Press Release
20 February 2001
THQ ANNOUNCES SCOOBY-DOO AND THE CYBER CHASE FOR GAME BOY ADVANCE
 
Contacts

Asam Ahmad
Senior PR Manager, THQ
asam@thq.com
T: +44 1483 767656
F: +44 1483 770727

Mary Nelson Garrett
Investor Relations, THQ
T: +1 818 871 5090



CALABASAS HILLS, Calif., - February 20, 2001 –THQ Inc. (NASDAQ NMS: THQI) and Warner Bros. Consumer Products today announced Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase for Nintendo®’s highly anticipated next-generation handheld game system, Game Boy® Advance. The game is scheduled to launch this fall, in conjunction with Warner Home Video’s upcoming all-new, exclusive-to-video release, Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase.

“Given the continued convergence of entertainment mediums, we’re excited to leverage our strength in the kids videogame category by bringing Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase to the upcoming Game Boy Advance system day-and-date with the exclusive-to-video release,” stated Germaine Gioia, vice president, licensing, THQ. “The Scooby-Doo brand lends itself perfectly to the Game Boy Advance system given its wide appeal and mystery-solving nature.”

“We are pleased with the success of the Scooby-Doo videogames and look forward to the property’s continued success on future platforms,” said Michael Harkavy, Vice President, Publishing, Kids’ WB!, Music, and Interactive Entertainment for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “As one of our most celebrated properties, we eagerly await a new interactive Scooby-Doo adventure on the Game Boy Advance this fall.”

Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase for Game Boy Advance will follow the story line and characters of the upcoming direct-to-video release. After beaming themselves and the infamous Phantom Virus into a videogame, Scooby-Doo and his friends are trapped and must fend off a variety of villains in their search for who released the Phantom Virus. Mirroring the humor of the classic cartoon, the game is action-packed with mystery, puzzles, clues and plenty of Scooby Snacksä.

Scooby-Doo was created by animation legends William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and Scooby-Doo Where Are You? is one of the longest-running animated series in television history. Currently airing on the Cartoon Network, the series is one of the network’s top rated shows. Scooby-Doo was also recently voted kids favorite cartoon character on the Cartoon Network.


For more information on THQ’s Scooby-Doo videogames please visit www.thq.com/Scooby-Doo and for the rest of THQ’s 2001 product line-up, please visit www.thq.com.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products is a division of Warner Bros., an AOL Time Warner Company, and is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

With operations in 78 international territories—more than the video division of any other studio—Warner Home Video commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. WHV’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Home Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Video.


THQ Inc. develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software worldwide for a variety of hardware platforms including PC CD-ROM, and those manufactured by Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sega. The THQ web site is located at www.thq.com.

SCOOBY-DOO and all related characters and elements are trademarks of Hanna-Barbera © 2001.



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 the Company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of 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 those described above and the following: changes in demand for the Company'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 the Company's most recent report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities Exchange Commission on November 13, 2000. A copy of this filing may be obtained by contacting the Company or the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.