Capcom/Sanrio: “Hello Kitty vs Street Fighter” ?!?!?!

From/De: Capcom

POWERHOUSE GLOBAL COMPANIES CAPCOM^®AND SANRIO^® ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE HELLO KITTY X STREET FIGHTER^TM CO-BRANDED MERCHANDISE

SAN DIEGO – July 22, 2011 – Capcom® Entertainment, Inc., a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, and Sanrio, Inc., creator of beloved icon Hello Kitty®, today announced a partnership to create a new line of co-branded Street Fighter™ themed merchandise that will launch in fall 2012. The collaboration will be a fusion of the unique styles of these world-famous brands, yielding a broad range of merchandise featuring Hello Kitty dressed in the distinct costumes from the Street Fighter series of video games.

“Capcom has long admired Sanrio and their ability to create memorable and cherished lifestyle brands so it is a distinct pleasure to partner with them for this new cross-over line of merchandise,” said Joshua Izzo, Director of Licensing, Capcom Entertainment, Inc. “The combination of Street Fighter and Hello Kitty will offer fans a whole new way to experience our characters.”

“We are always looking for new ways to surprise our fans and partnering with a strong brand-focused company such as Capcom is a natural fit for us,” said Jill Koch, Vice President of Brand Management and Marketing, Sanrio, Inc. “Hello Kitty and Street Fighter have a dedicated core following around the world and our collaboration brings the legacy of both brands together in a fun and unexpected way.”

Specific details on the co-branded merchandise and retailer availability will be released at a later date.

Street Fighter® was first released in the arcades in 1987. This was followed up in 1991 with the smash hit Street Fighter® II, and as of April 12, 2011, the series as a whole has shipped more than 31 million units on home consoles worldwide. The innovative battle system found in theStreet Fighter games helped to establish the fighting game genre for video games.

###

ABOUT CAPCOM
Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices.  Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including best-selling franchises Resident Evil®, Street Fighter®, Mega Man® and Devil May Cry®. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Korea, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan.  More information about Capcom and its products can be found at www.capcom.com orwww.capcom-unity.com.

About Sanrio
Sanrio, best known for global icon Hello Kitty and home to many endearing characters includingChococat, My Melody, and Keroppi, celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2010. The worldwide lifestyle brand was founded on the “small gift, big smile®” philosophy — that a small gift can bring a big smile to people of all ages. Today, over 50,000 Sanrio-branded items are sold in over 70 countries around the world. In the Western Hemisphere, Sanrio character-branded products are sold in upwards of 12,000 locations including department, specialty, national chain stores and over 100 Sanrio boutiques. For more information, please visit www.sanrio.com.

Street Fighter is a registered trademark of Capcom U.S.A., Inc. Capcom, Devil May Cry, Mega Man and Resident Evil are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.