Industry Gaming Leaders Hasbro and Zynga Announce Global Partnership

Published on Thursday, 09 February 2012 15:34 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

SAN FRANCISCO & PAWTUCKET, R.I.-( Business Wire )-

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) and Zynga (NASDAQ: ZNGA) announced today a comprehensive partnership that grants Hasbro the rights to develop a wide range of toy and gaming experiences based across Zynga's popular social games and brands. As the world’s largest social game developer with more than 227 million monthly active users, Zynga has created some of the world’s most popular social game brands including FarmVille, CityVille and Words With Friends.

Through this agreement, Hasbro has obtained the license to develop and distribute wide ranging product lines based on Zynga’s game brands in a number of toy and game categories. This deal also creates an array of opportunities for co-branded merchandise featuring a combination of both Hasbro and Zynga brands.

“It’s exciting to partner with Hasbro as we share a common vision for play and a mission to connect the world through games,” said Mark Pincus, founder, CEO and chief product officer of Zynga. “This partnership is so special because it represents an exciting leap forward in enabling people to connect their virtual and real worlds. Hasbro has inspired play through their famous toys, games and action figures and we look forward to working with a company that continually creates meaningful and fun brands.”

“Hasbro is thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Zynga’s immensely popular social games to life in a variety of creative and new expressions that reflect consumers’ growing desire to surround themselves with gaming brands they love anytime, anywhere together with their friends and family,” said Brian Goldner, President and CEO of Hasbro. “Zynga is bringing more games to mainstream culture and is redefining how people play. At Hasbro, we’re proud to help bring their games to even more people around the world. This strategic alliance plays off of both Hasbro’s and Zynga’s proven strengths and is emblematic of the new innovations and new platforms we are creating across our entire gaming portfolio.”

The two companies expect the first products to be available beginning Fall 2012.

About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company’s world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Hub, Hasbro’s multi-platform joint venture with Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) launched on October 10, 2010. The online home of The Hub is www.hubworld.com. The Hub logo and name are trademarks of Hub Television Networks, LLC. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2012 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Zynga

Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ: ZNGA) is the world's largest social game developer with more than 227 million monthly active users playing its games, which include CityVille, FarmVille, Words With Friends, Scramble With Friends, CastleVille, Hidden Chronicles, Zynga Poker, Empires & Allies, Indiana Jones™ Adventure World, The Pioneer Trail, Mafia Wars and Café World. Zynga's games are available on a number of global platforms, including Facebook, Google+, Tencent, Apple iOS and Google Android. Through Zynga.org, Zynga players have raised more than $10 million for world social causes. Zynga is headquartered in San Francisco.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, launching successful initiatives involving new games and platforms. The ability to deliver new products as expected could differ materially from what is predicted or implied in this press release. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to competition, changing interests of players, intellectual property disputes or other litigation.

More information about factors that could affect Zynga's operating results is included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Zynga’s registration statement on Form S-1, as amended, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 15, 2011, copies of which may be obtained by visiting the company's Investor Relations web site at http://investor.zynga.com or the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are based on information available to the company on the date hereof. Zynga assumes no obligation to update such statements.

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Zynga Press:Dani Dudeck, 415-503-0303press@zynga.comorZynga Investors:Mike Gupta, 415-339-5266investors@zynga.comorHasbro News Media:Wayne Charness, 401-727-5983wcharness@hasbro.comorHasbro Investors:Debbie Hancock, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.