Hasbro Signs Five Year Formula One Deal For MicroProse

Hasbro announced today that they have signed a massive five year deal with Formula One that should take us until at least 2004.

Press release:

HASBRO INTERACTIVE EXPANDS MOTORSPORTS PORTFOLIO WITH FIVE-YEAR FORMULA 1 DEAL
Business/Technology Editors – BEVERLY, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 16, 1999–

Leading interactive games publisher Hasbro Interactive today announced a new five-year, multi-title, multi-platform deal with Formula 1 to take motorsports gaming roaring into the next millennium. Earlier this year, the company announced it will develop interactive games based on the NASCAR(R) and Grand Prix 500 licenses. Combined with the new Formula 1 relationship, these partnerships propel Hasbro Interactive to the forefront of the worldwide motorsports gaming market.

“Our relationship with Formula 1 is a key component of our global motorsports business strategy,” commented Hasbro Interactive President Tom Dusenberry. “We now have a stable of partners and the right development team to create the world’s best racing games.”

In a related move, Hasbro Interactive announced it has signed an agreement with premier racing sim game developer Geoff Crammond. Crammond, who has collaborated with Hasbro Interactive’s MicroProse development team on previous Grand Prix titles, has committed himself to a long-term development licensing deal with Hasbro Interactive. Crammond commented, “Hasbro’s absolute commitment to quality was the key factor which persuaded me to choose them as a publishing partner for F1 products. I’m very much looking forward to continuing my successful relationship with the MicroProse team.”

Hasbro Interactive is now set to build on MicroProse’s heritage and reputation for the highest quality racing sims. Grand Prix 1 and 2 are widely recognized as the greatest driving games of all time, with sales of the latter topping 1.5 million units. The first titles to come out of this partnership will be Grand Prix 3 and Grand Prix World, the latter building on the success of the Grand Prix Manager 1 and 2 series.

Formula 1 is one of the world’s largest spectator sports and is headed back to the U.S. in 2000, with an event to be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hasbro Interactive, Inc. is a leading all-family interactive games publisher, formed in 1995 to bring to life on the computer the deep library of toy and board games of parent company Hasbro, Inc. (AMEX:HAS). Hasbro Interactive has expanded its charter to include original and licensed games for the PC, PlayStation(R), Nintendo 64(R) and for multi-player gaming over the Internet. Headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, Hasbro Interactive has offices in the U.K., France, Germany, Japan and Canada, and development studios in Alameda, California and Hunt Valley, Maryland. For additional information, visit Hasbro Interactive’s Web site at: www.hasbro-interactive.com.

Hasbro is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys, games, interactive software, puzzles and infant products. Both internationally and in the U.S., its Playskool(R), Kenner(R), Tonka(R), Oddzon(R), Super Soaker(R), Milton Bradley(R), Parker Brothers(R), Tiger(TM), Hasbro Interactive(TM) and Galoob(R) products provide children and families with the highest quality and most recognizable toys and games in the world.