KONAMI announced it has entered into global licensing agreement with Giochi Preziosi and Marathon Media to develop and publish video games based on GORMITI franchise. This new agreement will able the first GORMITI titles to be released for Nintendo DS and Wii gaming systems.

GORMITI is the story of the never ending battle on the "Island of Gorm" between vast armies inspired by the elemental forces of nature. With over 100 million figures sold to date, GORMITI ranks among the category best sellers in European markets and is gaining speed in the US earlier this year.

The animated TV series, GORMITI - The Lords of Nature Return, premiered in Italy in 2008 and will launch in fall 2009 in France and Germany. Broadcaster for other countries, including UK and Spain will be announced after MIP TV 2009.

About Giochi Preziosi:

Giochi Preziosi is a very successful European toy group founded by Enrico Preziosi.

The Group, run by Dario Bert? and Oddone Pozzi, is the market leader in Italy and one of the four largest worldwide players in the toy industry. Its activities cover a wide range of toy products but also include back to school, snack foods, clothing and other consumer products aimed at the youth market. Giochi Preziosi is based in Italy with subsidiaries in France, Spain, Greece, Germany, Eastern Europe. The recent acquisition of the English distributor Flair and the establishment of Preziosi U.S.A. Inc. - a wholly owned subsidiary - in January 2008, will enable the Group to gain a leading role also in these markets, strategic for its development policies.

About Marathon Media

Run by Vincent Chalvon Demersay and David Michel, Marathon Media is France's largest animation producer and one of the top animation studios in the world. Its successes include, Monster Buster Club, Martin Mystery, Team Galaxy, Marsupilami, and of course the smashing hit series Totally Spies!

Marathon Group is France's #1 audiovisual group, created from the fusion of five French audiovisual leaders: Marathon, Marathon Media, Tele Images and Adventure Line Productions and KM Production.

Since July 2007, Marathon Group has joined forces with powerful Italian publisher, De Agostini, thereby forming a leading European audiovisual group based in Paris, recently named Zodiak Entertainment. Marathon Group is a mainstay of this new world leader in production and distribution, alongside Zodiak Television and Magnolia.

[Related Link]

• Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH News Release