NBC.COM BRINGS 'HEROES' TO HABBO'S VIRTUAL WORLD
The Leading Virtual World for Teenagers Creates New 'Heroes' Character
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - January 27, 2009 - NBC.com and Habbo, the largest online virtual world for teens, announced today the launch of a new, virtual 'Heroes' character, which was created by Habbo and will live on Habbo.com and 'Heroes' Evolutions, the on-air show's interactive Web site at www.nbc.com/Heroes/evolutions/.
While following directions from a mysterious virtual messenger, the new character will take the audience on an adventure as she discovers the history of 'Heroes' through a journey that travels back and forth between Habbo.com and the 'Heroes' Evolutions site.
"We're excited to work with Habbo to introduce a new character that will extend the enormously popular and Emmy� Award winning 'Heroes' interactive story beyond the official Web site on NBC.com," said Stephen Andrade, senior vice president, Digital Development and General Manager, NBC.com.
On Habbo.com, fans of the show will be able to interact with the new virtual hero through a variety of in-game activities. Habbos participating in a weeklong quest will discover their own special powers and will be recruited as new heroes. Those who successfully complete the mission will be awarded various virtual prizes.
On the 'Heroes' Evolutions site, the new virtual hero will be woven into several of the in-universe, interactive extensions of the on-air show, including a character profile, the Primatech Paper Assignment Tracker and new chapters of the 'Heroes' graphic novels.
"Habbo is taking an original approach to working with an incredibly popular TV show," said Teemu Huuhtanen, executive vice president, Marketing and Business Development, Sulake Corporation and president, North America, Sulake Inc. "By partnering with NBC.com, we are extending the 'Heroes' brand and connecting our audience to the television program in a unique and creative new way."
The agreement was brokered by the William Morris Agency and marks the first time 'Heroes' has partnered with a virtual world.
There are currently Habbo communities in 33 countries on six continents. To date, over 121 million Habbo characters have been created and more than 11.5 million unique users worldwide visit Habbo each month. (source: Google Analytics). More than 90% of Habbo users are 13-18 years old and the gender split is roughly equal (56% boys; 44% girls). Habbo users spend an average of 45 minutes on the site per visit.
About NBC.com
NBC.com, the Emmy Award-winning broadcast network website, is a leading online and mobile destination for television and interactive entertainment. With both derivative and web-exclusive programming, NBC.com pioneered the "360" experience with "Heroes 360," which gave viewers a way to extend their entertainment experience beyond the broadcast, and the first weekly social networking experience attached to a primetime entertainment program with "Dunder Mifflin Infinity." The site offers full episode streaming of many NBC Entertainment shows as well as short clips, interactive games and social networking, including user-generated content. NBC.com continually develops new ways for consumers to experience entertainment content on both existing and emerging platforms. The site is the recipient of multiple Emmy and Webby awards for its content and applications. Please log on to www.nbc.com to learn more
About Habbo
Habbo is a richly colorful, multi-dimensional virtual world and community for teens. Users join by creating a fully customized online character called a Habbo. From there, they can explore many public hang-outs, participate in a variety of activities, connect with friends, decorate their own rooms, and have fun through creativity and self expression. Currently there are Habbo communities in 33 countries on six continents. To date, 121 million Habbo characters have been created and 11.5 million unique users worldwide visit Habbo each month (source: Google Analytics).
www.habbo.com
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