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.

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lop890

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

Posted Apr 23, 2008 4:26 pm PT
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playstation_wii

EA is a monopoly now

Posted Nov 1, 2007 5:23 pm PT
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Lestwist40

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

Posted Oct 31, 2007 1:57 pm PT
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chang_1910

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

Posted Aug 28, 2007 11:50 am PT
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Yeah! Let's play.....Tonka?

Posted Aug 15, 2007 1:09 pm PT
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ogretroll123

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

Posted Aug 14, 2007 3:25 pm PT
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Hvac0120

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...

Posted Aug 14, 2007 8:39 am PT
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wenbin09

monopoly!

Posted Aug 14, 2007 6:00 am PT
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LOGGER13

"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.

Posted Aug 13, 2007 12:49 pm PT
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iliyun

great more E.A. junk

Posted Aug 13, 2007 9:45 am PT
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StrikerGold

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.

Posted Aug 13, 2007 9:43 am PT
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SteelRush

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

Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:56 am PT
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Agreb91

Yay for some board game games. Not.

Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:51 am PT
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mjwickstrom1

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

Posted Aug 13, 2007 7:19 am PT
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ghsacidman

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

Posted Aug 13, 2007 7:15 am PT
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Yuck_Too

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.

Posted Aug 13, 2007 6:02 am PT
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omegakie

That's a stupid deal with hasbro

Posted Aug 13, 2007 5:43 am PT
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kerensky287

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

Posted Aug 13, 2007 4:39 am PT
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Metallicantera

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.

Posted Aug 13, 2007 3:49 am PT
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NinjaMunkey01

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

Posted Aug 13, 2007 2:28 am PT
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Platyphyllum

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 11:39 pm PT
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VolcanoMan001

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 11:00 pm PT
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Proman84

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 10:09 pm PT
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stfolife

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 6:53 pm PT
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whgresiak

Wow man casual games that 15 people will buy.

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 5:07 pm PT
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Warlund

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 3:31 pm PT
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peyo670

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 3:12 pm PT
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bighopp5451238

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.

Posted Aug 12, 2007 11:26 am PT
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AceCometh

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!!!

Posted Aug 12, 2007 11:20 am PT
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can0of0cheese

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 8:02 am PT
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The_Weekend

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 7:28 am PT
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rikhan_z

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 3:39 am PT
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king_bobo

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

Posted Aug 12, 2007 12:46 am PT
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dannyabal85

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

Posted Aug 11, 2007 11:54 pm PT
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P-MaT000

It seems like ea is become a monopoly

Posted Aug 11, 2007 7:12 pm PT
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Axemetal

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

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

Posted Aug 11, 2007 5:35 pm PT
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matty_sen

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

Posted Aug 11, 2007 5:15 pm PT
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CaptainDingo

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

Posted Aug 11, 2007 4:27 pm PT
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blacktorn

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

Posted Aug 11, 2007 2:58 pm PT
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Tudio

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

Posted Aug 11, 2007 2:41 pm PT
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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?

Posted Aug 11, 2007 2:07 pm PT
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darthzew

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.

Posted Aug 11, 2007 12:21 pm PT
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slipslayer_666

Heres hoping for a badass Transformers or GI Joe game.

Posted Aug 11, 2007 12:01 pm PT
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nickythenewt21

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!

Posted Aug 11, 2007 11:15 am PT
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Taijiquan

Title makes it sound like they are f buddies.

Posted Aug 11, 2007 9:58 am PT
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sikboy1029

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

Posted Aug 11, 2007 9:53 am PT
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innuya

EA is fscking scary...

Posted Aug 11, 2007 9:36 am PT
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tealmantis793

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