<<So tomorrow ERTS should get wacked real good as well. Might be worth a few points by next week when it recovers.
Hope you bought some today.
Wednesday March 11, 5:15 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Electronic Arts Signs Exclusive WCW License
First World Championship Wrestling Title From EA To Appear in Mid-1999
SAN MATEO, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--March 11, 1998-- Electronic Arts(TM) (NASDAQ:ERTS - news), the leading independent interactive entertainment software company, today announced it has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with World Championship Wrestling Inc. (WCW) for the worldwide interactive rights to develop and distribute computer and video games based on the organization's wrestlers. Electronic Arts (EA) plans to ship its first title under the five-year agreement in mid-calendar 1999. Financial terms of the deal were not released.
The license gives Electronic Arts exclusive use of more the 100 WCW and New World Order (NWO) wrestlers, such as ''Hollywood'' Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall of the NWO and Sting, ''Macho Man'' Randy Savage and Lex Luger of the WCW. It also permits the use of WCW announcers and other talent. WCW stars will be motion captured in EA's British Columbia studio and artfully rendered into the game, bringing the full richness, color and action of the sport to computer and video games players.
''World Championship Wrestling is a huge spectator sport that is growing at an amazing rate,'' said Larry Probst, Electronic Arts Chairman and CEO. ''Over the past two years, WCW has established the preeminent brand in wrestling entertainment, typically garnering audiences of 32 million viewers per week. We believe that our world-class creative organization can successfully translate the passion that fans feel for the WCW into best-selling products for both video game consoles and PCs.''
World Championship Wrestling is the highest rated program on basic cable television in the U.S. In addition, WCW matches are shown in more than 50 countries worldwide through TNT network television.
''The partnering of Electronic Arts with World Championship Wrestling is an incredible opportunity,'' said Nick Lambros, executive vice president of World Championship Wrestling. ''EA and WCW are the best in their respective fields and should be able to create highly innovative and successful games for release in 1999 and beyond. We look forward to partnering with EA on this mutually beneficial relationship.''
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., is a leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA posted revenues of $673 million for fiscal 1997. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation(TM) and Nintendo(R) 64. EA has international subsidiaries in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The company has North American development operations in San Mateo and Walnut Creek, Calif.; Baltimore, Md., Austin, Texas; Seattle, Wash.; and Vancouver, British Columbia. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at ea.com.
About WCW
World Championship Wrestling, ''Where The Big Boys Play,'' is a subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System Inc., a Time Warner Company (NYSE: TWX - news). WCW produces and markets television programs and live events featuring wrestling superstars. Check out WCW's web site at wcwwrestling.com.
Note to Editors: Electronic Arts is a trademark or registered trademark of Electronic Arts or its wholly-owned subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. World Championship Wrestling and WCW are trademarks of World Championship Wrestling Inc. and all related logos, characters, names and graphics are trademarks of World Championship Wrestling Inc. or an affiliated company and are used under license. Hulk Hogan is a trademark of Marvel Entertainment Group Inc., licensed to World Championship Wrestling Inc. PlayStation is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Nintendo is a registered trademark of Nintendo of America Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
