PLAYBOY AND ARUSH ENTERTAINMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH GROOVE GAMES ANNOUNCE
GLOBAL LICENSING DEAL FOR PLAYBOY WORLD BUILDER VIDEO GAME
Deal Marks Playboy's Entry into Mainstream Interactive Video Games Genre
New York, Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (PEI) )
(NYSE: PLA, PLAA) today announced a global licensing deal with ARUSH
Entertainment in conjunction with Groove Games to create, market and
distribute a set of interactive simulation video games. The first
Playboy-branded game, which will be playable on multiple platforms
including PC, Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Xbox consoles, is targeted
to be in stores in 2004.
The game, which is based on the world-builder simulation genre of video
games, will allow players to walk in the slippers of Playboy founder Hugh
Hefner, establishing and building the Playboy empire and living the
ultimate Playboy lifestyle. ARUSH Entertainment recently published Duke
Nukem: Manhattan Project and Hunting Unlimited and will publish Devastation
in 2003.
"We're delighted to work with ARUSH and Groove to develop this game and
provide the Playboy audience with a new and exciting way to interact with
our brand," said Alex Vaickus, President of Global Licensing, PEI. "This
deal marks Playboy's entry into the video game category and is a
significant breakthrough for us as we expand the licensing of our brand in
the entertainment arena."
In addition to game industry advertising and merchandising initiatives,
ARUSH and Groove Entertainment will aggressively market the game in Playboy
magazine and on Playboy.com to support the launch. Playboy readers spent
over $300 million on video games over the last year with more than 3.1
million readers owning a video game system.*
"This unique new game based on the incredibly popular Playboy brand will
enable game players to become their own Hugh Hefner," commented Jim
Perkins, president and CEO, ARUSH Entertainment. "This will be a fun,
exciting experience that will challenge players to build their own virtual
Playboy empire and live the fantastic Playboy lifestyle, appealing to video
game enthusiasts and Playboy fans worldwide."