February 2002 (Newstream) -- Imagine stepping onto cobblestone streets filled with magical shops, such as Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Quality Quidditch(TM) Supplies or Ollivander's wand shop. In the Diagon Alley(TM) expansion, the latest card set for the Harry Potter(TM) trading card game (TCG) from Wizards of the Coast Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. (NYSE:HAS), Harry Potter fans of all ages can embark on new adventures situated throughout the famous thoroughfare.

Scheduled to release March 18, 2002, the Diagon Alley expansion features more than 70 new cards and introduces new character cards and magical items, as well as an all-new card type: Location cards. Location cards depict favorite places in Diagon Alley, giving players new opportunities to further explore the magical world of Harry Potter.

The Harry Potter: Diagon Alley expansion will be available in two-player Starter Sets (MSRP $9.99) and 11-card booster packs (MSRP $3.29). The updated Starter Set includes cards from the original Starter Set, which launched in August 2001; cards from the Quidditch Cup set, the first expansion; and cards exclusive to the Diagon Alley set. Included in the Starter Set are two 41-card decks, each with an exclusive premium card; an updated playmat; and a rulebook. The randomized booster packs introduce the latest, advanced strategies to decks and add new cards to the Harry Potter TCG.

The Harry Potter TCG gives players the opportunity to expand their experiences in the Harry Potter universe by providing them with situations similar to those that appear in the first novel Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone. In the Harry Potter TCG, each player acts as a wizard or witch in training at Hogwarts(TM) School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and, through a series of turns, attempts to eliminate his or her opponent's cards. The first player to make his or her opponent's cards "disappear" wins.

With the introduction of the Harry Potter TCG League, aspiring witches and wizards have another venue in which to hone their game-playing skills. Launched earlier this month, the program allows players to increase their game-play skills and interact with other Harry Potter TCG players while earning Harry Potter TCG-related prizes. A complete list of participating retailers and further details about the Harry Potter TCG League, as well as information about the Diagon Alley expansion, are available at wizards.com/harrypotter.

Wizards of the Coast is the worldwide market share leader in the TCG and tabletop roleplaying game categories. A leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products, as well as the owner and operator of one of the nation's largest specialty game retail chains, the company holds an exclusive patent on the play mechanic of TCGs and produces the world's best-selling Pokémon® and Magic: The Gathering® TCGs. Headquartered near Seattle, Washington, Wizards of the Coast has international offices in Antwerp, Paris, Milan, London, Beijing and Sydney. For more information on Wizards of the Coast, visit the company's website and electronic retail store at wizards.com.

HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros.
Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K. Rowling
Pokémon is a registered trademark of Nintendo.
Wizards of the Coast and Magic: The Gathering are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. ©2002 Wizards.