THQ Confirms Top Brands Slated for Nintendo DS Portable Video Game System

Business Wire, Oct 7, 2004

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. -- THQ(R) Inc. (Nasdaq:THQI), the leading independent publisher of handheld games, today announced that it plans to bring several of its key brands to the Nintendo(R) DS portable game system.

Games based on the holiday 2005 theatrical release of a Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Pixar Animation Studios film Cars, as well as several Nickelodeon properties including SpongeBob SquarePants(TM) and Tak are among THQ titles slated for development for the new system. Other THQ brands scheduled for release on Nintendo DS include Disney/ Pixar's The Incredibles and Zoo Tycoon.

Additionally, THQ announced Ping Pals, a game that takes advantage of the highly anticipated two-way messaging feature in the DS system by allowing players to chat and play games with up to 16 of their friends. Each player will be able to create and customize their own avatar identity by choosing from thousands of items. Additional items can be bought by winning Ping Points during game play, as well as trading with friends. Ping Pals is currently scheduled to be a launch title for the new platform.

"Nintendo DS features like the dual screen, stylus and two-way messaging will enable our developers to create deeper, more compelling game play experiences for handheld gamers," said Brian Farrell, president and CEO, THQ. "We look forward to the launch of Ping Pals this fall, as well as bringing many of our most popular brands to the system in 2005."

About THQ

THQ(R) 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. THQ and the THQ logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as "THQ"), including but not limited to expectations and projections related to the release of the Nintendo DS hardware and THQ's software offerings for the system, and are based upon management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements, including, but not limited to economic, competitive and technological factors affecting the operations, markets, products, services and pricing of THQ. Unless otherwise required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect THQ's financial results, described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2004, and particularly the discussion of risk factors that may affect results of operations set forth therein. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.