Gaming Event Continues Momentum Following Highest-Rated Series Performance
Ever, the Avatar Season Three Finale
NEW YORK, July 25 -- Fresh off of its highest-rated
performance ever on TV, Nickelodeon will treat Avatar: The Last Airbender fans
to a unique experience this September with a brand-new, multiplayer global
online game. In the game, Avatar: Legends of the Arena, which will serve as a
prequel story to the series, players can create their own Avatar character and
test their skills against players from around the globe in several 3D online
arenas. Each game level will introduce and unlock new content, challenges,
custom character outfits and more on an ongoing basis. The global game will
live on a dedicated website http://www.avatarlegends.com and the beta version
of the game http://www.tinyurl.com/5j6j6j* will be unveiled at Comic-Con
International in San Diego on July 25.
"The launch of this multiplayer online game gives Avatar fans the
opportunity to immerse themselves in the storylines during and beyond its
tenure on-air," said Jason Root, Senior Vice President of Nick.com. "This
property has always had a deep online connection with its audience and the
game offers a natural extension of the franchise to keep fans engaged with the
property indefinitely."
The global gaming event, which represents Nick.com's (http://www.nick.com)
first 3D multiplayer online role play game, will take place in 81 markets in
ten languages, including: the United States; United Kingdom; Australia; New
Zealand; India; Southeast Asia; Canada; Mexico; Argentina; Spain; Italy;
France; Korea; Japan; Israel; Holland; Northern Belgium; Germany; Brazil; and
Portugal. A total of 77 countries will launch the game on Sept. 15, with the
remaining markets launching through the following months (non-domestic
territories will vary).
Each 3D online arena within the game will host battles featuring up to
four players at a time, but combat isn't the only focus of the experience.
Players will also be able to engage in role play, building their characters
through training and arena duels. As players advance, they can upgrade their
characters, unlock new bending moves, and acquire outfits and other exclusive
equipment to make them the envy of others.
The animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, has inspired M. Night
Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender", a live-action epic adventure from Paramount
Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies which will debut in domestic theaters July
2010. Series' creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko will serve as
executive producers on the film.
This fall, Nicktoons Network will serve as the on-air home for Avatar: The
Last Airbender, and will feature a Sept. Avatar event and season three
episodes of the series throughout Sept. and Oct. Additionally, Nicktoons will
offer fans a chance to get in on the Avatar game, asking them to tune in on
Fridays at 6:30 p.m. for episode-specific hints that will unlock exclusive
content in Avatar: Legends of the Arena.
Available on DVD July 29, Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book 3: Fire -
Volume 4 features the kid hero's return to the Fire Nation to prepare for a
final confrontation with Firelord Ozai. Fans will also have a chance to get
their game on with Avatar The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno, a new action
adventure video game from THQ, in stores this fall.
Launched in February 2005 on Nickelodeon in the US, the epic story of
Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the journey of Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen), a
12-year-old boy torn between fulfilling his fate as the long-awaited Avatar
and just wanting to be a regular kid. The Avatar season three finale, Sozin's
Comet, recently earned the series its highest ratings ever. The previous
week's season three new premiere episodes reached a total of 19 million total
viewers (P2+). Avatar is a top ranked show on Nickelodeon's international
channels, and is number one on Nick in Holland and Germany.
DiMartino and Konietzko serve as executive producers of Avatar: The Last
Airbender. DiMartino is an award-winning filmmaker and has worked on the
prime-time animated series King of the Hill, Family Guy and Mission Hill.
Konietzko was a character designer for Family Guy, assistant director on
Mission Hill and King of the Hill and a storyboard artist and art director for
Nickelodeon's Invader Zim.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 29th 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 96 million households and has been the
number-one-rated basic cable network for 14 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and
all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:
VIA, VIA.B).
*This demo is not representative of the final version of Avatar: Legends
of the Arena.
SOURCE Nickelodeon
CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326
or
Thamar Romero,
+1-212-846-7491
both of Nickelodeon
Web site: http://www.nick.com
http://www.tinyurl.com/5j6j6j
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