4Kids Entertainment
Chaotic® Trading Card Game Hits Select 7-Eleven® Stores Nationwide
Monday 02 March 2009
NEW YORK (March 2, 2009) – 4Kids Entertainment (NYSE: KDE) and its majority-owned subsidiary TC Digital Games have announced that approximately 1,000 7-Eleven® stores across the country now carry the popular Chaotic® Trading Card Game (TCG).
Chaotic is a revolutionary trading card game which integrates a collectible in-person card game with an online multi-player experience. Each Chaotic trading card is printed with a unique alphanumeric code that enables players to upload their personal card collection onto www.chaoticgame.com. Supported by an animated television series, Chaotic connects traditional trading card elements with state-of-the-art technology to create a one-of-a-kind interactive gaming experience.
The game’s most recent release, Chaotic: M’arrillian Invasion: Rise of the Oligarch™ (booster series), will be the first Chaotic product offering at 7-Eleven stores and marks the brand’s first foray into the convenience-store category. With the addition of 7-Eleven to its North American retail roster, Chaotic, which has already become one of the best-selling trading card games since its initial launch just over a year ago, will now be available at more than 30,000 locations across the US and Canada.
“We at 7-Eleven pride ourselves on staying at the forefront of emerging trends, whether it’s in our core business of food and beverages or in niche categories that appeal to specific consumers like our young, tech-savvy customers,” said Kris Nelson, 7-Eleven senior product director for non-foods. “With the addition of the online elements, Chaotic offers our youngest gamers the next generation of trading-card games.”
The momentum of the Chaotic TCG continues as the game’s Website (www.ChaoticGame.com) recently celebrated its 50 millionth card uploaded. The site also now boasts more than 3.5 million unique visitors, some 1.25 million registered users and more than 150,000 ranked players. During the 2008 holiday season, Chaotic cards and collectible holiday tins were among the top-selling items in its category at a number of retail stores across North America.
“The growth of Chaotic at retail outlets certainly reflects the continued increased popularity the brand has experienced since the trading card game hit the mass market a year ago,” said Bryan C. Gannon, president and CEO of TC Digital Games. “We couldn’t ask for a better partner than 7-Eleven, the biggest and best-known convenience store chain, to reach Chaotic’s key target audience – boys 9-14.”
Complementing the Chaotic Trading Card Game is the Chaotic animated series, with its second season, “Chaotic M’arrillian Invasion,” currently airing Saturday mornings on TheCW4Kids, the five-hour children’s programming block on The CW Television Network. The animated series also can be seen daily on DisneyXD (formerly Jetix).
For more information about Chaotic, visit www.ChaoticGame.com.
About 4Kids Entertainment
With U.S. headquarters in New York City, regional offices for its trading card business in San Diego, California and international offices in London, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) is a global organization devoted to the creation, development, production, broadcasting, distribution, licensing and manufacturing of children’s entertainment products.
Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, 4Kids produces animated television series and films, distributes 4Kids’ produced or licensed animated television series for the domestic and international television and home video markets, licenses merchandising rights worldwide to 4Kids’ owned or represented properties, and operates Web sites to support 4Kids’ owned or represented properties. Through its majority owned trading card company and website company, 4Kids produces and markets collectible trading card games. Additionally, the Company programs and sells the national advertising time in “TheCW4Kids,” the five-hour Saturday morning children’s block which airs nationally on The CW Television Network.
Additional information is available on the www.4kidsentertainment.com corporate web site and at the www.4kids.tv game station site.
About 7-Eleven, Inc.
7?Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Based in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses approximately 7,700 7-Eleven® stores in North America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 35,600 stores in 17 countries. During 2007, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $46.6 billion. Named the #1 Franchise Opportunity for 2008 by Entrepreneur magazine, 7-Eleven is franchising virtually all of its stores in the U.S., and is expanding through its Business Conversion Program, acquisitions, building new and leasing existing properties. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.
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.
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