WizKids announced its plan today to develop a Battlestar Galactica CCG based on the Sci Fi Channel TV series. The game should be ready for release in early 2006, and will be supported by the WizKids Approved Play program, but aside from that, details are sparse. The press release is below, and Steve and Mike will hit up the WK guys for more info. We’ll see if any other licenses spill out of the rest of GenCon.
WizKids press release follows:
WizKids Announces Battlestar Galactica CCG
August 18, 2005 (SEATTLE) — WizKids Inc., creator of the runaway hit games HeroClix® and Pirates of the Spanish Main™, announced today its agreement with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group to develop a collectable card game (CCG) based on the new SCI FI Channel Battlestar Galactica series.
“We couldn’t be happier to add our tradition of innovative gaming to one of the hottest science fiction properties available,” said Mike Samora, vice president of Sales and Marketing at WizKids®. “The success of the television show has introduced a new generation to the Battlestar Galactica story, and a game is the natural expansion of that introduction.” The game, slated for release in early 2006, features characters, ships and familiar scenes from the miniseries and television show on the SCI FI Channel.
Game play will mirror the intrigue of the television show: Players won’t know whom to trust, who the Cylon agents are or where the next attack will come from! Players will battle for ownership of resources and influence in order to control the fleet.
The Battlestar Galactica CCG will be supported by the WizKids Approved Play program.
ABOUT BATTLESTAR GALACTICA:
Inspired by the classic series, this extraordinary story was re-imagined by the SCI FI Channel and NBC Universal Television Studio in December of 2003 in the form of a 4-hour miniseries event. Capturing a new generation of fans, Battlestar Galactica became the most-watched cable miniseries of the year and led SCI FI to continue the saga through a one-hour weekly series. Redefining the space opera with its gritty realism, the new Galactica, executive produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick, has distinguished itself by the intensity and present day relevance of its stories and the command performances of its ensemble cast. Now one of television’s most critically-lauded shows, Battlestar Galactica is currently in its second original season, airing on SCI FI Channel every Friday night at 10pm ET/PT.
ABOUT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP:
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.
ABOUT WIZKIDS:
Founded by 25-year game-industry veteran Jordan Weisman, WizKids is a Seattle-based game developer and publisher dedicated to creating tabletop games driven by imagination. Its Mage Knight®, MechWarrior® and HeroClix CMGs and Pirates CSG are among the most successful games on the market today, and the company has sold hundreds of millions of game pieces worldwide. WizKids Inc. is owned by The Topps Company Inc. For additional information, visit www.wizkidsgames.com.
©2005 WizKids Inc. All rights reserved. MechWarrior, HeroClix, Mage Knight, Pirates of the Spanish Main and WizKids are trademarks of WizKids Inc.
® & ©2005 The Topps Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Topps is a registered trademark of The Topps Company, Inc.
Battlestar Galactica © USA Cable Entertainment LLC. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All Rights Reserved.
Hrm. I guess my only real comment is, what is driving WK into the seriously over-impacted CCG market? It seems pretty clear they are moving away from new clix lines, and they are growing the CSG lines up to three this year…but another CCG? Hrm.
I actually think WizKids is going to do okay in the CCG market… not on WotC levels probably, more like on FFG levels. I think they have some residual trust that they can bank on, on the part of their segment of the market.
FFG may not be the best benchmark…but sure 😉
You’d think they would make clickies of them first but then again, there is a limited number of ship types.
I could care less about any TCG/CCG.
I can’t believe that it took this long to for some one to do something with Gallactica. Now all we need is a good pen and paper RPG.
Meh. It is possible that Universal didn’t want to license the BSG (original) property, or don’t see any value until recently. Now that the franchise is enjoying a re-popularizing success (with the mainstream, not us genre fans), Universal can profit from merchandising.
For me, I can’t wait for someone to bring back the original flight jacket. Heehee. 😉