Activision have announced that, in partnership with GameMill Publishing, they are going to publish videogames based on the Zhu Zhu Pets (Go Go Hamsters) range. The first of these games is coming to the Nintendo DS in the Spring of 2010. Activision have said that the game will bring arcade action as well as the caring and nurturing of the hamsters.Press Release
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec 15, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Activision Publishing (Nasdaq: ATVI) and GameMill Publishing, Inc. announced today an agreement with Cepia, LLC to develop and publish video games based on the smash hit Zhu Zhu Pets(TM). The first Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) game will be released on the Nintendo DS(TM) system in the spring of 2010.
"Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) success in 2009 speaks for itself and we're confident it will be even bigger in 2010," said David Oxford at Activision Publishing. Gary Miller, President, GameMill Publishing, stated, "It is our goal to expand this proven franchise in a way that fans of the wildly popular hamster toy line and video gamers alike will embrace and love to play."
A genuine craze in the toy aisle, Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) was recently nominated for two top industry awards including: "Girl Toy of the Year" and "Innovative Toy of the Year." It is expected to be one of the top selling toys of the 2009 holiday season.
"Ever since Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) exploded in popularity, launching a video game has felt like a natural fit in product evolution," said Natalie Hornsby, Director of Marketing Strategies and Brand Development, Cepia, LLC. "We share our fans' excitement in bringing Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) to the video game space, and think this will help us reach more kids to engage in the Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) experience."
The video games will be created and marketed by Activision and GameMill in close collaboration with toy maker Cepia, LLC. The Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) video game for Nintendo DS is in development now with Black Lantern Studios, Inc., who is bringing forward the brand DNA elements that have made Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) a worldwide phenomenon - arcade action as well as care and nurturing of beloved hamsters!
For more information visit www.activision.com or www.gamemillpublishing.com.
About GameMill Entertainment
GameMill Entertainment is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. GameMill is a third party publisher of various Children's and Casual games for the PC, Nintendo DS, and Wii from Nintendo. With development across the globe, GameMill is a source of entertaining and fun games for all ages. www.game-mill.com
About Zhu Zhu Pets(TM)
Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) are innovative, realistic, interactive, plush, and artificially intelligent hamsters that talk and move around in their own playsets. Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) include two play modes: nurturing mode where the hamsters coo and purr and adventure mode where the hamsters explore their habitat with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to various habitat stimuli. Over a dozen add-ons can be purchased to build an ever-evolving hamsterworld for your hamster to play in and explore. Powered by 2 AAA batteries (included), Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) are suitable for ages 3 and up. For more information, please visit www.zhuzhupets.com.
About Cepia, LLC
Cepia was founded in 2002 in St. Louis, Missouri by a senior management team boasting over 100 years of combined history in the toy industry. Ingenuity, creativity, playfulness, and passion are the heart of Cepia and everything it creates. Cepia is especially known for its use of advanced technology, which is employed in such an unobtrusive way that the toys are not only fun to play with, but often viewed as "wonderful" or "magical." Cepia's toy brand building enterprises include Glo-e a light-up plush bear, Hydro Max a motorized water blaster, Sky Raptors, Sk8, and their newest venture Zhu Zhu Pets(TM). For more information, please visit www.cepiallc.com.
About Black Lantern
Black Lantern Studios, Inc. is an independent interactive entertainment software developer for consoles and the PC. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Black Lantern Studios is committed to providing the highest quality, richest, and most satisfying gaming experience to its customers, and delivering value to its publishers and partners. For more information about Black Lantern Studios, please visit www.blacklanternstudios.com or e-mail info@blacklanternstudios.com.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing's titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology, industry standards and consumer preferences, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors and third-party developers, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, and the other factors identified in the risk factors section of Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
A(C)2009 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. A(C) 2006 Nintendo. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
