Wednesday June 16, 1:19 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Hasbro Interactive Expands Motorsports Portfolio With Five-Year Formula 1
Deal
BEVERLY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 16, 1999--Leading interactive games
publisher Hasbro Interactive today announced a new five-year, multi-title,
multi-platform deal with Formula 1 to take motorsports *** roaring into
the next millennium. Earlier this year, the company announced it will
develop interactive games based on the NASCAR? and Grand Prix 500 licenses.
Combined with the new Formula 1 relationship, these partnerships propel
Hasbro Interactive to the forefront of the worldwide motorsports ***
market.
``Our relationship with Formula 1 is a key component of our global
motorsports business strategy,'' commented Hasbro Interactive President Tom
Dusenberry. ``We now have a stable of partners and the right development
team to create the world's best racing games.''
In a related move, Hasbro Interactive announced it has signed an agreement
with premier racing sim game developer Geoff Crammond. Crammond, who has
collaborated with Hasbro Interactive's MicroProse development team on
previous Grand Prix titles, has committed himself to a long-term
development licensing deal with Hasbro Interactive. Crammond commented,
``Hasbro's absolute commitment to quality was the key factor which
persuaded me to choose them as a publishing partner for F1 products. I'm
very much looking forward to continuing my successful relationship with the
MicroProse team.''
Hasbro Interactive is now set to build on MicroProse's heritage and
reputation for the highest quality racing sims. Grand Prix 1 and 2 are
widely recognized as the greatest driving games of all time, with sales of
the latter topping 1.5 million units. The first titles to come out of this
partnership will be Grand Prix 3 and Grand Prix World, the latter building
on the success of the Grand Prix Manager 1 and 2 series.
Formula 1 is one of the world's largest spectator sports and is headed back
to the U.S. in 2000, with an event to be held at the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.
Hasbro Interactive, Inc. is a leading all-family interactive games
publisher, formed in 1995 to bring to life on the computer the deep library
of toy and board games of parent company Hasbro, Inc. (AMEX:HAS - news).
Hasbro Interactive has expanded its charter to include original and
licensed games for the PC, PlayStation?, Nintendo 64? and for multi-player
*** over the Internet. Headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, Hasbro
Interactive has offices in the U.K., France, Germany, Japan and Canada, and
development studios in Alameda, California and Hunt Valley, Maryland. For
additional information, visit Hasbro Interactive's Web site at: www.hasbro-
interactive.com.
Hasbro is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of
toys, games, interactive software, puzzles and infant products. Both
internationally and in the U.S., its Playskool?, Kenner?, Tonka?, Oddzon?,
Super Soaker?, Milton Bradley?, Parker Brothers?, Tiger(TM), Hasbro
Interactive(TM) and Galoob? products provide children and families with the
highest quality and most recognizable toys and games in the world.
(c) Hasbro Interactive, Inc.