”
"We are pleased to be working with TDK on licensing initiatives for specific video game platforms," said Jon Leach, vice president of licensing, Infogrames, Inc. "Infogrames is committed to maximizing our licensed properties and will continue to publish titles internally, as well as with select publishing partners who share the passion and commitment to our brands.''
TDK Mediactive is scheduled to ship the TONKA CONSTRUCTION SITE game for Game Boy Color in late May, 2002 and expects to ship Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance titles in 2003.
About the TONKA Brand
Founded in 1947, Hasbro Inc.’s TONKA brand is the leading preschool vehicle brand and a name that is synonymous with toughness, durability and fun. Last year, TONKA trucks were just one of two new inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame® in Salem, Oregon. TONKA is a trademark of Hasbro and is used with permission. © 2002 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.
About Infogrames
New York-based Infogrames, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFGM) is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company develops video games for all consoles (Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Nintendo and Microsoft), PCs, and Macintosh systems. Infogrames’ catalogue of more than 1,000 titles includes award-winning franchises such as Civilization’, Backyard Sports”, Deer Hunter“, Driver‘, RollerCoaster Tycoon“, and Test Drive“, and key licenses including Warner Bros. Looney Tunes‘, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues’, Dragon Ball Z“, Unreal’, Mission Impossible“, Terminator’, Harley-Davidson“, Major League Baseball“, and the National Football League“, among many others. The Company’s Humongous Entertainment and MacSoft labels are leaders in children’s and Macintosh entertainment software, respectively.
Infogrames, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (IESA) (Euronext 5257), a global publisher and distributor of video games for all platforms. In 2001, IESA acquired Infogrames Interactive, Inc. (formerly Hasbro Interactive), including rights to use its line of software based on well-known licenses such as MONOPOLY, Jeopardy’, TONKA, and Atari’, which are published and distributed in the U.S. by Infogrames, Inc. For more information, visit the Company’s Web site at www.infogrames.com.
About TDK Mediactive, Inc.
Southern California based TDK Mediactive, Inc. is a global publisher of high quality interactive entertainment software for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PS one game console, Xbox‘ video game system from Microsoft, and the Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy® Advance and the Game Boy® Color systems. The Company also publishes titles for personal computers via a co-publishing agreement with Activision Value, a subsidiary of Activision, Inc. The company's games are based on licensed and original content derived from major motion pictures, video franchises, popular literature and popular culture. TDK Mediactive has exclusive technology and content licenses with Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Nintendo of America Inc., DreamWorks SKG, Vivendi Universal Studios, Mattel, Inc., Classic Media, R & S Trading, BKN International, DC Comics, Hallmark Entertainment Distribution LLC, BDSP Inc., The Jim Henson Company, General Motors Corporation and others.
