STAR WARS GALAXIES® IN-GAME EVENT NETS $10,000 FOR AUSTIN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Gamers Take Part in Virtual "Urban Renewal" Raising Awareness for Fight against Poverty Housing
WHAT:
During a cocktail reception yesterday opening the Austin Game Developers Conference, Sony Online Entertainment's (SOE) Austin studio presented the local Habitat for Humanity (HfH)with a $10,000 donation to their efforts to end poverty housing in the area. The funds were raised as part of an in-game event for the company's Star Wars Galaxies® Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) video game, where players were allowed to demolish abandoned or unoccupied player-created houses and buildings. SOE Austin also generated an in-game event where fighters from the evil Galactic Empire swooped down from the stars and bombed the buildings.
A crowd of more than 150 was on hand at the Speakeasy Austin to see SOE Austin VP of Development John Blakely present Austin HfH Executive Director Michael Willard with an oversized photo check for the donation. In addition to the donation, SOE Austin staff members will also engage in volunteer work to help create affordable housing for those in need in the Austin community.
WHEN:
September 6, 2007
WHERE:
The Speakeasy Austin
412D Congress
Austin, TX
WHO:
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a global leader in the online entertainment industry.
www.starwarsgalaxies.com
www.station.com
About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, Los Angeles, CA and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. SOE is owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.
About Austin Habitat for Humanity
Austin Habitat for Humanity has served the Austin community since 1985, creating over 200 affordable new homes with low-income families. Homes are created with volunteer labor and community funding, then sold to AHFH HomeBuyers with zero-interest mortgage loans. Each HomeBuyer participates in financial education programs and contributes some 400 hours of "sweat-equity". For more information, visit www.austinhabitat.org.
About LucasArts
LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. Based in San Francisco, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts was created in 1982 by George Lucas to provide an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world's leading film and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company's global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual-effects and audio post-production; and Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties. Additionally, Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties and businesses. Lucasfilm's motion-picture productions include five of the 20 biggest box-office hits of all time and have received 19 Oscars and 53 Academy Award nominations. Lucasfilm's television projects have won 12 Emmy Awards. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif.
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