Wizards Of The Coast To Develop Trading Card Game Based On G.I.Joe - The World's First Action Figure

WIZARDS OF THE COAST TO DEVELOP TRADING CARD GAME BASED ON G.I. JOE - THE WORLD'S FIRST ACTION FIGURE

November 21, 2003 (Renton, Wash) - Wizards of the Coast, a developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products and a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., (NYSE:HAS) announced today it is developing an all-new trading card game (TCG) based on Hasbro's original action figure brand, G.I. JOE. The G.I. JOE Trading Card Game is scheduled for release in the fall of 2004, coinciding with the G.I. JOE brand's 40th anniversary.

Hasbro's G.I. JOE line revolutionized the toy industry nearly 40 years ago with the first poseable action figure for boys. Today, the G.I. JOE brand is popular among a new generation of kids who have rediscovered the action-packed excitement of the G.I. JOE VS. COBRA fantasy. The first-of-its-kind trading card game will put the action of the"REAL AMERICAN HERO" into a range of cards inspired by the legendary G.I. JOE VS. COBRA storyline. Trading card game players will get to command their own G.I. JOE or COBRA team by building their decks with iconic characters such as DUKE, SNAKE EYES, AGENT SCARLETT, COBRA COMMANDER, DESTRO and STORM SHADOW.


"Generations of kids and adults have been entertained by the G.I. JOE brand and only Wizards of the Coast can capture the action and adventure of the property in a trading card game," said Derryl DePriest, Director of Marketing for the G.I. JOE brand.

"Wizards of the Coast has assembled a top-notch R&D team to create the G.I. JOE trading card game," said Scott Rouse, Brand Manger for the G.I. JOE Trading Card Game. "The compelling characters and rich storyline inherent in the G.I. JOE brand make it a perfect candidate for a fun, head-to-head trading card game experience that is sure to please TCG and G.I. JOE enthusiasts alike."

Wizards of the Coast will first release the G.I. JOE Trading Card Game in a two-player starter set and randomized booster packs with each card featuring dynamic artwork that brings the guts and glory of the G.I. JOE universe into every TCG player's deck. Expansion sets are planned for release in 2005.

Wizards of the Coast, Inc., is a worldwide leader in the trading card game and tabletop roleplaying game categories, and a leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products. The company holds an exclusive patent on trading card games (TCGs) and their method of play and produces the premier trading card game, Magic: The Gathering®, among many other trading card games and family card and board games. Wizards is also a leading publisher of roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons®, and publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. For more information, visit the Wizards of the Coast website at www.wizards.com.

Hasbro (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.

For more information on the G.I. JOE brand, visit www.gijoe.com or www.hasbro.com. Wizards of the Coast, Magic: The Gathering, and Dungeons & Dragons are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast Inc. ©2003 Wizards.