Kids Crown Thrillville(TM) the No. 1 Original Children’s Video Game Franchise of 2006

Kids Crown Thrillville(TM) the No. 1 Original Children’s Video Game Franchise of 2006

LucasArts’ Theme Park Experience Welcomed More Than Half a Million Players

LucasArts today announced that by the end of 2006 more than 500,000 guests had “purchased a ticket” to Thrillville™, the videogame where players create and experience the theme park of their dreams. Released on November 21, 2006 as part of LucasArts’ initiative to create popular, quality original intellectual properties, Thrillville welcomed enough visitors in only six weeks to make it the year’s No. 1 original children’s gaming franchise*. Available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable system) and Xbox video game system from Microsoft, Thrillville was also among the best-selling new IPs rated Teen or younger, according to data distributed by the NPD Group.

“The success of Thrillville proves that kids are looking for engaging new gaming experiences, and we’re grateful to see children and their entire families come together to enjoy the product,” said Kevin Kurtz, Director of Global Marketing, LucasArts. “Games with great content tend to rise to the top, and Thrillville is no exception. It’s also an amazing value, delivering countless hours of the experience of a theme park for less than the price of a single ticket to one.”

“Our collaboration with LucasArts in developing Thrillville has turned the game into a true breakout hit,” said David Braben, Chairman, Frontier Developments. “I don’t believe that any other publisher could have done such a tremendous job. They treated Thrillville with as much respect as they would a Star Wars or Indiana Jones product, and we are incredibly excited to see that so many kids – and kids at heart – have enjoyed themselves with the game.”

With its unique mix of ride-building, socialization and entertaining minigames, Thrillville hasn’t just sold well, it’s also won awards from top-tier family-oriented publications: The game earned the Editor’s Choice Award from the Children’s Technology Review, and Nick Jr. Family Magazine honored Thrillville in its November 2006 issue. Leading gaming site IGN.com also ranked the title among the best PS2, PSP and Xbox releases of a very fruitful November 2006.

The popularity of Thrillville has ensured the brand’s continuation as a premier children’s gaming franchise. LucasArts will release information on the construction of new Thrillville experiences in the coming months, including likely editions for consoles of the new generation.

*“Original children’s gaming franchise” is defined by LucasArts as a non-licensed intellectual property geared primarily toward audiences of an adolescent age or younger.

About LucasArts

LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. Based in San Francisco, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts was created in 1982 by George Lucas to provide an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.

Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world’s leading film and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company’s global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual-effects and audio post-production; and Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm’s entertainment properties. Additionally, Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm’s entertainment properties and businesses. Lucasfilm’s motion-picture productions include five of the 20 biggest box-office hits of all time and have received 16 Oscars and 44 Academy Award nominations. Lucasfilm’s television projects have won 12 Emmy Awards. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif.

About Frontier Developments Ltd.

Frontier and its founder, David Braben, have a long association with Chris Sawyer going back to 1987, when Chris first worked on PC versions of the famous “Elite” and “Virus” games. Frontier has for many years used its own cutting-edge 3D game engine on both PC and console titles. The company has a strong track record of creating both innovative ‘own-IP’ games and original high-quality titles that give a faithful treatment of existing brands. The company’s most recent two console games gathered three prestigious BAFTA (The British Academy of Film and Television Arts) nominations between them (”Wallace & Gromit in Project Zoo” on PlayStation®2, Xbox, GameCube and PC, based on Aardman Animations Ltd.’s multiple Oscar®-winning duo; and the novel, award-winning “Dog’s Life” published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe on PlayStation®2). Frontier employs approximately 90 people, and has offices in Cambridge in the UK.
Contacts

LucasArts
Hadley Fitzgerald, 415-746-8217
hfitzgerald@lucasarts.com