EA, Hasbro enter into casual relationship

Publisher picks up rights to Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Nerf, and more of game maker's famous brands.

Electronic Arts established its EA Casual label in June, and today the company announced its first major licensing agreement for the division. The game publisher has reached an exclusive worldwide deal to make console, handheld, PC, online, and mobile games based on a slate of Hasbro properties including Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Nerf, Tonka, and Littlest Pet Shop.

Some of the rights were previously held by Atari, which signed an exclusive seven-year deal with Hasbro in 2005 for online and mobile games based on Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, and more. Some of those titles were set to be published by Jamdat, the mobile gaming company EA acquired, which was renamed EA Mobile and is now part of the EA Casual division. However, Atari sold those rights back to Hasbro last month for $19.5 million, paving the way for today's announcement.

Not all big-name Hasbro properties are included in the deal. Atari is still set to publish Jenga on the Nintendo DS and Wii, and Activision has the rights to the Transformers brand. Atari also holds the rights to the role-playing series Dungeons & Dragons, which Hasbro also owns.

The current deal also gives Hasbro rights to turn "select EA franchises" into toys and traditional games, though specific properties were not revealed. The EA-Hasbro deal extends through 2013, but could be extended through 2017 if certain conditions are met. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

96 Comments

  • lop890

    Posted Apr 23, 2008 4:26 pm PT

    2020 ruler of the world ea inc. selling games at 49.99 play monopoly on the psp and ps3 nerf for wii,tonka racing for ps2
    i hate this deal but o well is happening

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Nov 1, 2007 5:23 pm PT

    EA is a monopoly now

  • Lestwist40

    Posted Oct 31, 2007 1:57 pm PT

    Looks Like Atari needed some cash...selling back to Hasbro.Infrogames is really taking Atari APART to me.

  • chang_1910

    Posted Aug 28, 2007 11:50 am PT

    what i do not get is.... why they do not do a full VG edition.... medal of honor and scramble on the same board...

    btw... they should do this with Konami or Capcom (VG exclusive of course) that one i would get

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 1:09 pm PT

    Yeah! Let's play.....Tonka?

  • ogretroll123

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 3:25 pm PT

    I would love to see a Heroscape game of some sorts on XBLA.

  • Hvac0120

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 8:39 am PT

    Darn you to he|| EA!!!

    Now I HAVE to buy a game from you...namely Monopoly! The game could have been so much better under another publisher...

    I can't wait to actually have to PAY for property through microtransactions on XBLA...

  • wenbin09

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 6:00 am PT

    monopoly!

  • LOGGER13

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 12:49 pm PT

    "Title makes it sound like they are f buddies."

    OMG thats so true. Gamespots gotta watchit for next time."
    --------

    Yea, I think that was the point of the title ... it's a spin on the saying.

  • iliyun

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 9:45 am PT

    great more E.A. junk

  • StrikerGold

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 9:43 am PT

    Casual relationship? Meaning they can see other companies? People here may think this is stupid, but if EA knows how to do one thing its make money, and this will make them truckloads.

  • SteelRush

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:56 am PT

    EA and Monopoly...what a perfect fit. Oh wait, we are talking about the board game.

  • Agreb91

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:51 am PT

    Yay for some board game games. Not.

  • mjwickstrom1

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 7:19 am PT

    I'd like to see Monopoly as an XBLA game!

  • ghsacidman

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 7:15 am PT

    It's a shame activision has the transformers brand. EA could do alittle better couldn't they? That Transformer's Movie game... SUCKED!!!

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 6:02 am PT

    I guess companies are finally starting to take note of how easy and effective it is to sell traditional board and card games via outlets like XBL Arcade.

  • omegakie

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 5:43 am PT

    That's a stupid deal with hasbro

  • kerensky287

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 4:39 am PT

    Here's hoping for some C&C3 toys coming to stores soon.

  • Metallicantera

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 3:49 am PT

    Wow.. ye PLEASE make these on the handhelds ea... or even the wii... just keep this crap off the real systems... they have enough of your garbage already.

  • NinjaMunkey01

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 2:28 am PT

    Why would I want a virtual monopoly. hopefully they will not take games like these to the psp that would suck.

