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Best Buy and EA Announce the National "INVENT A GAME CHALLENGE"
with $10,000
U.S. Savings Bond Grand Prize
Imagine the Thrill of Seeing Your Own Video Game Produced and in Free
Worldwide Distribution
Stamford, CT- December 4, 2008-– Best Buy and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS)
in association with The United Inventors Association (UIA) and By Kids For Kids
(BKFK) announce the "Invent A Game Challenge," a national competition offering
America's young people a unique chance to design an online game that Electronic
Arts ("EA") will produce. The Grand Prize winner will also receive a $10,000
(face value) U.S. Savings Bond. Complete contest rules can be found at
www.bkfk.com.
The Invent-A-Game challenge is open to all American youth between the ages of 5
and 19. The contest period runs from December 3, 2008 until March 31, 2009. All
entries must be received online at www.bkfk.com.
"Best Buy is excited about the opportunity to tap into the knowledge, innovation
and talent of our youth to develop an online game," said Jill Hamburger, vice
president of gaming for Best Buy. "We're especially interested in how kids tell
us they use gaming in new and innovative ways to improve and enrich their
lives."
Game Active, an ancillary call for content, asks youth to consider how active
gaming could improve ones' life. For example, could a video game be used in an
active way to promote a healthier lifestyle, or stimulate interest in and help
track an exercise regime? Ideas submitted might even be celebrated on
BestBuy.com and
BKFK.com.
Innovative Game Active submissions may be shared with the public through
www.bestbuy.com/familygaming or
www.bkfk.com.
"EA is thrilled to give today's youth the opportunity to see their idea made
into a video game that people all around the world can enjoy," said Daniel
Hagerty, Producer, Electronic Arts. "We are eager to see the thought and
creativity that kids put into this challenge and the ideas that are brought to
the table."
"BKFK appreciates the opportunity to partner with Best Buy, EA and the UIA to
empower enterprising youth to create their very own video games, and to seeing
the grand prize winner having their idea produced and distributed freely for the
world to play!" added Norman Goldstein, the founder and CEO of BKFK.
"The United Inventors Association is very pleased to support the 'Invent A Game
Challenge,' said Patrick Raymond, Executive Director of the UIA "Considering how
much time youth spend playing video games, this contest is an opportunity to
channel some of that toward an inventive challenge, especially for a game with a
higher social purpose."
-ends-
Media Contacts:
By Kids For Kids Co.: John Forrester | (323) 702-3684 |
media@bkfk.com |
EA: Katie Carrico | (310) 754-7190 |
kcarrico@ea.com |
Best Buy: Emily Schroeder | (612) 291-6124 |emily.schroeder@bestbuy.com
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United Inventors Association: Patrick Raymond | (646) 775-4922 |
praymond@uiausa.org |
About By Kids For Kids Co.
By Kids for Kids® (BKFK®) is a youth marketing and media company partnering with
the world's leading corporations to provide a platform to foster, share,
showcase, and commercialize youth innovation and entrepreneurship. Their mission
is to inspire, motivate and stimulate the innovative spirit within all young
people.
The closely held Stamford, CT-based Corporation has been dedicated to making
youth ideas a reality since 2003. Through its website (www.bkfk.com)
and its social community (Idea Locker™), online competitions, TV show (Think
Big™), Magazine (Possible™), press, and education outreach, the company engages
youth in the US and around the world. BKFK® youth-created products are available
nationally and serve as a testament to the power of youth innovation and social
entrepreneurship.
More information about the company and its successes helping young innovators,
is available online at www.bkfk.com
About Best Buy Co., Inc.
With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, and China, Best Buy is a
multinational retailer of technology and entertainment products and services
with a commitment to growth and innovation. The Best Buy family of brands and
partnerships collectively generates more than $40 billion annual revenue and
includes brands such as Best Buy, Audiovisions, The Carphone Warehouse, Future
Shop, Geek Squad, Jiangsu Five Star, Magnolia Audio Video, Napster, Pacific
Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers, The Phone House and Speakeasy. Approximately
165,000 employees apply their talents to help bring the benefits of these brands
to life for customers through retail locations, multiple call centers and Web
sites, in-home solutions, product delivery and activities in our communities.
Community partnership is central to the way we do business at Best Buy. In
fiscal 2008, we donated a combined $31.8 million to improve the vitality of the
communities where our employees and customers live and work. For more
information about Best Buy, visit
www.bestbuyinc.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the
world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the
Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for
video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet.
Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM,
EA SPORTS Freestyle TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of
$3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's
homepage and online game site is
www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press
releases can be found on the Internet at
http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
About United Inventors Association
The United Inventors Association is the world's leading center for
inventor/entrepreneur education. Founded in 1990 and based in upstate NY, the
UIA was established as an umbrella association supporting and networking local
and regional inventor organizations. UIA membership now has expanded throughout
the USA and abroad to include individual inventors and innovators, academia,
small and medium enterprise, service providers and non-profit companies. For
more information about UIA, please visit its website at
www.uiausa.org
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