THQ AND NICKELODEON DEBUT 2002
VIDEOGAME LINEUP AT ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT EXPO
Popular Characters SpongeBob
SquarePants, Rugrats, Rocket Power, Jimmy Neutron, Fairly OddParents,
The Wild Thornberrys and Hey Arnold! Featured in Interactive Adventures
Scheduled for Release Across Multiple Platforms
Los Angeles, Calif. – Electronic
Entertainment Expo – May 22, 2002 – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ NMS: THQI), the #1 kids’
videogame publisher, and Nickelodeon, the #1 entertainment brand for kids, today
announced their extensive 2002 videogame lineup to be debuted at the Electronic
Entertainment Expo (E3). Beginning tomorrow, more than a dozen Nickelodeon
games will be showcased in THQ’s booth in Petree Hall of the Los Angeles
Convention Center.
THQ is the exclusive videogame
publisher for Nickelodeon’s individual animated television and movie properties
targeting kids 6-14. This year’s offerings include games based on
Nickelodeon’s highly rated television series “Rugrats,“ “SpongeBob SquarePants,”
“Rocket Power,” and “Fairly OddParents;” an interactive adaptation of
Nickelodeon’s upcoming theatrical releases “The Wild Thornberrys” and “Hey
Arnold;” and games based on the “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius” movie and the
upcoming “The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius” television series.
“This year THQ will release more
than 20 new Nickelodeon titles featuring all of Nickelodeon’s biggest brands,”
said Jeff Lapin, vice chairman and COO, THQ. “Our videogames will be
available on all viable game platforms, and we anticipate tremendous success
this year as hardware systems reach a broad, mass-market audience at the new
$199 price points.”
“We look forward to exhibiting our
full interactive lineup to both media and our retail partners at E3,” said Steve
Youngwood, Vice President, Media Products Group, Nickelodeon Consumer Products.
“THQ has turned Nickelodeon’s kids’ entertainment content into impressive and
exciting gameplay on the PlayStation 2 and GameCube systems. We can’t wait
to show how this year’s lineup appeals to gamers of all ages more than ever
before.”
The 2002 THQ/Nickelodeon
videogame lineup includes:
Fairly OddParents (Working Title)
– Timmy Turner has one thing most other kids don’t — magical, mystical and
totally messed-up Fairy Godparents that offer wacky help to get him out of tight
spots. Gamers can play as Timmy’s secret comic book identity, “Cleft, The Boy
Chin Wonder," in this action adventure side-scrolling game with five
huge environments and 20 different stages. Fairly OddParents for Game Boy
Advance will be available this fall.
Hey Arnold! The Movie – Based
on Nickelodeon Movies’ and Paramount Pictures’ upcoming animated movie debuting
June 28, and Nickelodeon’s Hey Arnold! animated series, players assume the role
of Arnold, Gerald, Grandma, or Grandpa as they rally friends and relatives to
stop an unsavory businessman from tearing down their neighborhood to build a
Super Beeper Emporium. Hey Arnold! The Movie for Game Boy Advance will be
available this summer.
Jimmy Neutron vs. Jimmy Negatron – This adventure is based on the
Nickelodeon television series debuting this fall and introduces players to Jimmy
Neutron’s evil alter ego, Jimmy Negatron. During a trip to the Retroville
Museum, Jimmy is kidnapped and trapped in his alter ego’s dimension and must use
his wits to escape. Available for PC and Game Boy Advance this fall.
Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius –
Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius is based on the adventures of Jimmy Neutron, star of
Paramount Pictures’ and Nickelodeon Movies’ highly successful, digitally
animated motion picture. Players will help save the world and rescue the
parents of Retroville from the evil Yokians. Available for GameCube this
summer.
Rocket Power™: Beach Bandits – The Rocket Power team must use their
extreme sports skills to battle robot minions throughout Ocean Shores, the
Lakes, the Robot Factory and Mondo Mountain in order to find out who’s stealing
the sand from Ocean Shores beach. Available for PlayStation 2, GameCube
and Game Boy Advance this summer.
