EA Announces G.I. Joe

Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that development is underway to bring Hasbro's legendary G.I. JOE brand to all major console and handheld gaming platforms in 2009 to coincide with the theatrical release of the G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA live-action movie from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Hasbro, which opens in theaters from August 7, 2009. EA will unveil a "first look" of the G.I. JOE video game at Hasbro's Showroom at Toy Fair on February 15-17, 2009 in New York City.

"As Hasbro and Paramount Pictures reignite the G.I. JOE property this year with an all-new toy line and film, EA is excited to play a major role in bringing this icon of pop culture history to a new generation of enthusiasts through interactive gaming," said Chip Lange, General Manager and Vice President of EA Hasbro. "G.I. JOE offers exceptionally rich storylines and a cast of characters that lends itself incredibly well to creating an over-the-top action adventure video game that will thrill gamers as well as G.I. JOE fans."

For fans of all ages, 2009 is gearing up to become another watershed milestone in the timeless franchise by introducing even more new ways to engage, immerse and play within the G.I. JOE universe. The G.I. JOE video game will feature an exclusive storyline that picks up where the live-action movie leaves off, allowing players to re-create and re-live the greatest moments from the film, cartoon series and action figure toy line. The game will feature 12 G.I. JOE characters, each with unique abilities and weapons. Adding to the adrenaline rush will be an intense single-screen co-op mode allowing two players to easily unite as a team in a classic struggle between good and evil as they work together to defeat the powers of the COBRA organization. The G.I. JOE video game is under development for Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP (PlayStation Portable), Nintendo DS, and mobile devices.

"G.I. JOE has been an icon of action for 45 years," said Mark Blecher, General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro. "EA has tapped the legacy of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga to create an amazing interactive experience inspired by the movie, comic books, animated series and iconography that we hope will resonate with millions of fans."

For more than four decades, G.I. JOE has been one of the premiere brands in the history of boys' toys. Originating the term "action figure" in 1964, Hasbro's G.I. JOE brand ushered in a new play pattern that forever changed the scope of the toy industry. The G.I. JOE brand made another revolutionary introduction in 1984 with the release of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA toy line, which introduced a generation of boys to the heroic G.I. JOE forces, led by Duke, and their epic struggle to defeat the evil COBRA organization. The G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga featured a diverse cast of characters – both good and evil – that became a part of pop culture through Hasbro's toy line, an animated television series and best-selling comic book franchise.