HARRY POTTER PRODUCTS NEWS

***Newest items are always a t the top.***

7/21 FEBRUARY 2002

From Digital Bytes: "Hasbro [through Wizards of the Coast division] said its Harry Potter trading card game, Diagon Alley, will be available next month. Players are apprentice wizards and witches as they test their wizardry skills at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Each player tries to win the game by being the first to eliminate his or her opponent's cards. The Diagon Alley expansion features a new type of card called Location cards, which illustrate popular settings from Diagon Alley; new magical Item and Character cards; and new game strategies. (Available: March 2002; Approximate retail: Starter Set - $9.99; Booster - $3.29, Ages: 8 & up)."

Newstream.com had this press info, which indicated the expansion will be released 18 March 2002 and will have more than 70 new cards. The press release said, "Imagine stepping onto cobblestone streets filled with magical shops, such as Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Quality Quidditch Supplies or Ollivanders wand shop. In the Diagon Alley(TM) expansion ... Harry Potter fans of all ages can embark on new adventures situated throughout the famous thoroughfare."

According to Newstream, the Diagon Alley Starter Set contains cards from the first series issued August 2001, Quidditch Cup expansion cards and exclusive Diagon Alley cards. The Starter consists of two 41-player decks, each with a premium card, updated playmat and instructions.

4 FEBRUARY 2002

Mugglenet reported that there will be 11 characters in Mattel's Slime Chamber Series. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Fred, George and Griphook have been noted. There also are to be another Lord Voldemort (and not Tom Riddle?!) and three Quidditch team members (which house or country?).

Mattel Games also will release Gnome Fling, a card game based on that pastime Harry and Ron pursue at the Burrow, of getting rid of those grumpy creatures from the Weasley garden. The one image I have seen of the game indicates, unfortunately, more bad artwork by Warner Bros. artist Fred Bode. No specific release date yet.

7 JANUARY 2002

LEGO Inc. has released three more playsets based upon The Sorcerer's Stone for 2002.

They are "Troll on the Loose," with Harry battling the mountain beast; "Flying Lesson," with Harry and Draco vying for Neville's Remembrall; and "Gringotts Bank," with Griphook, vault cart, Hagrid and Harry.

NOW POSTED! See pictures of the three sets (please scroll down to middle of page).

3 JANUARY 2002

Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA), along with licensee Warner Bros. Pictures, has turned to EA's small Australian subdsidiary to create two new Harry Potter titles for 2002, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

EA holds exclusive license from Warner to sell Harry-based games around the world. Work has already begun on the games, which will be launched around the time Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets opens on 15 November 2002. The games' details are currently secret, but much of the plotting will follow the Chamber novel. Developers also will have some leeway to introduce small, unique additions to the games' plotlines.

The EA division is located in the "Gold Coast" beach resort area in Queensland State in east central Australia. EA selected its Down Under subsidiary because it is economical, and the developers are big HP fans, according to Andrew Wilson, the division's business development director.

"We have a bunch of guys and girls here who love Harry Potter, have read the books and that sort of thing, and they said we want to do that game," Wilson said.

28 DECEMBER 2001

Both The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet reported about Mattel's planned additions to its Harry Potter action figure line based on The Chamber of Secrets. They are called the "Slime Chamber" series.

The following characters were mentioned: (1) Fred Weasley; (2) George Weasley; (3) Hermione with cat ears (from the Polyjuice Potion disaster); (4) Harry Potter and (5) Ron Weasley in cobweb-covered robes from the frightful Aragog episode. The Leaky Cauldron lamented the lack of a Tom Riddle figure, but this is also an early report. There is no reason for Mattel to be so dumb and not make one based on this teen villain.

NOW POSTED! See the Slime Chamber and four of the action figures!