PAWTUCKET – Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) has acquired all intellectual property rights to the Trivial Pursuit brand, paying $80 million to Horn Abbot Ltd. and Horn Abbot International Ltd.

The toymaker – which has been developing, marketing and selling Trivial Pursuit since 1983, under license from the Horn Abbot companies – already has grown the brand to include Trivial Pursuit for Kids, in classic, DVD and Nickelodeon editions, as well as DVD, Greatest Hits and Totally ’80s versions of the adult game.

“Trivial Pursuit created the adult game category in 1982 and has always been one of the most recognized brands in the industry,” Brian Goldner, Hasbro’s chief operating officer, said in a statement yesterday. “Now, as a wholly-owned and operated part of our deep and rich brand portfolio, we can build Trivial Pursuit beyond traditional venues and capitalize on new opportunities in entertainment, publishing, promotions and digital arenas,” Goldner said.

One step in extending the brand will be a new television game show – “Trivial Pursuit: America Plays,” being created in cooperation with Debmar-Mercury and Wheeler Sussman – that is slated to debut this fall.

“Hasbro has been a great partner of ours for many years, and we know they are a global powerhouse that can take the Trivial Pursuit brand to the next level,” said Jim Ware, president of Horn Abbot Ltd.

Due out this year are a Trivial Pursuit: 25th Anniversary Edition, plus a Digital Choice version of the board game that allows players to download questions via the Internet, Bloomberg News reported. A Web-based version, created under Hasbro’s agreement with digital game designer Electronic Arts, also is due this year.

“They want to expand the brands globally,” Sean McGowan – an analyst at Needham & Co. in New York who owns no Hasbro shares and rates the stock as a “hold” – told Bloomberg News. “Buying the license to Trivial Pursuit allows it to expand the brand.”

Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) – the world’s second-largest toymaker – designs, manufactures and markets games and toys under brands including Playskool, Tonka, Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, Tiger, Wizards of the Coast and Cranium. Additional information is available at www.hasbro.com.