In a press release today, it was announced that Pinnacle Entertainment Group has been granted the rights to create roleplaying products based on WizKids properties like Mage Knight and the Pirates CSG. Pinnacle, in the form of Great White Games, will also be able to design scenario books for WizKids lines, up to and including new game pieces. This seems like a smart partnership, especially for WizKids. When wading out into a new market, always swim with a buddy.

WizKids/Pinnacle press release follows:

Pinnacle Entertainment Group to Produce WizKids RPGs, Scenario Books!

NOVEMBER 15th 2005 (Los Gatos, CA) – WizKids Inc., creators of the Constructible Strategy Game and Collectable Miniatures Game genres has granted award-winning game publishers Pinnacle Entertainment Group the rights to produce and support a range of roleplaying books for its game properties, including the Pirates and Rocketmen Constructible Strategy Games and the Mage Knight Collectable Miniatures Game.

The deal also allows GWG to support such genre-defining products as Pirates of the Spanish Main and MechWarrior with a series of scenario books, including new rules, games pieces, and fiction, bringing an additional level of fun and a new twist to some of WizKids’ best-loved properties.

“We’re huge fans of WizKids’ games, and are thrilled to be able to help further flesh out and develop their worlds,” says Shane Hensley, CEO of Pinnacle. “These are going to be full-color, gorgeous books that maintain WizKids and Pinnacle’s taglines of fast, furious, and fun!”

Pinnacle’s line manager for the new WizKids products, Paul Wade-Williams, says, "As a fan of the WizKids’ lines, it’s great to be able to take their wonderfully rich worlds and add an entire new level of game play and creativity.”

“Pinnacle has emerged as a leader in role-playing products in recent years,” said Jordan Weisman, CEO of WizKids Inc. “It is an honor to work with a cutting-edge company and a staff of role-playing pros.”

Founded by 25-year game-industry veteran Jordan Weisman, WizKids® is a Seattle-based game developer and publisher dedicated to creating tabletop games driven by imagination. Its MechWarrior® and HeroClix® CMGs and Pirates and Rocketmen CSGs are among the most successful games on the market today, and the company has sold hundreds of millions of game pieces worldwide. For additional information, visit www.wizkidsgames.com.

Pinnacle Entertainment Group is a California-based game company specializing in roleplaying games. Founded by Shane Hensley—best known for the smash hit Deadlands™ and Weird Wars™ and for its Origins award-winning Savage Worlds™ roleplaying game. For additional information, visit www.greatwhitegames.com.

©2005 WizKids Inc. All rights reserved. MechWarrior, HeroClix, Pirates of the Spanish Main, Rocketmen: Axis of Evil and WizKids are trademarks of WizKids Inc.

©2005 Deadlands, Weird Wars, Savage Worlds, and Great White Games are all trademarks of Great White Games, Doing Business As Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved.