“AYE CARUMBA!”
EA, TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX TELEVISION AND GRACIE FILMS BRING THE SIMPSONS TO NEXT GENERATION VIDEOGAME CONSOLES
Chertsey, UK November 2, 2005 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), Twentieth Century Fox Television and Gracie Films today announced a long-term deal that grants EA development rights to multiple videogame titles based on the FOX hit series THE SIMPSONS. Working closely with the television studio's Licensing and Merchandising division, Gracie Films and THE SIMPSONS writers, EA will create original 'Simpsons' game content for next generation videogame systems. This groundbreaking deal between Fox and EA is the first development deal between these two entities. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The first game of the multi-game deal will be launched on next generation systems; no launch date has been announced. "This is a great opportunity for our talented development team to collaborate with the brilliant minds of THE SIMPSONS to bring original Simpsons material to videogame fans," said Nick Earl, Vice President and General Manager, EA Redwood Shores Studio. "This is something EA's been interested in for years and now game development and technology is at a place where THE SIMPSONS characters and world will really come alive in these games."
"The Simpsons is our crown jewel and with every additional episode is creating a legacy of creativity and success unmatched in this industry," commented Twentieth Century Fox President Gary Newman. "Its huge appeal among teens and young adults coupled with its seemingly limitless universe of memorable characters makes it a natural fit for videogaming, and we believe Electronic Arts is exactly the right creative partner to bring Springfield to life in this medium."
'Simpsons' Executive Producer James L. Brooks, speaking on behalf of Gracie Films, stated, "I think this is a great opportunity for us, primarily because it brings with it the possibility of free EA games."
Game development will be done at EA's Redwood Shores Studio, the studio currently responsible for From Russia With LoveTM, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 06, The Lord of The Rings: TacticsTM, The GodfatherTM and The SimsTM games.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS BIGTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2005, EA posted revenues of $3.1 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.electronicarts.co.uk. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press.
About THE SIMPSONS
Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie take traditional comedy and family life and turn them upside down in FOX's critically acclaimed series, THE SIMPSONS. Exploding into a cultural phenomenon in 1990, THE SIMPSONS remains one of the most visible and marketable properties both domestically and internationally. This Emmy Award®-winning series is now in the history books as the longest-running sitcom currently on television and the longest-running animated show in television history. THE SIMPSONS is currently airing their 17th Season and in production on their 18th Season.
THE SIMPSONS is a Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Century Fox Television.
About TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX TELEVISION LICENSING AND MERCHANDISING
Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising is a unit of Twentieth Century Fox Television, a News Corporation Company. Twentieth Century Fox Television is a leading supplier of entertainment programming domestically and around the world.
Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, POGO and The Sims are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is a trademark of Danjaq, LLC, and United Artists Corporation. THE GODFATHER is a trademark of Paramount Pictures. The Lord of the Rings: Tactics is a trademark or registered trademark of SZC under license. The name of Tiger Woods reproduced on this product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and/or other forms of intellectual property that are the exclusive property of ETW Corp. or Tiger Woods and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of ETW Corp. or Tiger Woods. PGA TOUR is a trademark of PGA TOUR, INC. and used by permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners