Press Release: 1997-02-12: Yuck! SegaSoft Signs Licensing Agreement With Planet Dexter for Grossology Series

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: SegaSoft (archived)

Grossology: The Science of Really Gross Things to be served up on CD-ROM in time for 1997 holidays; illustrated book tops children book charts for 18 weeks

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (February 12, 1997)-Better grab a barf bag. SegaSoft, the independent developer and publisher of interactive titles for PC's and the Internet, has signed a licensing agreement with Planet Dexter, a satellite of Addison Wesley Longman, to produce CD-ROM and online games based on "Grossology," the popular series of illustrated children's books that explain the science behind such bodily functions as projectile vomiting, zits and smelly feet.

SegaSoft has acquired development rights to the first two books in the series, "Grossology: The Science of Really Gross Things" and "Animal Grossology: The Science of Creatures Gross and Disgusting," plus first rights to any future "Grossology" books. A hybrid Windows/Macintosh CD-ROM of "Grossology: The Science of Really Gross Things," the first book in the series, will be on store shelves in time for the 1997 holiday season. It should retail for about $35. The CD-ROM will include hands-on experiments, gross sing-along songs and an encyclopedia of gross terms. An exercise in "stealth learning," the Grossology series is designed to teach kids, ages 8 to 12, about human and animal physiology in a manner that makes them want to learn. "Grossology, the SegaSoft CD-ROM, will have everything kids find fascinating about the human body, all wrapped up in one yucky but hilarious multimedia package," said Gary Griffiths, president and chief operating officer of SegaSoft. "We can do gross-out sights and sounds on CD-ROM that kids will flip for. Far removed from traditional edutainment fare, this exciting new title is in keeping with our philosophy of providing unique and compelling interactive experiences to consumers of all ages.

Grossology, The Books
Written by Sylvia Branzei, a school teacher in rural Mendicino County, Calif., "Grossology: The Science of Really Gross Things" is an illustrated guide to bodily functions. Its cover besmirched by a plastic puke puddle, the 80-page volume has been on Publisher's Weekly Children's Top 10 list for the past 18 weeks. A sequel, "Animal Grossology: The Science of Creatures Gross and Disgusting," was published in November 1996 and is already performing better than the first book.

"We are delighted to see Grossology expanding into a new medium," said Jess M. Brallier, general manager of Planet Dexter. "Our mission is to bring informative content of value to kids in a way they'll enjoy. Our licensing agreement with SegaSoft means that the good gross fun and solid science of Sylvia's books will reach a whole new audience of youngsters." Grossology Hollywood-Bound Grossology may soon go Hollywood. Matinee Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based production company specializing in animated and live-action youth and family entertainment, has secured TV, film and merchandising rights to the popular Grossology series. A TV show, incorporating live action and animation in a variety format, has been developed for Saturday morning network broadcast.

About SegaSoft
SegaSoft was founded in 1995 and develops interactive software and content for PC's and the Internet. A joint venture of CSK Corporation and Sega of America, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of the $4 billion Sega Enterprises Ltd., a global leader in interactive digital entertainment media, SegaSoft is headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., where it employs 130 people. For more information on SegaSoft, please visit http://www.segasoft.com.

About Planet Dexter
In orbit since 1995, Planet Dexter -- publisher of books that parents value and kids enjoy -- conceives of and develops content which introduces children, ages 4 - 14, to the world in which they live.

A proponent of "stealth learning", Planet Dexter quickly hit success both commercially (its best-selling "Grossology" is sold throughout the English-speaking world) and critically (over one-third of its books have been recognized with a Parents' Choice, Teachers' Choice, or other industry award). The over 100 kids per week who write, phone, or e-mail refer to what Planet Dexter does as "extreme publishing."

Planet Dexter, based in Reading, Massachusetts, and under the direction of its General Manager, Jess M. Brallier, is a division of Addison Wesley Longman.

About Matinee Entertainment
Matinee Entertainment is a Los Angeles-based production company specializing in family-oriented animated and live-action entertainment. The company develops both original entertainment concepts as well as those derived from established properties. Matinee's "Grossology," a weekly half-hour variety show incorporating both live-action and animation, has been developed for Saturday morning network broadcast. In the spirit of the best-selling book of the same name, "Grossology" encompasses both education and entertainment in an engaging format.