Personally think that the entertainment section of GNET is going to make the stockholders the most money (and I don't mean the current offerings, either..!)....with that in mind, I am reposting the PR re Hasbro, GNET, and Games.com.....
BTW....is is REALLY interesting to go back to ALL the PR releases since November....Truly amazing that so much could be accomplished in such a short time....
KLP
siliconinvestor.com
Hasbro and Go2Net to Develop Games.com, The Internet's Definitive
Games Portal
PAWTUCKET, R.I. and SEATTLE, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:
HAS) today announced plans for its
online games portal Games.com and named Go2Net, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNET) --
currently the fastest-growing of the Internet's
top 10 properties -- as its technology partner. The companies have reached an
agreement in principle for a three-year licensing
and distribution arrangement that paves the way for the development of an unequalled
online gaming experience featuring
Hasbro's global game brands such as MONOPOLY, CLUE, RISK, BATTLESHIP,
and many others from MILTON
BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, WIZARDS OF THE COAST,
MICROPROSE, ATARI and HASBRO
INTERACTIVE.
Set to launch in mid-2000, Games.com will initially offer an extensive line-up of at least
50 branded games, most of which will
be multi-player Java games. Games.com will also incorporate strong community
features, including online chat capabilities,
tournaments, plus an online store where consumers can purchase games and related
products. Over time, Games.com will
highlight Hasbro's powerful game content in six different channels: Family, Kids,
Arcade, Game Shows, Sports and Avid
Gamer.
"Games.com will be the ultimate online gaming experience as we roll out the world's
favorite games to the Internet," said Alan
G. Hassenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Hasbro. "In addition, our relationship with
Go2Net will ensure that Games.com delivers
all of the benefits of sophisticated technology in an easy-to-use, friendly interface."
"This collaboration is the first of its kind in the Internet gaming sector, leveraging
Go2Net's software platform to deliver
Hasbro's unmatched portfolio of branded games to the millions of people who play
games online and who will ultimately access
this content in broadband environments," said Russell C. Horowitz, Go2Net Chairman
and CEO. "We are confident that
Hasbro's games will become the most popular on the Web and are pleased to have the
opportunity to offer Hasbro's games on
The Go2Net Network. We look forward to working further with Hasbro in developing
the Internet's definitive game offerings."
Hasbro and Go2Net expect to sign a definitive agreement during the first quarter of
2000, giving Hasbro access to leading edge
technology. Go2Net will provide technology and engineering support to build out the
site, plus software for community
monitoring and management, chat features, and message boards. In addition, Hasbro
would gain access to all the public domain
games currently offered on, or being developed for, Go2Net's PlaySite
(http://www.playsite.com), including chess,
backgammon, solitaire, and spades.
Games.com will include three primary revenue sources, generating income via
advertising, a Games.com store, and premium
subscription services on the site. Hasbro and Go2Net will each share in the revenue
generated from the sale of advertising and
sponsorship. Go2Net will also receive fees for Games.com e-commerce transactions
originating from Go2Net.
Go2Net will receive from Hasbro a $7.5 million fee for the license and access to
Hasbro's most popular games for a licensed,
co-branded Games.com offering on PlaySite. Separately, Hasbro and Go2Net will
enter into a three-year development and
service agreement to collaborate in the development and operation of Games.com.
During 2000, Hasbro expects to spend
approximately $60 million to develop and launch Games.com.
Games.com will be powered by the same highly scaleable technology platforms that
enabled The Go2Net Network to become
the fastest-growing of the Internet's top 10 properties in 1999. Its branded game site
-- PlaySite -- is among the "stickiest"
destinations on the Internet, with the average user visit lasting more than 45 minutes.
Go2Net's underlying games technology supports multiple platforms, including
Windows (Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
NT), Linux, and Macintosh. This will enable universal access to Games.com and
PlaySite through virtually any mechanism,
including personal computers, broadband appliances such as set-top boxes, and other
Internet devices.
Hasbro's formidable entrance into the emerging online games market will help make
playing online a mainstream Internet
activity. According to a recent Jupiter Communications report, the revenues relating to
online games are forecast to exceed $1
billion in 2002, up from $41 million in 1997, while the online gaming audience is
expected to reach 26.8 million by 2002, up
from 2.0 million in 1997.
Games.com will offer games suited for all types of consumers -- avid and casual
gamers alike. Its intuitive user interface will
allow consumers to quickly and easily access the games they want to play; special
tutorials and chat features will further simplify
the experience. And for those who would rather watch first before playing,
Games.com will allow users to watch games in
progress from an "observation deck." In short, Games.com will offer the right content
at the right time for game players
worldwide.
About Go2Net, Inc.
Go2Net (http://www.go2net.com/) is a network of branded, technology- and
community-driven Web sites focused on the
categories of personal finance; search and directory; commerce and business services;
and multi-player games. The company's
Go2Net Labs division develops Web-related software and innovative technologies to
enhance the features and functionality of
the Go2Net Network's sites and for licensing to other companies. The Go2Net
Network is home to many of the Internet's
leading vertical brands, including: Silicon Investor in the personal finance category;
Go2Net.com, MetaCrawler, Dogpile, and
100hot in the area of search and directory; HyperMart, Virtual Avenue,
FreeYellow.com, Authorize.Net, Haggle Online, and
WebMarket in the commerce and business services segment; and PlaySite in the area
of multi-player games.
About Hasbro, Inc.
Hasbro is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time and 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, KENNER, TONKA, ODDZON, SUPER SOAKER, MILTON
BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS,
TIGER, HASBRO INTERACTIVE, MICROPROSE, GALOOB and WIZARDS
OF THE COAST brands and products
provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.
Certain statements contained in this release contain "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of
forward looking words or phrases such as
"anticipate," "believe," "expect," "intend," "may," "planned," "potential," "should," "will,"
and "would." Such forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and
Hasbro's and Go2Net's actual actions or
results may differ materially from those expected or anticipated in the forward-looking
statements. Specific factors that might
cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, technical difficulties in adapting
games to online format and establishing
the online gaming site that could delay or increase the cost of the site becoming
operational; the acceptance by consumers of the
games and other products and services to be offered at the site; competition from other
online game sites and other game
playing formats as well as competition from other Internet companies for recruiting and
retaining employees; the fact that the
current business model for online gaming is new and may need to be revised, and the
Company's online revenues may not be
sufficient to cover the significant advertising expenditures required or the support,
service and product enhancement demands of
online users; the speed and reliability of the Internet and the performance of a user's
service provider impact both e-commerce
and online gaming but are out of the Company's control; and the impact of
governmental regulation, including privacy
restrictions, on the structure and operation of the site. Neither Hasbro nor Go2Net
undertake any obligation to make any
revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this release or to update them
to reflect events or circumstances
occurring after the date of this release.
CONTACT: media, Wayne Charness, 401-727-5983, or investors, Renita O'Connell,
401-727-5401, both for Hasbro, Inc.;
or media, Mark Peterson, 206-447-1595, ext. 299, or investors, John Ruljancich,
206-447-1595, ext. 337, both for Go2Net,
Inc. |
