Business Wire reports:
THQ Inc., World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. today announced that they have reached settlement agreements with respect to the WWE® video game and toy licenses and the THQ/JAKKS Pacific LLC joint venture.
Under the three-party settlement, all claims are withdrawn and all litigation ended among the parties without any party admitting any wrongdoing.
As part of the resolution of these matters, THQ will pay WWE $13.2 million. In addition, THQ has entered into a new eight-year video game license directly with WWE commencing January 1, 2010, which is three years longer than the renewal term under the previous arrangement between WWE and the THQ/JAKKS Pacific LLC joint venture. Information regarding the new license agreement, announced separately today, may be accessed at http://investor.thq.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=96376&p=irol-news&nyo=0.
In addition to its preferred return payment to JAKKS for the period ending December 31, 2009, THQ will pay JAKKS Pacific $20 million over the next four years, with payments of $6 million due June 2010 and June 2011, and payments of $4 million due June 2012 and June 2013, and the THQ/JAKKS Pacific LLC joint venture will terminate effective December 31, 2009.
Mattel, WWE reach multi-year licensing pact | Industries | Technology, Media & Telecommunications | Reuters
Kind of old news by now, but how do you think Mattel will handle the license?
Personally I'm hoping that the figures will be something similar to the DCU figures. It should be interesting to see what they come up with.
Mattel has really stepped it up with The articulation and the addition of The Four Horsemen to the team. They could really raise the bar if they do it right.
I think they are going to have a winner on their hands. Ultra articulated wrestlers are pure win.
I say never change unless you can bring something NEW to the table. I hope Mattel does so. I'm not as much worried about how the figures will look as I am about the way they will move. If they are just thrown out there then we could have problems but if they are produced with care then I think we are in for a productive run.
Dammit, does this mean Hasbro will never release a Sgt Slaughter figure again? I'm sure Mattel ain't going to lend their rival Hasbro the rights for the name.
Although a BAF with wrestlers would be nice, I'd really like to see increased articulation (ML- or Fury Files-level) and interchangable hands:
x2 closed fists (for the beatdowns)
x2 grabbing hands (for the grappling)
x2 open palms (for the pimp slaps)
x2 curled hands for holding "foreign objects".
what about just some super articulated hands to start with?
you know Flint, if it were up to me I'd have all action figures in the 3 3/4 scale.
That's what I'm saying Echo...
Basically the reason I would like multiple hands comes down to wrestling gimmicks, which are the core of the characters. Some wrestlers have different hand signs, signature moves, finishers and accessories and I would like the hands to accomodate these defining characteristics. For example, Hulk Hogan's "I can't hear you" cupped-hand-to-the-ear, DX's X crotch chop or the Hardy Boyz's "Guns to the head". Also, just being able to wield a steel chair or sledgehammer properly.
But I also don't want them putting out endless versions of a character just to fit in all the nuances of a specific gimmick. A different figure for each iteration of a gimmick (Hulkamania Hogan and Hollywood Hogan) would be fine.
I don't know, maybe I've been spoiled by TF's, 25th Joes and ML.
Full Thread: Mattel gets WWE license
Not a member yet? Join Toyark Now!