SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - April 26, 2017) - Anki, the robotics and artificial intelligence (A.I.) company, today announced Anki OVERDRIVE: Fast & Furious Edition launching in September 2017. Anki OVERDRIVE: Fast & Furious Edition will merge the most thrilling elements of the hit robotic battle-racing game -- an unprecedented level of customization and interaction in a physical game, driven by powerful A.I. -- with the adrenaline-fueled world of Fast & Furious. Anki OVERDRIVE: Fast & Furious Edition will be available for pre-order starting May 16 for $169.99(U.S.) at Anki.com and will hit store shelves in September 2017 in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, and Nordic countries.
"We've been searching for the right brand partnership to elevate our robotic battle-racing experience to the next level of entertainment, and what better fit than one of the most widely recognized action franchises in the world," said Boris Sofman, CEO & Co-founder, Anki. "Anki OVERDRIVE: Fast & Furious Edition delivers the ultimate adrenaline rush to millions of Fast & Furious fans, merging the films' cars and characters with videogame elements, physical play, and robotics."
Anki OVERDRIVE: Fast & Furious Edition features two highly detailed robotic Supercars based on the high-octane vehicles favored by the characters in the films, Dom's Ice Charger and Hobbs' MXT. Each Supercar is armed with unique weapons, upgrades, sound effects, and controls. Within the game, players will battle alongside and against mainstay characters from the films including Dom, Hobbs, Letty, and Tej. Epic movie moments will come to life as players battle the Toretto crew, or race against friends and family members. Anki OVERDRIVE: Fast & Furious Edition also includes an all-new, exclusive Fast & Furious track piece bringing even more excitement from the movies into your game. Drive through the Power Zone and trigger a massive blast that disables nearby opponents.
"Anki is at the forefront of robotics and artificial intelligence, and our collaboration for Fast & Furious will bring an all-new level of interactivity to the franchise," said Manuel Torres Port, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Consumer Products, Universal Brand Development. "Anki OVERDRIVE's revolutionary technology delivers a battle-race experience like no other, and we're incredibly excited to introduce Fast & Furious fans to gameplay that delivers what they love and connect with most from the films -- the characters, cars, and action."
Anki OVERDRIVE: Fast & Furious Edition will retail for $169.99 at launch, and will be compatible with the Anki OVERDRIVE product ecosystem including Anki OVERDRIVE cars and tracks. The game will require a separate, free-to-download Anki OVERDRIVE: Fast & Furious Edition app, and compatible device.
About the Fast & Furious Franchise
Over the course of eight films that have successively stoked passion in an ever-expanding audience and earned an astounding $4.8 billion at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures' record-smashing homegrown franchise has become the studio's most-profitable and longest-running one. On social media platforms, fan following for the movies and cast has grown into the biggest of any active franchise. On the heels of 2015's Furious 7, one of the fastest movies to reach $1 billion worldwide in box-office history and the sixth-biggest global title of all time, comes the newest chapter in one of the most popular and enduring motion-picture serials of all time: The Fate of the Furious, which debuted in theaters in April 2017 and became the biggest global opening of all time.
About Anki OVERDRIVE
Featuring tech so advanced that it feels like the future, Anki OVERDRIVE is the world's most intelligent battle-racing system. Use your mobile device to take control of robotic Supercars, driven by powerful A.I. and equipped with deadly strategy. Whatever track you build, they'll learn it. Wherever you drive, they'll hunt you down. The better you play, the better they become. Whether you battle A.I. opponents or friends, your tactical options are unlimited. And with continuous software updates, the gameplay stays fresh. Customize weapons. Swap out cars. Build new tracks. It's easy to pick up, and nearly impossible to put down. To date, Anki OVERDRIVE fans have driven 4.5M miles, played 5.2M hours, and built 151K different track configurations.
Keep up with @Anki news & connect with us at: Twitter.com/Anki, Facebook.com/Anki, YouTube.com/Anki, & Instagram.com/Anki.
About Anki
Anki is harnessing robotics and artificial intelligence to deliver magical experiences that push the boundaries of the human experience. Founded in 2010 by three Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute graduates, Anki creates consumer experiences using cutting-edge technology that was once confined to robotics labs and research institutes. For three years in a row, Fast Company has named Anki one of the top 10 most innovative companies in robotics. Sales of Anki OVERDRIVE and Cozmo have catapulted the company's products into the category of top four best-selling premium toys ($75+) of the 2016 holiday season according to The NPD Group.
For more information, visit www.anki.com.
About Universal Brand Development
Universal Brand Development globally drives expansion of the company's intellectual properties, franchises, characters and stories through innovative physical and digital products, content, and consumer experiences. Along with franchise brand management, Universal Brand Development's core businesses include Consumer Products, Games and Digital Platforms, and Live Entertainment based on the company's extensive portfolio of intellectual properties created by Universal Pictures, Illumination Entertainment, DreamWorks Animation, and NBCUniversal cable and television. Universal Brand Development is a business segment of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, and part of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation (
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Contact Information:
Contacts
Anki
Peter Nguyen
Head of Communications
415-902-3666
pete@anki.com
Universal Brand Development
Molly Quiring
Director, Global Communications
818-777-9050
molly.quiring@nbcuni.com