THQ® Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) today announced that WWE™ SmackDown!™ Here Comes The Pain™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system is now available at top retail outlets nationwide. Created exclusively for PlayStation 2 by Yuke’s Co., Ltd. of Japan, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain is the next installment in one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. World Wrestling Entertainment™ licensed videogames have sold more than $350 million in the U.S. since 1999.

“The WWE SmackDown! videogame series has been a perennial hit and top holiday seller for the past three years with last year’s WWE Smackdown! game selling-through more than 700,000 units in its first eight weeks at retail,” stated Peter Dille, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. “We’re confident that WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain will continue to strengthen our position as the premier publisher of wrestling games and will set the benchmark for authentic action-packed wrestling for all major consoles.”

“Unlike its predecessors, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain features a Season Mode in which the gamer actually earns cash to unlock legendary Superstars, hidden arenas and costumes,” said Nelo Lucich, vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific, Inc. “Because of the amount of attention put into each detail and mode, fans have a unique gaming experience each time they play. We expect this fifth title in the SmackDown! series to be yet another top seller.”

About WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain showcases 65 WWE Superstars including, Brock Lesnar™, John Cena™, Rey Mysterio™ and Goldberg™. The game includes an all-new season mode depicting the best of classic WWE moments and original storylines. Players will also have access to additional match types including Bra & Panty, First Blood and Elimination Chamber. The overall gameplay has been enhanced and features real-life attributes of strength, submission, technique, speed and stamina. These new attributes will allow players to ear down their opponents and take advantage of each Superstar’s unique abilities and extensive move sets. An all-new grappling and countering system has been added which also opens up the controls providing more move possibilities. WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain’s TV-style presentation will also be enhanced with new dynamic camera angles, realistic animations and improved arena and crowd elements.

For more information about the THQ/JAKKS Pacific World Wrestling Entertainment videogame franchise including WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain and the rest of THQ’s 2003 holiday line-up, visit www.thq.com.

About World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For additional information on WrestleMania XX to be broadcast live on pay-per-view from Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 14, 2004, go to wrestlemania.wwe.com. Information on television ratings and community activities can be found at parents.wwe.com.

About JAKKS Pacific
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and leisure products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Arts & Crafts Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush and Dolls. The products are sold under various brand names including Flying Colors®, Road Champs®, Remco®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Trendmasters®, Toymax®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a Kite® and JPI Color Workshop™. The Company also participates in a joint venture with THQ Inc. that has exclusive worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment™ video games. For further information, visit www.jakkspacific.com.

About THQ
THQ Inc. develops and publishes interactive entertainment software worldwide for a variety of hardware platforms including those manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Nintendo and Microsoft as well as PC CD-ROM and wireless devices. The THQ web site is located at www.thq.com.

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August 20, 2004