Rugrats™: Munchin Land (working title) – Gamers join the Rugrats in the
“land of odd”. Tommy and company are featured in their very own graphical
board game based on the classic story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Characters include Kimi as “the girl from Kansas”, Chuckie the “Scaredy-Cat
Lion,” Tommy as “The Scarecrow” and Phil & Lil as “The Tin Twins.” The first one
to find the “Whizzer of Odd” (Grandpa Lou) wins the game, but beware…there are
many obstacles standing in your way including “The Munchin’ Tollbooth Keeper” (Dil)
and the “Wicked Witch of the West” (Angelica). Luckily, the “Good Witch”
(Susie) will always be around to provide you with all the help that you may
need. Available for PC
this summer.
Rugrats™: I Gotta Go Party – Get ready for an all-new multi-player party
game as Tommy plays hide ‘n seek with all of his friends. As players help Tommy
find the other Rugrats, they unlock outrageous party games such as Angelica’s
Cookies, Phil’s Mud Pies and Sandbox Blues. The more Rugrats that are
found, the more party games become unlocked. Designed for multiplayer
competition, this game is also packed with hours of compelling single-player
gameplay for gamers on the go! Available this fall for Game Boy Advance.
Rugrats™: Royal Ransom – The Rugrats embark on a magical adventure to Stu
Pickles’ Play Palace 3000 (PP3K). As Tommy, Chuckie, Kimi,
Phil and Lil take turns climbing up to the PP3K, they find that something’s
amiss. Every time they climb higher, the PP3K moves farther out of their
reach. Angelica, the self-appointed Queen of the PP3K, has dubbed the rest
of the Rugrats her loyal subjects and stolen their most treasured items.
As the other Rugrats defiantly refuse her demands, they must go on an adventure
to reclaim their treasures so they too can play in the PP3K. Available for
GameCube and PlayStation 2 this fall.
SpongeBob SquarePants™: Employee of the Month – Players will follow
SpongeBob and his regular cast of characters through a puzzling adventure that
has them serving up Krabby Patties, destroying a Weather Controlling
Thingamajig, exploring the caves of a powerful "Marlin," hanging at the local
diner and more — just so they can have a fun packed day at Neptune’s Pacific
Paradise. Available for PC this fall.
SpongeBob SquarePants™: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman – This title pits
SpongeBob against the Flying Dutchman, whom he accidentally releases from
imprisonment. SpongeBob must find lost treasures hidden throughout Bikini
Bottom to stop the Dutchman’s wicked plans and save his friends from being
turned into indentured shipmates. Available for PlayStation 2, GameCube
and Game Boy Advance this fall.
The Wild Thornberrys™ Movie – Based on the motion picture debuting
holiday 2002, the game stars Eliza Thornberry and her adventurous family.
After an incident in Africa puts Eliza in grave danger, she is sent off to
boarding school in London. Upon hearing about an evil plot by poachers to
capture the wild animals of the Serengeti, she escapes back to the wild and
forces her biggest challenge yet! Available for PC and Game Boy Advance
this fall.
For more information about
THQ’s Nickelodeon videogame lineup, please visit the THQ website at www.thq.com.
About Nickelodeon:
Nickelodeon, now in its 23rd year,
is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global
business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes
television programming and production in the United States and around the world,
plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films.
Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 84 million households
and has been the number-one-rated basic-cable network for more than six
consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are
trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
About THQ:
THQ Inc. develops and publishes
interactive entertainment software worldwide for a variety of hardware platforms
including PC CD-ROM, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc., Nintendo and Microsoft. The THQ web site is located
at www.thq.com.
# # #
This press release contains
statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current
expectations, estimates and projections about THQ’s business based, in part, on
assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of
THQ’s 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 forward-looking
statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those
described above and the following: changes in demand for THQ’s products, product
mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive
products and pricing and difficulties encountered in the integration of acquired
businesses. In addition, such statements could be affected by growth rates
and market conditions relating to the interactive software industry and general
domestic and international economic conditions. Specific information
concerning these and other such factors is contained in THQ’s Registration
Statement on Form S-3 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
January 22, 2002. A copy of this filing may be obtained by contacting THQ
or the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as
of the date on which they are made, and THQ does not undertake any obligation to
update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after
the date of this release.
