The Art Institute Online Logs On to Support Game Developers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 30 , 2007

PITTSBURGH, PA - In support of its commitment to game development, the growing demand for new designers with gaming degrees, and with the hopes of bringing the content knowledge present at the conference to their classrooms, The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, will be sponsoring the 2007 Austin Game Developers Conference.

The Conference will be held at the Austin Convention Center from September 5-7, 2007, and is the official trade event of computer, console, mobile, arcade, online games, and location-based entertainment, and attracts more than 1,100 attendees. The conference provides educational, networking, and business opportunities for game development professionals, driving this quickly growing sector of the entertainment industry.

"As the established leader in online creative arts education, we are very excited to play an integral role in the conference this year," said Warren Wake, Game Art & Design, Academic Department Director at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, which currently offers seven degree programs online related to interactive media and game design, including bachelor's in Game & Art Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, and Media Arts & Animation, and associate's in Graphic Design and Web Design & Interactive Media and a diploma program in Web Design. "This is an event held exclusively by developers, for developers, and we hope that our involvement will demonstrate our commitment to educating and training the gaming industry's future designers and animators."

The Art Institute Online will also serve as the podcast sponsor for the Game Career Seminar, a day-long program for students and individuals interested in learning how to launch a career in the videogame industry. The Art Institutes Speakers Series will host transcripts from the podcasts, as well as exclusive content from the seminar online at www.aionline.edu/speaker-series/.

Jeannie Novak, Online Program Director for the Game Art & Design program at The Art Institute Online, lead author and series editor of the Game Development Essentials book series on game development, and Producer and Lead Designer of The Art Institute Online's "serious game" currently being developed in the Second Life virtual environment, will be one of this year's panelists.

"I'm thrilled to be involved in this year's conference," Novak said. "The Game Developers Conference is an incredible opportunity for developers to come together to exchange ideas, meet with experts, and discuss the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry."

For additional information about the Austin Game Developers Conference, or to register for the event, please visit http://www.austingdc.net.

About The Art Institute Online

The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, delivers education in the creative arts through the Internet, extending the opportunity for learning to all students desiring classes by eliminating geographic, lifestyle, or physical constraints. With online courses designed using the same curriculum delivered on ground through The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, The Art Institute Online offers associate's and bachelor's degree programs in Graphic Design and Interactive Media Design; bachelor's degree programs in Advertising, Fashion & Retail Management, Game Art & Design, Interior Design, Hotel & Restaurant Management and Media Arts & Animation; a bachelor's degree completion program in Culinary Management; and diploma programs in Digital Design, Residential Planning, and Web Design. For more information about The Art Institute Online, call 1-877-872-8869 or visit http://www.aionline.edu. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh ( http://www.artinstitutes.edu/pittsburgh/) is one of The Art Institutes ( http://www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 35 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

Contact:

Carlos M. Pomares, VP Operations, Game Marketing Solutions

pr@e-gms.com

201-683-9995 office

973-670-0691 cell

Robin Beckham, Senior Public Relations Manager, 412-995-4107