THQ Ships Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park For PC

Business Wire,  Sept 17, 2002  

Tags: PC, THQ Inc.

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Business Editors

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 2002

THQ(R)Inc. (Nasdaq: THQI), the #1 kids' videogame publisher, today released Bob the Builder(TM): Bob Builds A Park(TM) for PC. The title is THQ's second offering based on the "Bob the Builder" animated TV show and home video series. Bob the Builder: Bob Builds A Park for PC is now available at retailers in the U.S. and Canada.

"Since its launch in the U.S. on the Nick Jr(R) network in January 2001, Bob the Builder continues to remain a top rated show in the pre-school programming block and has gained mass-market acclaim and recognition," said Alison Locke, executive vice president North American Publishing, THQ. "According to NPD TRST data, the number of kids playing games on their PCs increased 33% in 2001. Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park will further THQ's leadership position within the kids' interactive entertainment market by bringing a popular character to an expanding gaming audience."

"Bob the Builder consumer products have performed extremely well worldwide and we look forward to the brand's continued success across all mediums," said Holly Stein, senior vice president, global consumer products, HIT Entertainment. "Bob the Builder: Bob Builds A Park for PC offers pre-school -aged kids and their parents a fun, user-friendly interactive game that the whole family can enjoy."

"We are pleased to extend our successful relationship with THQ through another quality Bob the Builder(TM) product," said Dave Lee, Director of Multimedia, BBC Worldwide. "The continued success of Bob the Builder software is an indication of both the popularity of the brand and the high quality of the interactive products -- and I'm confident our latest product will help continue this trend."

Bob the Builder: Bob Builds a Park is based on the television adventures of Bob, his business partner Wendy, and crew of fun-loving, all-action building machines including Scoop, the backhoe; Muck, the eager dump truck; Roley, the enthusiastic steamroller; Lofty, the nervous crane; and Dizzy, the energetic cement mixer. In Bob's newest project, players must help Bob and his friends build a park in the neighborhood by completing different activities within the game. The game features varied difficulty settings for kids as young as three years old. All ages will be engaged in more than 12 activities such as repairing a skateboard track in Skateboard Spud, assembling dinosaur bones in Dinosaur Discovery, and leading animals into Pets' Corner.

The animated show currently airs on Nick Jr(R). five days a week, and Saturday mornings on CBS. "Bob the Builder(TM)" features classic and timeless stories focusing on teamwork and problem solving themes appealing to the two to six year-old audience.

About BBC:

BBC Multimedia, part of BBC Worldwide, creates interactive products with an emphasis on fun, learning, creativity and the quality the BBC is renowned for. BBC Multimedia produces entertainment, children's and reference CD-ROMs, and PlayStation(R) and Game Boy(R) Color titles for the whole family. You can find out more about its catalogue of titles on the BBC Multimedia Website located at http://www.bbcmultimedia.com.

About HIT Entertainment:

Established in 1989, HIT Entertainment PLC is a fully integrated global studio, with divisions in the UK, U.S., Canada and Germany including broadcast production and distribution, video and audio sales, consumer products licensing, and marketing. A world leader in quality family entertainment, the company controls all rights for such acclaimed children's properties as Barney(R), Bob the Builder(TM), Angelina Ballerina(TM), Kipper(TM) and Pingu(TM). In the U.S. and Canada, HIT Entertainment also distributes the popular preschool property, The Wiggles(R).

About THQ:

THQ Inc. is a leading, worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms including PC CD-ROM, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Nintendo and Microsoft. The THQ web site is located at www.thq.com. The THQ Wireless site is located at www.thqwireless.com.

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, generates income to support the UK licence fee by marketing programme-related products and services around the world. It is self-funding and exists to provide supplementary funding for the BBC's public services. In 2000/01, BBC Worldwide provided cashflow to the BBC of (pound)96 million. Its ambition is to quadruple cashflow to the BBC during the current Charter period. BBC Worldwide is financially separate from the rest of the BBC and receives no public funding.

This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about THQ's business based, in part, on assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of THQ's future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above and the following: changes in demand for THQ's products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing and difficulties encountered in the integration of acquired businesses. In addition, such statements could be affected by growth rates and market conditions relating to the interactive software industry and general domestic and international economic conditions. Specific information concerning these and other such factors is contained in THQ's Prospectus dated March 26, 2002 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2002. A copy of this filing may be obtained by contacting THQ or the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and THQ does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

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