The Number
One Fighting
Videogame
Franchise
Returns To
The Virtual
Ring With
WWE®
Smackdown®
Vs. Raw®
2009
Leading
Videogame
Brand Set to
Deliver the
Definitive
Sports
Entertainment
Experience
With Added
Depth,
Explosive
New Features
and the
Debut of
Downloadable
Content
AGOURA
HILLS,
Calif. -
March 28,
2008 - THQ
Inc.
(NASDAQ:
THQI) and
JAKKS
Pacific,
Inc.
(NASDAQ:
JAKK) today
announced
that WWE®
SmackDown®
vs. Raw®
2009 is in
development
for the Xbox
360® video
game and
entertainment
system from
Microsoft,
PLAYSTATION®3
computer
entertainment
system,
PlayStation®2
computer
entertainment
system, PSP®
(PlayStation®Portable)
system, Wii™
videogame
console,
Nintendo DS™
and mobile
devices.
Joining the
immensely
successful
World
Wrestling
Entertainment®
roster of
WWE
SmackDown/SmackDown
vs. Raw
licensed
videogames,
which have
shipped more
than 37
million
units
worldwide
since 1999,
WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2009
is expected
to begin
shipping to
retail
outlets
worldwide
this fall.
“The
ambitious
cross-platform
launch of
WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2008
last year
yielded
tremendous
growth for
the
franchise,
as we
delivered
multiple
gameplay
experiences
across seven
platforms
and greatly
expanded our
audience of
WWE
videogame
fans,” said
Bob Aniello,
senior vice
president,
worldwide
marketing,
THQ. “With
dynamic new
features and
the
extension of
our gameplay
experience
through
downloadable
content, WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2009
will bring
more
console,
handheld and
wireless
gamers
together to
enjoy the
virtual
world of WWE.”
“We are
tremendously
excited
about the
next
groundbreaking
release in
the billion
dollar WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw
videogame
franchise,”
said Nelo
Lucich, vice
president of
interactive,
JAKKS
Pacific.
“Downloadable
content,
innovative
experiences
with tag
teams and a
new
Create-A-Finisher
feature,
along with
significant
annual
improvements
across all
platforms,
combine to
bring the
sports
entertainment
experience
to new
heights and
gratify our
long-time
fans, casual
gamers and
franchise
newcomers
alike.”
WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2009
upholds the
franchise’s
commitment
to
delivering
the
definitive
videogame
simulation
of live WWE
programming.
The Xbox
360,
PLAYSTATION
3 system,
PlayStation
2 system and
PSP system
versions of
the game
will unleash
a brand new
tag team
experience,
allowing
players to
build
momentum and
attributes,
eliminate
opponents
with high
impact
double teams
and
finishers,
as well as
get the “hot
tag” for the
win. The
franchise’s
renowned
creation
system
offers a
brand new
Create-A-Finisher
option,
while a new
Road to
WrestleMania®
Mode paves
the way to
WWE’s
biggest
event of the
year and
lets players
experience
co-op
storylines
for the
first time.
WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2009
also extends
the virtual
WWE gameplay
experience
with robust
online
capabilities,
including
the highly
anticipated
debut of
downloadable
content.
WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2009
for Wii
builds upon
its
inaugural
offering by
significantly
expanding
its match
type
options,
giving
players more
ways to
enjoy the
platform’s
unique
pick-up-and-play
experience.
The game
also takes
full combat
sports
entertainment
to the next
level by
giving
players more
Superstar
control with
interactive
entrances
and victory
scenes. WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2009
for Wii will
also include
a wide
variety of
new weapons,
the debut of
online
gameplay and
much more.
WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2009
for Nintendo
DS returns
with new
gameplay
controls
that utilize
the stylus
and D-pad to
deliver a
compelling
handheld
fighting
game
experience.
The
redesigned
Season Mode
takes a
role-playing
approach,
allowing
players to
interact
with
Superstars,
upgrade
their
abilities
and complete
missions on
a quest
toward
legendary
goals. In
addition, a
larger
Superstar
roster, new
match types
and the
inclusion of
Create-A-Superstar
will provide
players with
a variety of
intriguing
options to
enhance
gameplay.
More
information
about WWE
SmackDown
vs. Raw 2009
can be found
at
www.smackdownvsraw.com
and
www.thq.com.
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 THQ
Inc.
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.
About JAKKS
Pacific,
Inc.
JAKKS
Pacific,
Inc.
(NASDAQ:
JAKK) is a
multi-brand
company that
designs and
markets a
broad range
of toys and
consumer
products.
The product
categories
include:
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.
The products
are sold
under
various
brand names
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™
and Plug It
In & Play TV
Games™.
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.
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.
Microsoft,
Xbox, Xbox
360, Xbox
Live, the
Xbox logos,
and the Xbox
Live logo
are either
registered
trademarks
or
trademarks
of Microsoft
Corporation
in the U.S.
and/or other
countries.
"PlayStation",
"PLAYSTATION",
"PS" Family
logo and
"PSP" are
registered
trademarks
of Sony
Computer
Entertainment
Inc.
Wii and
Nintendo DS
are
trademarks
of Nintendo.
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 2009
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
Quarterly
Reports on
Form 10-Q
and Annual
Report on
Form 10-K
for the
fiscal
period ended
March 31,
2007, 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.