SEGA AND
NINTENDO
JOIN FORCES
for MARIO &
SONIC AT THE
OLYMPIC
GAMES
Legendary
Icons Appear
Together for
the First
Time in
Video Game
History
TOKYO (March
28, 2007) –
SEGA®
Corporation
and Nintendo
Co. Ltd.
today made a
historical
announcement
that two of
the biggest
icons in the
entertainment
industry,
Mario™ and
Sonic™, are
joining
forces to
star in
Mario &
Sonic at the
Olympic
Games.
Developed
for the Wii™
video game
system and
the Nintendo
DS™ system,
this
momentous
agreement
marks the
first time
these two
renowned
stars have
appeared
together in
a game.
Published by
SEGA across
Europe and
North
America, and
published by
Nintendo in
the Japanese
market,
Mario &
Sonic at the
Olympic
Games will
be available
for Holiday
2007 and is
licensed
through a
worldwide
partnership
with
International
Sports
Multimedia
(ISM), the
exclusive
interactive
entertainment
software
licensee of
the
International
Olympic
Committee
(IOC).
In Mario &
Sonic at the
Olympic
Games,
players will
compete in
events that
take place
in
environments
based on the
official
venues of
the Beijing
2008 Olympic
Games. Using
a supporting
cast of
characters
from the
amazing
worlds of
both Mario
and Sonic,
gamers will
be able to
compete as
or against a
range of
lovable
personalities
including
Mario,
Sonic,
Luigi™,
Knuckles™,
Yoshi®,
Tails™ and
more.
Innovative
usage of the
Wii and DS
control
systems to
maneuver a
favorite
character
will allow
players to
race the
likes of
Mario and
Sonic down
the 100m
track,
engage in
exhilarating
rallies in
table tennis
and churn
water in a
swimming
heat, all
while
competing
for the much
sought after
gold medal.
“We are
thrilled to
partner with
Nintendo and
ISM on this
groundbreaking
title,” said
Hisao Oguchi,
President
and Chief
Operating
Officer,
SEGA
Corporation.
“For the
first time,
two of the
world’s
greatest
games’
characters
come
together to
compete in
the world’s
greatest
sporting
event and we
couldn’t be
more
excited.”
“Mario and
Sonic have
been
respectful
rivals since
the early
days of
video
games,” says
Shigeru
Miyamoto,
Senior
Managing
Director and
General
Manager,
Entertainment
Analysis and
Development
Division,
Nintendo
Co., Ltd..
“In fact,
for a long
time they
have been
discussing
the
possibility
of one day
competing
against each
other. Now
that they
have been
given the
perfect
opportunity
to meet at
the Olympic
Games, we
may finally
learn who is
actually
faster,
Mario or
Sonic?”
“The Olympic
Games
represent
the true
spirit of
competition
and
passion,”
said Raymond
Goldsmith,
Chairman and
Chief
Executive
Officer of
ISM.
“Bringing
together
intensely
competitive
and fun
characters
like Mario
and Sonic in
an Olympic
setting
helps
showcase the
sports of
the Olympic
Games in a
new and
compelling
way for all
generations.”
About SEGA
Corporation:
SEGA®
Corporation
is a
worldwide
leader in
interactive
entertainment
both inside
and outside
the home,
encompassing
consumer
business,
amusement
machine
sales and
amusement
center
operations.
The company
develops,
publishes
and
distributes
interactive
entertainment
software
products for
a variety of
hardware
platforms
including
PC, wireless
devices, and
those
manufactured
by Nintendo,
Microsoft
and Sony
Computer
Entertainment
Inc. SEGA®
Corporation's
Web site is
located at
http://sega.jp.
About
Nintendo:
The
worldwide
innovator in
the creation
of
interactive
entertainment,
Nintendo
Co., Ltd.,
of Kyoto,
Japan,
manufactures
and markets
hardware and
software for
its Wii™,
Nintendo
DS™, Game
Boy® Advance
and Nintendo
GameCube™
systems.
Since 1983,
Nintendo has
sold nearly
2.2 billion
video games
and more
than 387
million
hardware
units
globally,
and has
created
industry
icons like
Mario™,
Donkey
Kong®,
Metroid®,
Zelda™ and
Pokémon®. A
wholly owned
subsidiary,
Nintendo of
America
Inc., based
in Redmond,
Wash.,
serves as
headquarters
for
Nintendo’s
operations
in the
Western
Hemisphere.
For more
information
about
Nintendo,
visit the
company’s
Web site at
www.nintendo.com.
About ISM:
ISM is
active in
managing and
developing
entertainment
software
applications.
In addition
to the
exclusive
rights
ownership of
the Olympic
Games, ISM
is one of
the world's
leading
providers of
sports
fantasy
games,
particularly
specializing
in the
football/soccer
sector.
Visit the
company's
website at
www.ismltd.com
TM USOC
36USC220506
SUPER MARIO
characters ©
2007
NINTENDO
Nintendo,
Nintendo DS,
Wii and the
Official
Seal are
trademarks
of Nintendo.
SONIC THE
HEDGEHOG
characters ©
SEGA. All
Rights
Reserved.
Sega is
registered
in the U.S.
Patent and
Trademark
Office.
SEGA, the
SEGA logo
and Sonic
The Hedgehog
are either
registered
trademarks
or
trademarks
of SEGA
Corporation.