THQ AND NICKELODEON SHIP SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS™: REVENGE OF THE FLYING DUTCHMAN

FOR GAMECUBE™

Most Popular All-Ages Program On Nickelodeon Arrives On GameCube For First Time

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. – Dec. 17, 2002 – THQâ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Nickelodeon today announced the release of SpongeBob SquarePants™: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman for the Nintendo® GameCube™.  This underwater adventure is based on Nickelodeon’s pop culture phenomenon, SpongeBob SquarePants -- the highest rated program on kids’ TV -- drawing 61.5 million viewers per month, more than 21 million of them aged 18-49.  SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman for GameCube is now available at retailers nationwide.  

“SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman for Game Boy Advance and PlayStation 2 have been solid performers at retail this holiday season,” stated Peter Dille, Vice President, Marketing, THQ.  “SpongeBob’s appeal cuts across nearly every age group and we’re pleased to be able to offer gamers of all ages a chance to visit Bikini Bottom on multiple platforms.”

 “SpongeBob has a proven appeal to adults and the number one Q-score among kids,” stated Steve Youngwood, Vice President, Nickelodeon Media Products Group.  “The property has had success in the videogame arena before, but now that SpongeBob has reached pop culture icon status, and as the installed base of videogame systems continues to grow, we anticipate a great holiday season for this title.”

In SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman for GameCube, players assume the role of SpongeBob as he discovers a magic bottle and unwittingly unleashes the Flying Dutchman.  Furious that he was disturbed, the Dutchman places a curse on SpongeBob and his friends.  In this platform game, players must seek out lost treasures that have been scattered throughout Bikini Bottom in order to lift the curse.  The game features authentic voice talent and all of the favorite characters from the television show including Sandy Cheeks, Squidward, Patrick Star and more.  Players can explore huge worlds with multiple challenges per level. 

SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman is also currently available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Game Boy® Advance.  SpongeBob SquarePants™: Employee of the Month for PC is available at retailers nationwide as well.

For more information on SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman or the rest of the THQ holiday lineup, please visit www.thq.com.

About Nickelodeon:

Nickelodeon, now in its 23rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 84 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic-cable network for more than six consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

About THQ

THQ Inc. is a leading, worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms including PC CD-ROM, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Nintendo and Microsoft. The THQ web site is located at www.thq.com.   The THQ Wireless site is located at www.thqwireless.com .

This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about THQ’s business based, in part, on assumptions made by its management.  These statements are not guarantees of THQ’s future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict.  Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above and the following: changes in demand for THQ’s products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing and difficulties encountered in the integration of acquired businesses.  In addition, such statements could be affected by growth rates and market conditions relating to the interactive software industry and general domestic and international economic conditions.  Specific information concerning these and other such factors is contained in the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 2002.  A copy of this filing may be obtained by contacting THQ or the SEC.  The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and THQ does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release