New Survey Finds 75 Percent of Americans Plan to Stay Home This New Year’s Eve

Just add games to turn a night at home into a party to remember—but don’t invite the boss!

PAWTUCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The majority of Americans will be ditching fancy clothes, overpriced drinks and crowded venues this New Year’s Eve, opting instead for gatherings with friends and family in the comfort of their own home, according to a recent survey released by Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS). The survey found that 75 percent of Americans will ring in the New Year by staying in, forgoing the traditional hassles of a night on the town.

“With so many New Year’s celebrations taking place at home this year, we know that hosts will be looking for the perfect entertainment options to kick off 2013”

“With so many New Year’s celebrations taking place at home this year, we know that hosts will be looking for the perfect entertainment options to kick off 2013,” said Jonathan Berkowitz, vice president of marketing for Hasbro Gaming. “Getting a group together for a laugh-till-you-cry game of SCRABBLE CATCH PHRASE or an epic, nail-biter of a game of JENGA will certainly be a fun, memorable way to start the new year.”

For tips on hosting a memorable New Year’s game night visit www.Facebook.com/HasbroGameNight.

While games are a great way to keep everyone entertained at your party, some words of advice when picking teams – don’t pick just anyone to be your gaming partner! Nearly 40 percent of those polled said they’d least like to partner up with their boss for a game night. And in-laws and parents didn’t fare much better. Among those polled, 21 percent said they’d least like to partner with their in-laws, and 15 percent said they’d avoid teaming up with dear old mom and dad. Choosing a best friend or spouse as a teammate seemed to be the best choice among adults surveyed.

Along with these helpful hints on how to stack (or rather how not to stack) the teams to keep everyone in the gaming spirit, Hasbro has the perfect lineup of games to get the party started and keep it going until the ball drops this year. Set the mood right from the get-go by setting up a JENGA game by the food and drinks. Guests can try their hand at a few JENGA moves while mingling and eating throughout the night. Invite each guest to share a resolution for 2013 or a favorite memory from 2012 for each block they successfully remove.

If you’re expecting a large crowd, be sure to introduce SCRABBLE CATCH PHRASE to the party. Everyone can get in on the action by yelling out guesses to the clues shouted out by each team. To get partygoers up and out of their seats, break out a classic like TWISTER to keep the energy level up as you countdown to midnight. For those high rollers in the crowd, roll out YAHTZEE to see who’s feeling lucky. And for the artists in the room, let them showcase their abilities in the DRAW SOMETHING game.

A few additional tips to make your at-home celebration a slam-dunk this New Year’s:

• Keep it simple: One of the joys of staying in on New Year’s is avoiding the holiday hassle. Keep the relaxed theme going by sticking to simple finger foods and easy beverages that don’t require many ingredients. Or, make it a potluck and let each partygoer contribute to the spread. The less complicated the party, the more you get to be part of the action.
• Have prizes ready to go: Who doesn’t love a trophy or the sweet taste of a victory chocolate to commemorate their game night win? Have some small prizes ready for the winners to encourage friendly competition throughout the night.
• Don’t forget the camera: You’ll want to remember the victory dances long after the night ends so keep that camera handy to capture the most memorable moments of the night. Extra points for sharing them via social networks to keep the fun going long after the party ends. And a great picture from your 2012 New Year’s game night will be the perfect photo for your 2013 New Year’s invitation. You’ll be a step ahead of the game for next year!

Ringing in the New Year at home with games will become a tradition you can look forward to for years to come. For more information on JENGA, TWISTER, SCRABBLE CATCH PHRASE, YAHTZEE, DRAW SOMETHING, and other fun games from Hasbro, please visit: http://www.hasbro.com/gamenight, and be sure to “Like” the Hasbro Game Night Facebook page for all the latest Hasbro Game Night news: http://www.facebook.com/hasbrogamenight.

About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company's world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative, well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Company’s Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for markets around the world. The Hub TV Network is part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), in the U.S. Through the company's deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.” Learn more at www.hasbro.com.
© 2012 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Methodological Notes

The Hasbro Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 U.S. adults, ages 18+, between November 27th and December 3rd, 2012, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population ages 18+. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.