New York, N.Y.
(October 18, 2007) – 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE), the children’s
entertainment powerhouse that turned the trading card-based properties Pokémon
and Yu-Gi-Oh! into worldwide sensations, and its subsidiary TC Digital Games LLC
have released the first wave of the Chaotic Trading Card Game™ starter
decks and booster packs exclusively to comic and hobby stores nationwide and in
Canada. Starting October 24th, fans can purchase "Chaotic OverWorld – The Dawn
of Perim™" and Chaotic "UnderWorld – The Dawn of Perim™" starter decks as well
as "The Dawn of Perim – Secrets™" booster packs. The public beta version of the
Chaotic website, www.ChaoticGame.com, will also launch on October 24th.
"Excitement has been building among kids and gamers looking for the next hot
trading card game experience," said Alfred R. Kahn, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of 4Kids Entertainment. "We are thrilled to launch the Chaotic Trading
Card Game in limited quantities at comic and hobby shops around the country,
along with the public beta version of the Chaotic Online Game Experience,
offering players a truly revolutionary, one-of-a-kind gaming experience. We
expect to release the Chaotic Trading Card Game to the mass market in early 2008
supported by television advertising".
Chaotic is the first trading card property specifically designed to integrally
connect trading card game play with interactive technology. Each Chaotic trading
card is printed with a unique alphanumeric code that enables Chaotic players to
upload their personal card collection onto the Chaotic Online Game Experience,
www.ChaoticGame.com, at no additional cost. During the public beta phase of the
website, players will be able to upload and trade their cards, battle other
players in one-on-one game play as well as take part in web-based messaging and
forum discussions.
Complementing the Chaotic Trading Card Game is the animated TV series airing
Saturday mornings on 4Kids TV (Fox affiliates nationwide) as well as daily on
Jetix. The television series follows the adventures of a group of teens that are
fans of the Chaotic trading card and online game. Select players discover that
the one-of-a-kind, alphanumeric codes on their trading cards are actually scans
of real Creatures, Locations, Battlegear and "Mugic." Using their personal
passwords and their Chaotic Code Scanners, the players journey to the world of
Chaotic, where they can transform into the Creature Cards they’ve collected and
battle each other. Players can also travel to Perim, the land where the
Creatures live, to capture scans of Creatures, Locations, Battlegear, Attacks
and "Mugic. By watching the animated series, viewers can discover battle
strategies that will ultimately help them master the Chaotic Trading Card Game
for both online and offline gameplay.
4Kids Entertainment
is also developing a comprehensive licensing and marketing program to complement
the trading cards and online game. The first licensed product will begin
shipping in early 2008.
About 4Kids Entertainment, Inc.
Headquartered in New York City with international offices in London, 4Kids
Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) is a global provider of children's entertainment
and merchandise licensing. 4Kids, through its wholly owned subsidiaries,
provides domestic and international merchandise licensing; television, film,
music and home video production and distribution; product development and Web
site development. For further information, please visit the Company's Web sites
at www.4KidsEntertainment.com and www.4Kids.TV.
The information contained in this press release, other than historical
information, consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These
statements may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those described in such statements. Although the
Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking
statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will
prove to have been correct. Important factors beyond the Company's control,
including general economic conditions, consumer spending levels, competition
from toy companies, motion picture studios and other licensing companies, the
uncertainty of public response to the Company's properties and other factors
could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations.
