Brain Quest
Best selling non-videogame educational, er, thingie... um... comes... What were talking about?
LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 23, 2008 – The Casual Entertainment label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced plans to bring America’s #1 educational bestseller*, Brain Quest®, to the Nintendo DS™ handheld system, just in time for back-to-school this September. In partnership with the New York based Workman Publishing Company, Inc., EA will release two Brain Quest games centered on the curriculum-based series that has sold more than 28 million copies**: one for third and fourth graders, and another for fifth and sixth graders.
“Brain Quest is EA Casual Entertainment’s first educational game and we are thrilled to bring this beloved brand into the videogame space,” said Robert Nashak, VP of Casual Studios, EA Casual Entertainment. “By adapting the series to the DS, we are able to reach today’s tech savvy children and provide them with an educational experience that is interactive, engaging, and fun.”
Staying true to the curriculum-based card deck series, the Brain Quest video games are loaded with over 6,000 unique questions in each game, developed specifically for the third/fourth and fifth/sixth grade levels and can keep kids entertained whether in the car, at home, or while waiting for the school bus. The game’s Brain Mode provides quick to the fun action that enables kids to jump right in, immersing themselves in fast-paced quiz games, as they answer questions on their favorite subjects: English, history, math, science, and geography. Brain Quest adds another element to the fun—a Quest Mode where players follow a light story that pits them against successively more difficult challenges in each category. The game’s Multiplayer Mode allows players to challenge their friends and siblings or play cooperatively, so kids of all ages can get in on the action and enjoy the brain-twisting fun!
Throughout the game, players who answer questions correctly score points to redeem collectibles that can be unlocked by winning achievements. These collectibles can then be used to customize up to six scenes in the game.
The popular Brain Quest card decks, on which the games are based, are a phenomenon. “Brain Quest is a brand recognized by teachers, trusted by parents, and adored by kids,” said Janet Harris, Brain Quest® Publisher, Workman Publishing Company, Inc. “We are very pleased that Brain Quest will now be able to educate and entertain children through another medium, as a video game.”
Both Brain Quest games will be available September 2008 in North America and have a U.S. MSRP of $29.99. The games have not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information or assets, visit http://www.info.ea.com.
*According to Bookspan.
**Based on Workman Publishing Company Inc. internal sales projections.
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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.
About Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
Workman Publishing Company, founded in 1968, is an independent publisher of adult and juvenile trade books. Workman imprints include Highbridge Company, Timber Press, Storey Publishing, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, and Artisan Books. Known for its innovations in stretching the boundaries of traditional books and calendars, combined with intensive and creative marketing, Workman’s string of bestsellers began with B. Kliban’s Cat, The Official Preppy Handbook, and the Silver Palate cookbooks, and now continues with What to Expect® When You’re Expecting, Brain Quest® and 1,000 Places to See Before You Die®.
Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS Freestyle, EA SPORTS BIG, and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo.
Brain Quest is a registered trademark of Workman Publishing Company, Inc., and Groupe Play Bac, S.A.
It’s Fun to Be Smart! is a registered trademark of Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Media Contacts:
Brooke Cahalane
PR Manager
EA Casual Entertainment
310-754-7312
bcahalane@ea.com
Katie Carrico
Senior Publicist
EA Casual Entertainment
310-754-7190
kcarrico@ea.com