EA To Digitize Classic Board Games
By Christopher Nickson
August 13, 2007
Electronic Arts and Hasbro have struck a deal that will see EA making digital versions of perennial board game favorites, including Monopoly.
Want to play Monopoly or Scrabble on your game console? From next year you should be able to, as Electronic Arts (EA) and Hasbro have inked a deal that means classic board games will be going digital.
Hasbro has given EA the rights to develop digital games based up a number of games, including Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Nerf, Tonka and Littlest Pet Shop. The first games will roll out next year and the agreement runs until the end of 2013. No financial terms were disclosed.
In a world where hardcore games are becoming more graphically complex, this is a move definitely designed to appeal to the casual gamer, an ever-increasing segment of the market, as the popularity of the Wii has shown. Bringing perennial favorites into the marketplace could increase the popularity of casual gaming, especially among older people.
“The gaming market has never been more primed for a revolution in how families enjoy games,” said Kathy Vrabeck, president of the EA Casual Entertainment Label. “Hasbro is the ideal partner to help propel this change. Their games define fun. These are games that we all love and remember from our childhoods. The combination of EA's market leadership in the interactive space and Hasbro's timeless franchises is a perfect partnership for today's market. Together, EA and Hasbro can create the next generation of fun for a new wave of kids and families.”
The games will hit all platforms, including handhelds, PCs, consoles, mobiles and online.