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THQ Partners Announces Distribution Deal with Codemasters

^{Published on 2011-05-24 13:00:28 - Market Wire}
 

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) today announced an agreement in which THQ Partners will distribute four of Codemastersa™ premier video games in North America during 2011. THQ Partners provides select developers and publishers access to THQa™s global retail and online publishing network. Codemasters will continue to handle North American marketing.

"THQ stands as apublishing force in North America and provides us the mindshare, commitment andresources of their organization to successfully drive Codemasters products in this veryimportant market."

aBringing together THQa™s world-class publishing and Codemastersa™ highly acclaimed titles is a win-win situation for both companies,a said Tim Walsh, Vice President, THQ Partners. aOur goal is to offer Codemasters a custom distribution solution so they can outsource the functions they dona™t need to own.a

aThe THQ Partners initiative truly resonated with us,a said Rod Cousens, CEO of Codemasters. aTHQ stands as apublishing force in North America and provides us the mindshare, commitment andresources of their organization to successfully drive Codemasters products in this veryimportant market.a

THQ Partners will distribute the following Codemasters titles:

• DiRT 3: DiRT 3 delivers action sports racing by the bucketful with more than double the track content of DiRT 2a" and three times the rally-specific content, including the best rally cars from the sporta™s last five decades. Available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, DiRT 3 will hit shelves May 24.
• Operation Flashpoint Red River: The brutal new chapter in the world-renowned, multimillion-selling franchise, Operation Flashpoint Red River takes the tactical military shooter to new levels of intense authenticity. On a deadly new battlefield where one bullet can kill, Operation Flashpoint Red River takes players closer to the experience of a U.S. Marine Corps campaign than ever before. Available for the Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 and PC Games for Windows® on June 7.
• BODYCOUNT: Set to deliver the best gunplay experience in FPS gaming, BODYCOUNT is an adrenaline-pumping arcade shooter packed with powerful firefights. Gamers will experience the intense satisfaction of spectacular close-quarters combat in a shreddable world as players and opponents tear through cover to execute explosive kills. Available for the Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 later this summer.
• F1 2011: The sequel to hugely successful F1 2010 FORMULA ONE game that has sold more than 2.3M units globally to date, F1 2011 will race into stores September 23. In F1 2011 players will be challenged to abe the driver, live the life, go compete,a™ with wide-ranging technical and gameplay advancements on and off track and vastly extended competitive and co-operative multiplayer components. Now available for pre-order, F1 2011 will be available for PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360® with Nintendo 3DSa" and Sony NGP to follow.

With offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, THQ's industry leading global publishing operation reaches all major video game territories worldwide. Retailers around the world have consistently recognized THQ as a best-in-class vendor.

About THQ

[ THQ Inc. ] (NASDAQ:THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found at [ www.thq.com ]. THQ and the THQ logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.

About Codemasters

Codemasters, the award winning games developer and publisher, has a 24-year heritage and annual revenues in excess of US$ 150 Million. The companya™s dominant brands include DiRT, GRID and Operation Flashpoint; the company retains the exclusive worldwide video game rights to FORMULA ONE. Codemasters operates three UK development studios a" one at its Warwickshire HQ with further sites at Guildford and Birmingham. An additional art studio is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2009 Codemasters won the coveted Grand Prix Award at the 2009 Develop Industry Excellence Awards, an award bestowed on the company felt by Develop to have contributed the most to the games medium in recent times. Across the group, Codemasters employs over 450 people. In March 2010, Reliance Big Entertainment Ltd. (RBEL), a part of Indiaa™s Reliance ADA group, acquired a 50 per cent shareholding in the company, alongside existing investor, Balderton Capital, the leading European venture capital firm that first invested in Codemasters in 2005. For more information on Codemastersa™ product portfolio, please visit [ www.codemasters.com ].

Codemasters is a registered trademark owned by The Codemasters Software Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. aPlayStationa, aPLAYSTATIONa and aPSa Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox LIVE are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. NINTENDO DS, Wii AND THE Wii LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF NINTENDO.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be aforward-looking statementsa within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as aTHQa), including, but not limited to, expectations and projections related to THQa™s distribution of four Codemasters titles in North America, and are based upon managementa™s current beliefs and certain assumptions made by management.Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, business, competitive, economic, legal, political and technological factors affecting our industry, operations, markets, products or pricing.Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect THQa™s financial results, described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2010, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and particularly the discussion of trends and risk factors set forth therein.Unless otherwise required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements.Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

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