Wizards of the Coast and Atari team up to bring Duel Masters to American gamers.Atari to Bring Trading Card Game Phenomenon Duel Masters to Game Boy Advance; Atari Announces Duel Masters: Sempai Legends
With More Than 120 Million Booster Packs Sold in Japan, Duel Masters Prepares for U.S. Invasion
BEVERLY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 15, 2004-- Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) and Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc., today announced that Duel Masters(TM) -- the number one toy in Japan according to Weekly Toy News -- will be released for Nintendo's Game Boy(R) Advance in June 2004. Already an incredibly successful trading card game, television series and comic book in Japan, Atari's Duel Masters(TM): Sempai Legends, which was developed under license from Hasbro, will launch hot on the heels of the newest round of the Duel Masters trading card game from Wizards of the Coast. With more than 120 million booster packs sold in Japan, Duel Masters is preparing to invade the U.S.
"Duel Masters: Sempai Legends incorporates an engaging combination of strategy, humor and mystery that we believe will translate into an exciting interactive entertainment offering," said Nancy MacIntyre, vice president of Marketing and Public Relations, Atari's Beverly studio. "We are pleased to work with Wizards of the Coast to bring this entertainment phenomenon from Japan to the U.S. and the Game Boy Advance."
"Atari has successfully demonstrated its expertise in bringing anime properties and trading card franchises to the interactive entertainment sector, and we are excited to be working with them on Duel Masters," said James Szubski, Duel Masters brand manager, Wizards of the Coast. "Duel Masters has already demonstrated its ability to span a variety of entertainment genres, and Atari's Game Boy Advance offering combined with our trading card game delivers the perfect vehicle with which to introduce this universe to North America."
Duel Masters' Accomplishments in Japan
The Trading Card Game launched in Japan in May of 2002
More than 4,000,000 Duel Masters decks sold
More than 120,000,000 Duel Masters booster packs sold
The Trading Card Game has been the #1 toy in Japan for the last 11 consecutive months
There are more than 600 Duel Masters play events per month
26 episodes of the Duel Masters TV show have been produced; 26 additional episodes are currently in production
U.S. Launch Highlights
Times Square Launch Event on March 5, 2004
U.S. Launch supported by 15-city Wizards of the Coast Mall Tour
Animated Duel Masters cartoon on Cartoon Network
Duel Masters Organized Leagues and Tournaments
Trading Card, Video Game and Anime Enthusiast convention presence throughout 2004 and beyond
About Duel Masters: Sempai Legends for Game Boy Advance
Duel Masters: Sempai Legends offers a story-driven experience, in which the lead character inherits a valuable Duel Masters card from his grandfather, but before he can add it to his deck, it is stolen by a mysterious man. As a result, the lead character must travel through a dangerous world inhabited by rival duelists in the hopes of regaining his stolen property. Along the way, he enters tournaments and gains the experience to someday become a Kaijudo Master.
For more information, please visit www.atari.com. Hasbro, Inc.
Topic: Atari Duels Masters on the GBA (Read 2070 times)
