THQ's Tak Videogame Franchise Achieves Major Sales Milestone Having Shipped Over Three Million Units Worldwide

THQ's Tak Videogame Franchise Achieves Major Sales Milestone Having Shipped Over Three Million Units Worldwide

Tak Will be Spreading His Juju Magic to Television in 2007 With a 15-Episode TV Series on Nickelodeon

AGOURA HILLS, Calif., March 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) and Nickelodeon today announced the Tak videogame franchise has shipped over three million units worldwide. In addition to this major accomplishment at retail, Nickelodeon television recently announced plans for a new animated series, Tak and the Power of Juju. Developed from the highly successful videogame series, Tak and the Power of Juju will be a CGI animated adventure comedy television series that will detail the humorous exploits of the witty and mischievous 14-year-old Tak. Set in an out-of-this-world jungle paradise, the show will follow Tak and his partners, Keeko and Jeera, as they use their Juju power to guide them through adventures. The series is expected to premiere in 2007 with 15 episodes and will star Hal Sparks as the voice of Tak, with Tommy Davidson as Keeko and Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Jeera.

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"Our strategy in creating Tak with Nickelodeon was to develop a character that could work across media," said Kelly Flock, executive vice president, worldwide publishing, THQ. "We're thrilled to see this strategy pay off with enormous retail success and now the creation of the Tak television series, which will allow Tak videogame fans an opportunity to experience the property in a whole new way."

The story of Tak has evolved over three THQ videogames. Tak was first introduced in Tak and the Power of Juju. His adventures continued with Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams, followed by last year's release of Tak: The Great Juju Challenge. Since its inception, the Tak series has been Nickelodeon's overall number two videogame property, following SpongeBob SquarePants(TM).

"When Tak first bestowed himself upon the videogame industry back in 2003, he was virtually unknown," said Steve Youngwood, executive vice president, Nickelodeon Digital Media. "With the notoriety of his recent sales accomplishment, we now anticipate our young shaman's apprentice becoming one of Nickelodeon's biggest stars for the 2007 television season, demonstrating the strength of our relationship with THQ and our combined success in growing the Tak brand."

For more information on the Tak series and the rest of THQ's product line-up, please visit www.thq.com or www.takgame.com.

About the Tak Videogames

Tak and The Power of JuJu -- a humorous 3D action adventure that takes place in an ancient, tribal world where magic (juju) actually works. The main character, Tak, evolves from a clumsy shaman's apprentice in training into a reluctant and unlikely hero as the story unfolds. Available for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, and Nintendo's Gamecube(TM) and Game Boy(R) Advance.

Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams -- Players take on the role of a more experienced Tak as he goes on an epic adventure that will require him to learn all new Juju magic in order to recover the Nightmare Scepter and defeat the evil shaman, Tlaloc. Available for the PlayStation 2, Xbox(R) videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance.

Tak: The Great Juju Challenge -- an innovative, cooperative videogame that combines unique puzzles, time-based strategies, and a robust combat system. The top teams from across the world have come to compete in The Great Juju Challenge and representing the Pupanunu tribe are Tak and Lok who will face great adversity in the form of Jujus, wild animals and menacing new tribes. Featuring 1-2 player cooperative game play for the first time, players have to use all their skills to win this race against the toughest competitors and receive the grandest reward ever given by the Great Jujus. Available for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS(TM).

About Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products manages the third largest licensing business in the world with $4.7 billion in retail sales in 2004, from such properties as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. The department handles the merchandising for Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, MTVN International, and Spike TV.

Nickelodeon, now in its 26th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 89 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for ten consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

About THQ

THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found at www.thq.com and www.thqwireless.com. THQ, THQ Wireless and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.

Trademark Statement

Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. (TM), (R), Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo.

All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as "THQ"), including but not limited to expectations and projections related to the Tak videogame franchise, and are based upon management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements, including, but not limited to economic, competitive and technological factors affecting the operations, markets, products, and pricing of THQ. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect THQ's financial results, described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2005, and particularly the discussion of risk factors that may affect results of operations set forth therein. Unless otherwise required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Kristina Kirk
THQ/Media Relations
818/871-5000
kkirk@thq.com

Julie MacMedan
THQ/Investor Relations
818/871-5095
jmacmedan@thq.com

Sara Levin
Nickelodeon
212/846-8670
sara.levin@nick.com

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041118/LATH093LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: THQ Inc.

CONTACT: Kristina Kirk, Media Relations, +1-818-871-5000, kkirk@thq.com,
or Julie MacMedan, Investor Relations, +1-818-871-5095, jmacmedan@thq.com,
both of THQ Inc.; or Sara Levin of Nickelodeon, +1-212-846-8670,
sara.levin@nick.com

Web site: http://www.thqwireless.com/
http://www.takgame.com/
http://www.thq.com/

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