MONOPOLY Fans Around the Globe Unite to Set New Guinness World Record(R)
EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 27, 2008--In celebration of the release of the new MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition game, an estimated 3,361 people joined together on August 27, 2008 at 14:00 GMT to set a new Guinness World Record for the World's Largest Simultaneous Game of MONOPOLY. The final tally of participants is pending verification from Guinness World Records.
MONOPOLY fans in London, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Bogota, Lisbon, Hong Kong, Las Vegas and more than a dozen additional locations, as well as online at www.pogo.com, joined together to contribute to the total World Record participant count and make MONOPOLY history.
In London's Covent Garden, fans gathered to play the game and try the new version of the game available for download on mobile phones. The event in London was broadcast live to fans in Tokyo, where Daisuke Naito, a world boxing champion, joined with fans for the attempt. Fans in Frankfurt used their "Get Out of Jail Free" card during the world record attempt at Old Police Custody Frankfurt. Even Elvis (impersonators) joined in on the fun at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at The Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.
In Atlantic City, the birthplace of MONOPOLY, Mr. MONOPOLY threw out the first ceremonial roll as fans played the hometown game on the city's famous Boardwalk. In addition, fans played MONOPOLY on multiple digital platforms, including the Nintendo Wii, online on Pogo.com and on mobile phones.
"We are pleased that so many fans of the game from around the globe joined with us to celebrate the release of the new World Edition of MONOPOLY by setting a world record," said Helen Martin, Vice President of Global Marketing for MONOPOLY Brand. "We are thrilled with the enthusiasm that people have shown for this historic version of the game."
In early 2008, MONOPOLY fans from around the world voted for the global cities that they would like to see represented on the first-ever world edition game board. After the worldwide vote, Montreal claimed the most expensive on the new MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition game board. Latvia's national capital, Riga, joins Montreal to round out the dark blue property group. More than 5.6 million votes were cast during the voting period to determine the 22 cities featured on the game board.
The new MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition is now available in stores around the world. Please visit www.monopoly.com to find out local availability and price.
Fans of the game can play MONOPOLY in a variety of ways that best fit their schedules and lifestyles. Stemming from the strategic alliance between Hasbro and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), EA has created digital versions of MONOPOLY which will be available to download onto mobile phones, play free online at Pogo.com and for console systems including the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation®2 and PLAYSTATION®3. The mobile game and online game at Pogo.com will be available starting September 3, 2008. The console versions of the video game are scheduled to launch October 2008.
Since 1935, more than 250 million copies of the MONOPOLY game have been sold in 103 countries and 37 languages. More than 200 different editions of the game have been published, but the most popular continues to be the classic "Number Nine." Affectionately known by its original product number, "Number Nine" is based on the streets of Atlantic City and is nearly identical to Charles Darrow's original submission to Parker Brothers. The MONOPOLY name and logo, the distinctive design of the game board, the four corner squares, the MR. MONOPOLY name and the character, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board and playing pieces are trademarks of Hasbro for its property trading game and game equipment. © 2008 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.
Hasbro, Inc. is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2008 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS, EA, EA SPORTS Freestyle and Pogo.com (http://www.pogo.com/). In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
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SOURCE: Hasbro, Inc.
