CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. March 27, 2003 THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) today announced details of the first ever Superstar Challenge to be held at this year’s WrestleMania® XIX in Seattle, Washington. Hosted at WWE Fan Axxess™ during the greatest spectacle in sports entertainment, the Superstar Challenge will pit 16 of WWE’s top Superstars in a no-holds barred videogame tournament. The Superstar Challenge will showcase THQ and JAKKS Pacific’s critically acclaimed WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.
“Many WWE Superstars are huge gaming fans and we are excited that they are taking part in the Superstar Challenge in the name of charity,” stated Peter Dille, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, THQ. “It will fun to see if the Superstars can lay the smackdown in our game like they do in real life.”
”Sixteen Superstars, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth and all the action of WrestleMania in one fast-paced gaming tournament at Fan Axxess,” said Nelo Lucich, Director of Interactive, JAKKS Pacific. “The Superstar Challenge is definitely going to be a highlight leading up to the big event.”
About the WWE Superstar Challenge
The WWE Superstar Challenge is scheduled to take place during the second session of WWE Fan Axxess Friday, March 28th at Seattle Seahawks Stadium located in the West Field Plaza. A total of 16 WWE Superstars will compete in a bracketed tournament to be crowned the Champion of the Superstar Challenge. Winners will be awarded a WWE branded leather jacket and the champion will receive a $2,500 check payable to the Superstar’s charity of choice along with other WWE, THQ and JAKKS Pacific donated prizes. Second place will receive a $1,500 check payable to the charity of their choice. Consumers playing in the competition arena will have a chance to win a copy or WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth and signed WWE merchandise.
Superstars Competing in the Challenge:
Booker T™ Mark Henry™
Jamine Noble™ Shannon Moore™
Rosey™ Maven™
Rey Mysterio™ Billy Kidman™
Rikisihi™ Hurricane™
Jamal™ John Cena™
D-Von™ Christian™
Bubba Ray™ Kanyon®
About WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth boasts the most robust and in-depth Season mode ever with an all-new draft feature that allows players to choose from more than 55 WWE Superstars including Booker T, Brock Lesnar™ and Hulk Hogan®. The Season mode also includes multiple character paths that follow the most exciting events from the last year of WWE programming. Seventeen photo-realistic backstage environments allow gamers to take the
