Topps And Wizkids Launch MLB Sportsclix Collectable Minitures Game

October 16, 2003 (SEATTLE) — The world’s hottest new game company moves up to the big leagues today. WizKids, LLC, a subsidiary of The Topps Company, has unveiled plans to market a collectable baseball game under a licensing agreement with Major League Baseball™ and the Major League Baseball Players Association.



MLB™ SportsClix™, the company’s first sports-themed entry into the collectable miniatures game (CMG) market, will hit store shelves during baseball’s 2004 spring training. It features real major leaguers sculpted as two-inch-high 3-D game pieces. MLB SportsClix gameplayers act as team managers, collecting and trading the miniature baseballers to face each other on a ballpark playmat.
“We think the combination of fun strategic game-play, and the excitement of collecting your favorite players, will appeal to fans of all ages,” said Scott Silverstein, executive vice president of The Topps Company.

MLB SportsClix simulates real game situations by using specially-designed dice together with actual statistics that are contained in each player-specific figurine. The Alex Rodriguez figure, for example, will be a more powerful player in the SportsClix world just as he is in real life. And Mark Prior will be an intimidating presence on the mound.

“In our game, anyone can decide starting lineups, where to play the fielders and what kinds of pitches to throw. It simulates what it’s like to make the important decisions that affect the outcome of a real big-league game,” said Jordan Weisman, founder and CEO of WizKids. “Anyone who enjoys baseball will have fun playing MLB SportsClix.”



MLB SportsClix will be available at leading retailers nationwide in March 2004. It will be sold in Starter Sets and Booster Packs. Starter Sets will contain a full team of nine figures, a stadium playmat, dice, rules, and everything else one player needs to field a team. The suggested retail price will be $19.99. Booster Packs allow collectors to add major leaguers to their teams. Two-figure Boosters will retail for $4.99, three-figure Boosters at $6.99.

Acquired by The Topps Company Inc. in July 2003, WizKids manufactures and distributes collectable miniatures games. The company invented the category, and its games are now played in more than 56 countries worldwide. To date, WizKids has sold more than 100 million miniature figures under the Mage Knight™, MechWarrior® and HeroClix™ game brands, making it one of the fastest-growing game companies in the United States. For more information, visit www.wizkidsgames.com.

The Topps Company (www.topps.com), founded in l938 as Topps Chewing Gum, is an international marketer of kids' entertainment products, principally candy, collectable trading cards, sticker album collections and miniature games. ©2003 WizKids LLC. All rights reserved. MechWarrior, SportsClix, Mage Knight, HeroClix and WizKids are trademarks of WizKids LLC.

Official Licensee—Major League Baseball Players Association. www.bigleaguers.com
Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. MLB.com.