SAN FRANCISCO – July 16, 2009 – Today Ubisoft announces it will bring publishing phenomenon Where’s Waldo?® to life in a new interactive adventure video game titled “Where’s Waldo?® The Fantastic Journey.” Created by Ludia Inc., “Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey” is an original interactive adventure for the whole family, as players scour the virtual globe in search of Waldo, his friends and other hidden objects. The game will be available for the Wii™ system from Nintendo, the Nintendo DS™ system, Windows-based PC and Mac and sold at North American retailers in September 2009.

 

“Where’s Waldo? has been a cultural phenomenon for more than 20 years, with fans of all ages on the hunt for the elusive world traveler in the red-and-white striped shirt. We are looking forward to bringing an interactive Where’s Waldo? adventure to fans of the highly-acclaimed book series and introducing an entirely new generation to the pop culture icon,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft.

 

“Waldo is one of the most recognizable characters in the world, and his adventurous spirit is exactly what inspired Ludia to create this dynamic hidden object game series for the whole family to enjoy,” said Alex Thabet, Founder and CEO of Ludia Inc.

 

In the game, players look for Waldo and friends, in addition to hundreds of hidden items in twelve different magical worlds. “Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey” can be played in single- or multiplayer mode. In the multiplayer mode, gameplay is enhanced through a variety of power-up features where players unleash different special effects to gain an advantage over opponents or enhance their own search capabilities.

 

Power-ups include:

• Wacky Paint: Splatter colorful paint onto your opponent’s screen to obscure the view.
• Thunder Clap: Cast thunder onto your opponent and make the screen shake.
• Frosty: Freeze the search window by encasing it in ice.
• Sparkly: Keep your eyes on the twinkle and glitter effects to detect items.
• And many more!

 

About Where’s Waldo?
Created by Martin Handford and first published in 1987, Where's Waldo? is one of the most recognizable characters in the world and a pop culture icon. A global publishing phenomenon with over 46 million books sold worldwide, the successful series is published in over 50 countries and has been translated into more than 25 languages. JOIN THE SEARCH! as the ultimate world traveler graduates beyond books and gets his digital passport. Online, in-store, or at events––who knows where Waldo will be spotted next? Spot Waldo online at FindWaldo.com.

About Classic Media
Classic Media, one of the world’s largest independent entertainment companies, is a leader in reinventing the classics of yesterday and creating the entertainment classics of tomorrow. The Company owns and manages a globally-recognized portfolio of well-known family and pop-culture entertainment brands, including Casper the Friendly Ghost®, Where’s Waldo?®, The Lone Ranger®, Lassie®, Postman Pat®, and new global brands Tinga Tinga Tales® and Guess with Jess®.

About Ludia Inc.
Ludia creates and distributes cross-platform interactive entertainment with mass consumer appeal. Located in Montreal and founded by experienced industry players, Ludia's innovative and high-quality product portfolio consists of original and branded properties including American Idol®, Hell's Kitchen™, Press Your Luck®, The Amazing Race™, The Price Is Right® and Where’s Waldo?®. www.ludia.com

About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft is present in 28 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2008–09 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of 1.058 billion euros. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

 

"Where's Waldo?" TM & © Classic Media Distribution Limited. Based on Where's Waldo? The Fantastic Journey © 1989 Martin Handford. Characters and other images are used under license to Classic Media Distribution Limited. All rights reserved. ©2009 Ludia Inc. All rights reserved. Published and distributed by Ubisoft Entertainment under license from Ludia Inc. Ubisoft, Ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.

 

Press Contacts:
Lisa Revelli
Ubisoft
(415) 547-4045
Lisa.Revelli@ubisoft.com

 

Sommer Hixson
Classic Media
(212) 659-1993
shixson@classicmedia.tv