Electronic Arts, the world's largest interactive entertainment
software company, has announced that it has been awarded the
worldwide rights to develop, publish and distribute games based on
the wildly popular Harry Potter book series. Financial terms of the
deal with Warner Bros. Consumer Products were not disclosed.
"We are extremely excited to become part of the Harry Potter
phenomenon by bringing our own brand of interactive magic to this
fantastic series," said Don Mattrick, president of Elecronics Arts
(EA).
Under the agreement, EA will publish games based on all four
current Harry Potter books and an upcoming feature film from Warner
Bros. Pictures and any subsequent Harry Potter films distributed
during the terms of the agreement.
The license grants EA the exclusive right to develop and publish
products for all current and next generation video game consoles
and handheld platforms. In addition, EA has been granted rights to
publish and distribute games designed to be played on-line over the
internet. EA's on-line division, EA.com, has the exclusive
programming rights for the AOL Games Channel and game areas of the
AOL brands.
The J.K. Rowling Harry Potter book series has been published in
115 countries and in 28 languages with sales of more 30 million
copies of the first three books alone. The fourth book in the
series was published recently.
EA, based in Red Wood, California, will produce the Harry Potter
games at its new studio in Chertsey.
