I CAN DO THAT! GAMES™ ANNOUNCES RICHARD SCARRY LICENSING DEAL WITH COOKIE JAR ENTERTAINMENT
Award-Winning Game Developer Announces New Licensing Agreement with Top Children's Entertainment Company; Debuts Richard Scarry's Busytown Eye found it!™ Game for Preschoolers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Seattle, WA (September 8, 2009) - I Can Do That! Games™, an award-winning Seattle-based company that fosters self-confidence by helping kids discover what they can do, today announced an exclusive multi-year licensing partnership with Cookie Jar Entertainment, a global leader in children's entertainment, to develop games based on the popular Richard Scarry brand. Richard Scarry continues to be one of the most beloved children's literary properties of all time with 150 million books sold worldwide and translated into 30 different languages. Scarry's unique and playful worlds populated by polite animals and whimsical vehicles are best exemplified in his top-selling books, Best Word Book Ever and Busy Busy Town. I Can Do That! Games' Richard Scarry's Busytown Eye found it!™ Game will debut this month.
Richard Scarry is the third touchstone children's literary license for I Can Do That! Games in as many years. The company launched in 2007 after securing exclusive rights to the Dr. Seuss games license from Dr. Seuss Enterprises, then followed up in 2008 with the exclusive game license for Curious George, through a partnership with NBC Universal.
"We grew up with Richard Scarry and we've always been fond of these lovable characters and the style of in-depth page discovery that is unique to his books," said Jacobe Chrisman, CEO and founder of I Can Do That! Games. "We were also drawn to the multigenerational quality of this license--kids, parents and grandparents love Richard Scarry. We expect our Busytown Eye found it! Game to be a big hit with families this holiday season."
Richard Scarry's Busytown Eye found it! Game will debut this month through an exclusive retail partnership with Toys "R" Us. Designed for children ages 3 and up with an MSRP of $16.99, the game encourages exploration and discovery with a colorful six-foot long game board and a cast of favorite characters--including Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm, Goldbug, and more. Kids race through Busytown, driving through lively streets, an activity-filled farm, an action packed airport, and a bustling harbor full of silly boats, on their way to Picnic Island. Along the way there are hundreds of hidden objects to find and mysteries to solve--and teamwork is the name of the game.
The launch of the new game coincides with the U.S. debut of Cookie Jar's "Busytown Mysteries", a preschool, educational/informational series inspired by the works of Richard Scarry. It will air on the Cookie Jar TV CBS weekend morning block beginning September 19. The series debuted in Canada in 2008 and was a top-rated preschool show on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). "Busytown Mysteries" was awarded the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) Best Children's and Youth Programme or Series Award.
I Can Do That! Games help kids discover what they can do through innovative games that build self-confidence while engaging kids physically, socially, and creatively. Favorite characters from Dr. Seuss, Curious George and Richard Scarry come to life, offering kids and their families a whole new way to experience some of the most beloved literary licenses of all times. In just three years, the company has amassed more than 40 of the industry's top awards. In 2009 the company will launch five new games for a total of 14 games in the marketplace.
About I Can Do That! Games™
I Can Do That! Games foster self-confidence by giving kids a chance to discover what they can do. Favorite Dr. Seuss, Curious George and Richard Scarry characters come to life--challenging kids to run, slide, hide, seek, sort, explore--and more! By engaging kids physically, socially, and creatively, I Can Do That! Games provide endless hours of fun for the whole family.
Founded in 2007 by Jacobe Chrisman, the Seattle-based game company has already won some of the industry's top honors, including a Parents' Choice Gold award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold and Platinum awards, a National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, and a two-time finalist honor for the coveted Toy Industry Association Toy of the Year (T.O.T.Y.) award in the Games category.
I Can Do That! Games can be found at mass and specialty retail outlets nationwide.
To learn more, visit www.icandothatgames.com.
About Cookie Jar Entertainment
The Cookie Jar Group is a Canadian-based global children's entertainment, consumer products and education company dedicated to excellence. Through Cookie Jar Entertainment, the company is a leader in the creation, production, marketing and licensing of evergreen character brands that appeal to kids and families worldwide. Cookie Jar Entertainment's library of nearly 6,000 half-hour episodes features some of the world's most recognizable brands, including "Strawberry Shortcake", "Caillou", "Inspector Gadget", "The Doodlebops", "Arthur" and "Johnny Test". The company owns non-character based brands for licensing such as Mommy & Me. Through its pan-European subsidiary, the full-service licensing agency Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, Cookie Jar represents numerous third-party iconic brands. Cookie Jar Group also has a one-third interest in international children's television channel Kidsco. Cookie Jar Education, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, is one of North America's largest providers of supplemental education materials, reaching nearly 2,000 teachers across the United States, through the Carson-Dellosa and HighReach Learning brands.
