Contact: Mitch Leff, 404-861-4769, mitch@leffassociates.com
Elf Island virtual world challenges ‘tweens’ to help make a social difference with Habitat for Humanity
‘Mirrored Gaming’ aims to enhance game play and raise awareness among 8 to 12 year olds on social causes
ATLANTA (Dec. 22, 2008) - Elf Island, a virtual world that empowers kids to make a difference in the real world through online game play, today announces a challenge to kids around the world to help Habitat for Humanity build real houses in partnership with low-income people in Honduras.
Through its “Mirrored Gaming,” kids play an online GoodQuest game, and in the process learn about a related non-profit’s project, which is then reflected in real world support for the nonprofit. Kids can see the effect they are making by helping others in need and understand why it is important to get involved. Habitat for Humanity International is the first nonprofit to benefit from Elf Island’s Mirrored Gaming model. Good Egg Studios, creator of Elf Island, has already made a donation to Habitat for Humanity
International and built one house in Honduras. Through Gaming for Good and this GoodQuest, kids have the opportunity to build three more homes, as well as repair four existing homes in Honduras.
“Habitat for Humanity is an amazing force for worldwide good, and we are proud that Elf Island can assist them in bringing their mission to tweens,” said Craig Kronenberger, president and co-founder, Good Egg Studios. “In this effort, Elf Island hopes that its unique virtual game will reward and show kids how they can help create safe and affordable housing.”
To accomplish this, Habitat’s initiatives are woven into Elf Island’s interactive environment using multimedia, social networking, storytelling and a virtual economy. When gamers undertake Elf Island’s GoodQuest with Habitat for Humanity, they learn about real issues faced by people in need in Honduras and the difference a simple, decent house can make in improving lives. With parental permission, and a basic membership that is free of charge, kids can enter and play the basic offerings in Elf Island.
In addition, as paid subscribers, kids can become an active participant in GoodQuests, chat and participate in game play. Kids also have the unique ability to unveil secret passageways, communicate with hybrid-animals, participate in an economic marketplace and ultimately learn the Secret of Elf Island.
“Habitat for Humanity believes that anyone can tackle the worldwide issue of poverty housing by caring and taking action. We’re thrilled Elf Island is capturing the imagination, energy and hope of young people,” said Patrick Scanlan, youth programs specialist for Habitat for Humanity International. “Habitat’s GoodQuest challenge on Elf Island will help to teach kids teambuilding skills and the many facets of Habitat’s homebuilding mission.”
Future Elf Island’s GoodQuests will be undertaken with other nonprofits that also help people in need, as well as organizations that help with environmental and animal protection.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.
About Good Egg Studios
Good Egg Studio’s Elf Island is the first tween virtual world specifically created to instill positive social and environmental values into the world’s future stewards. Elf Island turns online gaming efforts into tangible offline results through nonprofit partnerships and Mirrored Gaming. Partners include Habitat for Humanity, Plant-It 2020, WildAid and Polar Bears International. Good Egg Studios invented Gaming For Good, Mirrored Gaming and GoodQuests and is an independent children’s interactive entertainment developer that delivers entertaining game play for tweens that inspires, rewards actions and builds awareness of social issues around the world. Craig and Liz Kronenberger a dynamic husband and wife duo that are also veterans in the online gaming industry founded Good Egg Studios and Elf Island in June 2007. Elf Island is a property of Good Egg Studios. www.elfisland.com
Elf Island virtual world challenges ‘tweens’ to help make a social difference with Habitat for Humanity
‘Mirrored Gaming’ aims to enhance game play and raise awareness among 8 to 12 year olds on social causes
ATLANTA (Dec. 22, 2008) - Elf Island, a virtual world that empowers kids to make a difference in the real world through online game play, today announces a challenge to kids around the world to help Habitat for Humanity build real houses in partnership with low-income people in Honduras.
Through its “Mirrored Gaming,” kids play an online GoodQuest game, and in the process learn about a related non-profit’s project, which is then reflected in real world support for the nonprofit. Kids can see the effect they are making by helping others in need and understand why it is important to get involved. Habitat for Humanity International is the first nonprofit to benefit from Elf Island’s Mirrored Gaming model. Good Egg Studios, creator of Elf Island, has already made a donation to Habitat for Humanity
International and built one house in Honduras. Through Gaming for Good and this GoodQuest, kids have the opportunity to build three more homes, as well as repair four existing homes in Honduras.
“Habitat for Humanity is an amazing force for worldwide good, and we are proud that Elf Island can assist them in bringing their mission to tweens,” said Craig Kronenberger, president and co-founder, Good Egg Studios. “In this effort, Elf Island hopes that its unique virtual game will reward and show kids how they can help create safe and affordable housing.”
To accomplish this, Habitat’s initiatives are woven into Elf Island’s interactive environment using multimedia, social networking, storytelling and a virtual economy. When gamers undertake Elf Island’s GoodQuest with Habitat for Humanity, they learn about real issues faced by people in need in Honduras and the difference a simple, decent house can make in improving lives. With parental permission, and a basic membership that is free of charge, kids can enter and play the basic offerings in Elf Island.
In addition, as paid subscribers, kids can become an active participant in GoodQuests, chat and participate in game play. Kids also have the unique ability to unveil secret passageways, communicate with hybrid-animals, participate in an economic marketplace and ultimately learn the Secret of Elf Island.
“Habitat for Humanity believes that anyone can tackle the worldwide issue of poverty housing by caring and taking action. We’re thrilled Elf Island is capturing the imagination, energy and hope of young people,” said Patrick Scanlan, youth programs specialist for Habitat for Humanity International. “Habitat’s GoodQuest challenge on Elf Island will help to teach kids teambuilding skills and the many facets of Habitat’s homebuilding mission.”
Future Elf Island’s GoodQuests will be undertaken with other nonprofits that also help people in need, as well as organizations that help with environmental and animal protection.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.
About Good Egg Studios
Good Egg Studio’s Elf Island is the first tween virtual world specifically created to instill positive social and environmental values into the world’s future stewards. Elf Island turns online gaming efforts into tangible offline results through nonprofit partnerships and Mirrored Gaming. Partners include Habitat for Humanity, Plant-It 2020, WildAid and Polar Bears International. Good Egg Studios invented Gaming For Good, Mirrored Gaming and GoodQuests and is an independent children’s interactive entertainment developer that delivers entertaining game play for tweens that inspires, rewards actions and builds awareness of social issues around the world. Craig and Liz Kronenberger a dynamic husband and wife duo that are also veterans in the online gaming industry founded Good Egg Studios and Elf Island in June 2007. Elf Island is a property of Good Egg Studios. www.elfisland.com