CHICAGO, Jan. 22 -- Racing Champions announced today that it has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Electronic Arts (EA) to produce collectible figures and vehicles based on certain properties from popular EA video games such as SSX Tricky, Cel Damage(TM) and Command & Conquer Renegade(TM) from the Command & Conquer(TM) Series. Racing Champions' newly formed JoyRide Studios group is developing these products, which are planned for release in July 2002. These JoyRide Studios' branded products are primarily targeted to video game players and will be packaged with special "codes, strategies and cheats" from the experts at GamePro magazine, one of the largest multi-platform gaming magazines and one of the most popular publications for gamers.
According to Peter Henseler, President of JoyRide Studios and of Racing Champions, "We are delighted to have a multi-year agreement with Electronic Arts an undisputed leader in the dynamic video game software market. EA has created some of the most popular video games and characters available today. We believe that this licensing agreement will bring those characters to a new level of reality and will position our new JoyRide Studios' product category into an exciting multi-billion dollar market. We also believe these new products will create new sales opportunities with our existing customer base and with new customers, such as electronic and video game retailers."
Linda Chaplin, Director of Strategic Sales for Electronic Arts added, "Millions of copies of our video games have been sold in the last year alone and these games are being played on Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy, Sony PlayStation 2, Xbox video game console from Microsoft and PC's. In addition, many of the characters we've developed are among gamers' favorites. We're confident JoyRide Studios will do an excellent job of developing and marketing our video game icons, and we look forward to working with them on future projects."
JoyRide Studios ( www.joyridestudios.com ) is focused on developing collectible and toy products for the tween, teen, and post-teen market segments. Its parent, Racing Champions ( www.rcertl.com ) is a leading producer and marketer of innovative collectibles and toys sold in multiple channels of distribution and available at more than 20,000 retail outlets. The company sells Racing Champions� NASCAR and NHRA die-cast racing replicas, souvenirs and apparel; American Muscle(TM) collectible die-cast vehicle replicas; officially licensed die-cast and preschool products based on automobiles, trucks, agricultural, heavy equipment, and powered recreational and sport vehicles under the Ertl� brand; AMT� model kits; Press Pass� trading cards; and, under the direction of its JoyRide Studios(TM) group, video game figures and vehicles. High-profile licensing partners include NASCAR, NHRA, John Deere, Case IH, Polaris, Honda, Caterpillar, Ford, GM, Chrysler, Texaco, and Warner Brothers.
Electronic Arts (EA) is the world's leading independent publisher of interactive entertainment software for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation�2 computer entertainment system, the PlayStation�, Xbox(TM) video game console from Microsoft, the Nintendo GameCube(TM) and the Game Boy� Advance. Since its inception, EA has garnered more than 700 awards for outstanding software in the U.S. and Europe.
Electronic Arts, Command & Conquer and Command & Conquer Renegade are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Cel Damage is a trademark of Pseudo Interactive. All other trademarks are the property of their respective trademarks.
