CENTURY CITY, Calif. — Nov. 3, 2005 — Fox Licensing & Merchandising and Microsoft Corp. announced they have entered into an unprecedented relationship surrounding certain Microsoft® titles for the long-awaited Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, which will be available in the U.S. on Nov. 22, 2005. Through the deal, Fox L&M will act as the Licensing Agent for certain first-party video games published by Microsoft Game Studios for the new platform, beginning with the highly anticipated titles “Perfect Dark Zero™” and “Kameo™: Elements of Power™,” both developed by Rare Ltd., a subsidiary of Microsoft. Fox L&M will manage a licensing program for the titles and will seek partners in a broad variety of product categories including apparel, accessories, social expressions, toys, and select print publishing.
“Perfect Dark Zero,” set in the year 2020, puts players in the role of the heroine Joanna Dark to guide her and her father Jack through a world torn apart by shadowy corporations locked in a secret war for world domination. In the broad-appeal, fantasy action-adventure “Kameo: Elements of Power,” as a young elf, Kameo must master her new ability to transform into mystical warriors and harness their powers to save her people from Thorn, the evil Troll king.
“We are thrilled to be working with Microsoft Game Studios and the Xbox® New Media and Franchise Development Team to license amazing video game franchises,” said Fox Licensing & Merchandising Executive Vice President Elie Dekel. “Our expertise in licensing entertainment properties to teens and young adults is a perfect complement to the consumer base that Microsoft is targeting.”
“Fox shares a similar creative vision for our game franchises. We are looking forward to working with Fox on delivering quality products that showcase the stories and characters behind these unique titles,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of worldwide marketing and publishing at Microsoft.
“We are excited to have Fox L&M talent and resources supporting these key launch titles,” said Ed Ventura, director of Franchise Development at Microsoft. “With this alliance, we welcome this extension of our team as we begin to expand our markets and fan base while also adding to our current line of strategy guides, soundtracks and other game merchandise.”
A recognized industry leader, Fox L&M has managed the licensing programs for some of the most successful properties in the entertainment industry including “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy.” In striking this deal with Microsoft, it marks the company’s first foray as Licensing Agent in the rapidly expanding video game market.
Xbox 360, Microsoft’s entry in the next-generation of gaming and home entertainment, will take North America by storm on Nov. 22, 2005. The most powerful next-generation hardware coupled with a wide variety of titles including “Perfect Dark Zero,” the long-anticipated prequel to the best-selling and critically acclaimed “Perfect Dark®” series, and the broad-appeal action-adventure of “Kameo: Elements of Power,” will truly create the ultimate home entertainment system.
About Fox Licensing & Merchandising
A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live® online gaming service, and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around you. The system will launch this holiday season in Europe, Japan and North America, to be followed by availability in Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan in 2006. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.
About Rare Studios
United Kingdom-based Rare, one of the world’s leading video game developers, was founded in 1985 by Chris and Tim Stamper. Rare has been the mastermind behind some of the most popular video games in history, including such global multimillion sellers as “GoldenEye 007” and “Perfect Dark.”
About Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the Xbox® video game system, the Windows® operating system and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse games for Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/games) , including such franchises as “Age of Empires®,” “Flight Simulator” and “Zoo Tycoon®”; Xbox (http://www.xbox.com), including such games as “Fable®” and franchises such as “Halo®,” “Project Gotham Racing®” and “MechAssault®”; and MSN® Games (http://www.games.msn.com), the official games channel for the MSN network and home to such hits as “Bejeweled” and “Hexic®.”
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