Zynga, Hasbro partner to make toys, games - Reuters

* Hasbro licensed to make games, toys based on Zynga video games

* First products expected this fall

* Deal follows Mattel success with Angry Birds board game

* Hasbro shares climb 2.4 percent

By Alistair Barr and Dhanya Skariachan

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Is a Mafia Wars board game on the way, or a cuddly toy horse from FarmVille?

Hasbro Inc, the iconic American toy company, and social game company Zynga Inc said on Thursday they would join forces to develop toys and games based on Zynga games such as FarmVille.

The companies said Hasbro would pay for the license to make products based on Zynga's games including CityVille and Mafia Wars, which are popular on social media website Facebook. They did not disclose how much Hasbro would pay for the license.

The deal also will allow both companies to develop merchandise featuring Hasbro and Zynga brands. The first products should be available this fall, they said.

There are more than 227 million active monthly players of Zynga's games online.

Rovio, the company behind the popular Angry Birds video games, has sold millions of plush toys. Its Angry Birds: Knock On Wood board game, made by Mattel Inc, has been a bestseller on Amazon.com for several months.

"Zynga's games reach a lot of people, and as Mattel saw with its Angry Birds game, some of the games translate well into the physical world," said Sean McGowan, an analyst at Needham & Company, said. "Building a farm or a city, for example, could be a good board game."

Many Zynga game players are adults, so the demand for toys may be limited, he added.

"But the same could have been said of Angry Birds, and that was a big hit," McGowan said.

Hasbro shares closed up 2.4 percent to $36.59, while Zynga fell 3.2 percent to $13.25.

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'Harry Potter' Leads Kinect Games Roster - InformationWeek

Microsoft has unveiled a slew of games for Xbox Kinect that will debut when the hands-free control system launches next month.

The most high-profile title on the list is "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—Part 1 The Videogame." From Electronic Arts, the $49.99 game gives players the chance to assume the character of the famous British wizard.

"Playing as Harry, you are on the run from the opening sequence, fighting for survival on a desperate and dangerous quest to locate and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes," according to Microsoft. The game features 22 moves that are exclusive to the Kinect system, which allows users to control on-screen action through their physical motions.

Also launching on or around Kinect's Nov. 4 release date are Kinectimals (Frontier Studios), which lets players interact with on screen zoo animals, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved (Ubisoft), which provides exercise routines with the help of a virtual, on-screen trainer, and Kinect Sports (Rare), which lets users play simulated soccer, bowling, volleyball, and other games.

Kinect Joy Ride (Big Park) is billed as the world's first hands-free racing game, and Dance Central (MTV Games) allows players to groove to tunes by artists like Lady Gaga, No Doubt, M.I.A., and more.

Microsoft plans to introduce a $299 Kinect bundle that includes a new, slimmed down 4GB Xbox 360 console equipped with the Kinect sensor bar. The package also features Kinect Adventures, an exploration game designed to take full advantage of the Kinect technology. The company also is offering a $399 bundle that features a 250GB console with Kinect and the Kinect Adventures game.

Additionally, Microsoft will make the Kinect sensor bar available as an add-on for existing Xbox 360 consoles, at a price of $149, including Kinect Adventures.

The Kinect bar features a camera, audio sensors, and motion-sensing technology that tracks 48 points of movement on the human body. That means players can control on-screen action simply through physical gestures and verbal commands. The sensor bar is designed to plug directly into the Xbox 360 console.

All told, Microsoft list 16 games that would accompany Kinect's release.

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