Into the Pixel 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CALABASAS, Calif. - April 29, 2008 - The world's only exhibition that brings together experts from both the fine art establishment and the interactive entertainment industry to explore the art of the video game, Into the Pixel today announced that it is accepting submissions for the 2008 collection at www.IntoThePixel.com. Now in its fifth year, Into the Pixel (ITP) is the one annual opportunity for published video and computer game artists to be recognized by renowned fine art experts, the art-loving public and by their peers in the video game industry. Artists must submit their work by May 21, 2008, for consideration by the ITP jury.

Each year Into the Pixel convenes a jury of world-renowned museum curators, gallerists, educators, artists and interactive entertainment art veterans to review the art submitted by video game artists from all over the world. Only sixteen pieces are ultimately selected by the jury to be printed by a master printer, framed and hung in the ITP gallery, which then travels around the US and abroad. The highly anticipated 2008 art exhibition will be unveiled to the game industry at the E3 Media & Business Summit, July 15-17, and will open to the public at "Entertainment for AllTM Expo" (E for All), October 3-5, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

"As an art historian and museum curator for traditional prints and drawings, Into the Pixel has been something of a revelation to me," said Louis Marchesano, ITP Co-lead Juror and Curator of Prints and Drawings, at the Getty Research Institute. "What I've found is that the artistic quality of some of these images is sometimes poetic, sometimes nostalgic, and sometimes downright brilliant."

Into the Pixel was created by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) and the Prints and Drawings Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

"Over the course of four years, we have seen submissions of some amazing art, and expect to see some tough contenders for the 2008 collection," said Joseph Olin, president, Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. "The Academy and ESA are thrilled to once again showcase the artistry and creative genius of the men and women within the interactive entertainment industry and like years past, the selected pieces are sure to be impressive."

The newly appointed 2008 Into the Pixel Jury:

Submissions must be art from published or soon-to-be-published computer and video games, or art that was used in the creation of the games. Artists may submit up to three (3) original works. Deadline is May 21, 2008 at midnight (Pacific). Interested artists should visit www.IntoThePixel.com for more detailed information or to submit artwork.

About Into the Pixel (ITP):

Into the Pixel is the world's only curated art exhibition that brings together the traditional fine art and digital art worlds to explore and celebrate the art and artists behind the video game. Each year, a jury of world-class museum curators, cutting-edge gallery owners and interactive entertainment industry experts evaluate and select the art to be featured in the collection. Now in its fifth year, Into the Pixel has established itself as the annual opportunity for computer and video game artists to receive critical review of their creative achievements by both peers in the digital art world and renowned fine art experts. The program is a joint effort of the Entertainment Software Association, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, and the Prints & Drawings Council of LACMA. For more information, please visit www.IntoThePixel.com.

About the ESA

The ESA is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. ESA members collectively account for more than 90 percent of the $9.5 billion in entertainment software sales in the U.S. in 2007, and billions more in export sales of entertainment software. For more information about the ESA, please visit www.theESA.com.

About the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of the interactive arts. The Academy's mission is to promote and advance common interests in the worldwide interactive entertainment community; recognize outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences; and conduct an annual awards show (Interactive Achievement Awards) to enhance awareness of the interactive art form. The Academy also strives to provide a voice for individuals in the interactive entertainment community. In 2002 the Academy created the D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit, a once yearly conference dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. The Academy has over 12,000 members, with the board comprised of senior executives from the major videogame companies including BioWare/Pandemic, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Insomniac Games, Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Sony, THQ and Ubisoft. More information on AIAS and the D.I.C.E. Summit can be found at http://www.interactive.org and http://www.dicesummit.org.

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Contacts:

Wendy Zaas / Angelina Duran

Rogers & Cowan

310-854-8148 / 310-854-8168

wzaas@rogersandcowan.com

aduran@rogersandcowan.com

Pattie Tobias Renouard

Into the Pixel

503-241-9469

pattie@interactive.org

Geri Gordon Miller

Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences

818-876-0826 x202

geri@interactive.org