San Diego, October 18, 2010
Mad Catz® Interactive, Inc. (“Mad Catz” or “the Company”) (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a leading third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, and THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI), a leading developer and publisher of videogames, announced today an agreement to produce branded videogame accessories based on the WWE® All Stars™ intellectual property. The agreement will allow Mad Catz to produce and market a range of FightStick and FightPad videogame accessories for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Wii™ system from Nintendo, as well as include the names, likenesses and pictorial representations of the WWE talent appearing in such properties.
“World Wrestling Entertainment® has produced many of the videogame industry’s most enduring and prestigious franchises, and we are thrilled to initiate this relationship with THQ to create a range of Arcade FightSticks and FightPads,” said Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz. “We believe the spirit and excitement of WWE is a perfect fit for our range of market-leading fighting game controllers.”
“The Mad Catz controllers have a reputation for quality and are an ideal match for the fast paced, arcade-style gameplay found in WWE All Stars,” said Germaine Gioia, THQ Senior Vice President, Licensing and Merchandising. “We are pleased to give consumers the ability to enhance their experience through a range of Arcade FightSticks and FightPads.”
About WWE All Stars
The revolutionary new addition to THQ’s distinguished WWE videogame portfolio and debut release from the company’s San Diego-based studio, WWE All Stars will bridge generations of WWE enthusiasts and casual followers alike with a fun, fresh and fast-paced experience inside the virtual ring. Poised to deliver one of the greatest rosters ever assembled in a wrestling-centric videogame, renowned WWE Legends will align with today’s most prominent WWE Superstars, inviting players to generate fantasy matches and ultimately determine the greatest competitors of all time. In addition, each WWE Legend and WWE Superstar will boast a distinctive and highly stylized appearance, adding to the overall atmosphere and intrepid attitude exuding from the on-screen action.
WWE All Stars will encompass a fluid, intuitive and original gameplay style, creating a highly competitive environment and an engaging spectacle. Packed with high-flying, hard-hitting and over-the-top action, players will explore a variety of responsive quick grapples, strong grapples, standing and running attacks, as well as combination sequences. Every WWE Legend and WWE Superstar on the power-packed roster will be equipped with individual abilities, signature moves and renowned finishers to create the ultimate in-ring experience.
WWE All Stars is currently in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and Wii, with a scheduled release timeframe of early 2011. For more information, please visit wwe.thq.com.
