Atari Stacks the Deck and Readies
Second ‘Duel Masters’ Game Boy Advance Title
Sequel to Popular Franchise to
Hit Stores in November
BEVERLY, Mass., Aug. 16, 2004: The
second wave of exciting new Duel MastersTM interactive entertainment is on its
way as Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) and Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of
Hasbro Inc., today announced Duel Masters: Kaijudo Showdown will launch on
Nintendo’s Game Boy® Advance in November. The highly anticipated sequel to Duel
Masters: Sempai Legends, which shipped for Game Boy Advance in June, Duel
Masters: Kaijudo Showdown reunites fans with their favorite characters from the
TV show as they battle in tournaments and embark on a mysterious mission in
which the fate of the world is jeopardy.
"Duel Masters: Sempai Legends is a
fan favorite because they allow devotees to enter the world of their favorite
trading card game and TV show and Kaijudo Shodown is the next exciting chapter
to the Duel Masters story," said Nancy MacIntyre, vice president of Marketing
and Public Relations, Atari’s Beverly studio. "The Game Boy Advance is a perfect
platform for Duel Masters because it allows both new fans and veterans a chance
to build and tweak their decks, and then link systems together to battle it out
to determine who will be the greatest Kaijudo master."
"Atari has once again taken the
already popular Duel Masters trading card game and TV show and translated those
experiences into a highly enjoyable form of interactive entertainment," said
Scott Rouse, Duel Masters brand manager, Wizards of the Coast. "Fans that loved
the first Game Boy Advance title, Duel Masters: Sempai Legends, will get even
more surprises with Kaijudo Showdown."
Developed by Mistic Software, makers
of the Duel Masters: Sempai Legends, Duel Masters:Kaijudo Showdown offers a
story-driven experience in which the lead character must solve a sinister
mystery to prevent the world from falling into chaos. Featuring interaction with
characters from the TV show, the ability to build and fine-tune decks using 300
cards and the chance to enter Shop Tournaments and win special booster packs,
Duel Masters: Kaijudo Showdown has everything Duel Masters fans crave.
Hasbro, Inc.
Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) is a worldwide
leader in children’s and family leisure time entertainment products and
services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys
ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its
PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER and WIZARDS OF THE
COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play
experiences in the world.
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a
subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), is a worldwide leader in the trading card
game and tabletop role-playing game categories, and a leading developer and
publisher of game-based entertainment products. The company holds an exclusive
patent on trading card games (TCGs) and their method of play and produces the
premier trading card game, Magic: The Gathering®, among many other trading card
games and family card and board games. Wizards is also a leading publisher of
role playing games, such as Dungeons & Dragons®, and publisher of fantasy series
fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. For more information, visit
the Wizards of the Coast website at wizards.com
About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq:
ATAR) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest
third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The
Company’s 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining games such as
DRIV3RTM, Enter the MatrixTM, Neverwinter NightsTM, StuntmanTM, Test Drive®,
Unreal® Tournament 2004, and Unreal® Championship; and mass-market and
children’s games such as Backyard SportsTM, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s CluesTM and
Dora the ExplorerTM, Civilization®, Dragon Ball Z® and RollerCoaster Tycoon®.
Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames
Entertainment SA (Euronext 5257), the largest interactive games publisher in
Europe. For more information, visit www.atari.com.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT
Certain statements contained in this
release are forward-looking statements (rather than historical facts) that are
subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those described. With respect to such forward-looking
statements, the company seeks the protection afforded by the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other enabling legislation. Statements
contained herein with regard to the company’s business outlook and prospective
operating and financial results are based upon management’s expectations
regarding various factors, which may be beyond the company’s control. This
statement is not intended to identify each and every risk and uncertainty
inherent in the company’s business, and should be read in conjunction with the
company’s cautionary statements contained in its most recent filings with U.S.
and foreign regulatory authorities.
(C) 2004 Atari, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.
HASBRO and its logo, and all related
characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. (C) 2004
HASBRO. All Rights Reserved.
DUEL MASTERS is a trademark of
Wizards of the Coast, Shogakukan, and Mitsui-Kids. (C) 2004 Wizards/Shogakukan/Mitsui-Kids.
Wizards of the Coast, Magic: The Gathering, and Dungeons & Dragons are
trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the United States and other countries.