  • Platyphyllum

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 11:39 pm PT

    Well, Monopoly and Scrabble on handhelds and such don't sound too bad, especially if they would be coupled in with online play.

  • VolcanoMan001

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 11:00 pm PT

    Oh great, I guess we are about to get flooded with EA/Hasbro XBLA games.

  • Proman84

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 10:09 pm PT

    Kids remember that even a "casual relationship" like the one between EA and Hasbro requires protection.

  • stfolife

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 6:53 pm PT

    idk id buy monopoly on the psp or something like that thatd be cool

  • whgresiak

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 5:07 pm PT

    Wow man casual games that 15 people will buy.

    Way waste a few million EA, Job well done! *claps*

  • Warlund

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 3:31 pm PT

    I thought EA already had a monopoly... what do they need another one for?

  • peyo670

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 3:12 pm PT

    what you have all ea is the biggest company so itts normal they release some crappy games but i can think of 20 good games from ea right now

  • bighopp5451238

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 11:26 am PT

    It's so funny how all you people bash EA. I guarantee all of you have at least one EA game right now and by Christmas you'll have at least one more.

  • AceCometh

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 11:20 am PT

    Activision still has the rights to Transformers. What a let down!! At least Atari still has the D&D rights. Not much has been done with it. I'd rather Atari have the rights and not make any games than EA have the rights and make a ton of crappy games. I'll take quality over quantity any day of the week. EA, take note!!!

  • can0of0cheese

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 8:02 am PT

    This sound as the suckage...digital monopoly!? Like who the hell would buy that... especially when EA is involved.

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 7:28 am PT

    EMMMM ... no no no no EA should stay away! EA Causes Stain, STAY AWAY!!?!!

  • rikhan_z

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 3:39 am PT

    I wouldn't mind... it sounds like an interesting idea, 10 times better then the Madden Golden rings priced at $200.

  • king_bobo

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 12:46 am PT

    This could either go terribly, or okay. I'm hoping it goes well...

  • dannyabal85

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 11:54 pm PT

    eww ea and hasbro are going out doesnt ea have cooties lol i just read title

  • P-MaT000

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 7:12 pm PT

    It seems like ea is become a monopoly

  • Axemetal

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 5:35 pm PT

    "Title makes it sound like they are f buddies."

    OMG thats so true. Gamespots gotta watchit for next time.

  • matty_sen

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 5:15 pm PT

    haha.......EA SPORTS BIG presents.......Nerf Street only $59.99 then you have to get the add-on for $40.00 lol

  • CaptainDingo

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 4:27 pm PT

    Well at least EA will be continuing its trend of publishing games I don't care about.

  • blacktorn

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 2:58 pm PT

    I would actually buy a xbla version of Monopoly,as long as it has 4 player online action of course.

  • Tudio

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 2:41 pm PT

    not bad but i hope they get Transformers and make a decet game out of it instead of the lame excuse of a game activision made

  • AceCometh

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 2:07 pm PT

    Hopefully EA will start to shed that nasty reputation for making mediocre games, starting with this partnership. I can at least dream, can't I?

  • darthzew

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 12:21 pm PT

    Hey, if you read this in the voice of a gay guy (think Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) this sounds really funny. Anyway, let's just hope this doesn't wind up stupid.

  • slipslayer_666

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 12:01 pm PT

    Heres hoping for a badass Transformers or GI Joe game.

  • nickythenewt21

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 11:15 am PT

    Hasbro just might make those Crysis action figures after all! And the life size toy of John Madden! All right! But the life size John Madden may be too big to fit in my house... oh no!

  • Taijiquan

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 9:58 am PT

    Title makes it sound like they are f buddies.

  • sikboy1029

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 9:53 am PT

    Nerf Arenablast on PC ROCKS! It plays just like Unreal Tournament.

  • innuya

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 9:36 am PT

    EA is fscking scary...

  • tealmantis793

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 9:32 am PT

    Nerf...THE GAME? They better not have spent more than $2 to make a Nerf game, because any more would just be plain stupid.

  • redskinStu

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 9:00 am PT

    Playing video game Monopoly is just not the same as playing real Monopoly with your friends.

  • aRE-you-AFraid

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 8:22 am PT

    I like your comment valdarez

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