NEW YORK - February 18, 2005 -- Diamond Select Toys and Collectibles, LLC (DST) today announced they have signed a licensing agreement with Capcom®, publishers of the world renowned video game franchise Street Fighter®, to develop a line of their top-selling Minimate toys and collectibles. The line is being developed in conjunction with New York's Art Asylum Inc., and will create an extension to the already popular Minimate family. The Street Fighter Minimate line is scheduled to release in late summer.
"The characters are some of the most well-known in gaming history, and the fans of the series will no doubt enjoy what we have come up with for this new line," said Bill Schanes, Vice President, Diamond Select Toys.
"Capcom is proud to partner with DST to bring some of Capcom's best known characters to life under the Minimates banner," stated Hiroshi Tobisawa, president of Capcom Entertainment. "The Street Fighter characters are a natural extension of the Minimates brand and fit well into the world already established by DST."
DST and Art Asylum have enjoyed success by retailers and fans with their 2" tall Minimate line, which includes properties like Marvel, and will further expand with the addition of Street Fighter, Star Trek, and Death Jr.
Street Fighter remains one of the most popular fighting video games, with nearly 30 million units sold worldwide, generating over a billion dollars in revenue. With more than 20 games over a 16 year history, Capcom's Street Fighter franchise has created characters and rivalries that enjoy excitement beyond the game. The franchise has been developed into a major motion picture, animated releases, comics, apparel and action-figures. The Minimates deal was brokered by Marc Mostman, President of MOST MANAGEMENT, Capcom's North American licensing agency, and Chuck Terceira, Director of DST.
ABOUT DIAMOND SELECT TOYS AND COLLECTIBLES, LLC
DIAMOND SELECT TOYS AND COLLECTIBLES, LLC was founded in 1999 by sister company Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. Envisioned to create unique and
exciting collectibles for children and adults alike, the company has licensed a variety of pop culture properties to be turned into merchandise. With partners such as Marvel Enterprises, Capcom, Twentieth Century Fox, Hasbro, Backbone, Bliss House, and MGM, Diamond Select Toys and Collectibles produces a large range of products based on a wide variety of properties, and is headquartered in Timonium, MD. For more information, visit www.diamondselecttoys.com.
ABOUT ART ASYLUM
Brooklyn, NY - based ART ASYLUM was founded by Digger in 1996 as a creative studio providing premier work services to the toy industry. This state-of-the-art studio and office complex with a staff of 20 joined forces with Jay Foreman and Adam Unger in 2000, and transformed itself into a fully functioning new force in the action figure business. The company's current roster includes such lines as Star Trek, Tony Hawk, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , Eminem, Bruce Lee, Dark Angel, and their own new brands of toys: N' The Box, Asylum Ultimate, and Minimates. www.artasylum.com
ABOUT CAPCOM
CAPCOM is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment. Founded in 1983, the company has created world-renowned franchises including Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Mega Man, Breath of Fire, Devil May Cry and the Onimusha series. Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, the company maintains operations in the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Tokyo and Hong Kong. More information about CAPCOM and its products can be found on the company's web site at www.capcom.com.
Capcom, Mega Man, Resident Evil, Onimusha, Devil May Cry and Breath of Fire are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd., in the U.S. or other countries. Street Fighter is a registered trademark of Capcom U.S.A., Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
