We got the news that the youth oriented virtual world of Elf Island and the eco-toy company Xeko are combining forces to deliver a range of media properties aimed at fostering youth engagement with nonprofit causes and issues.
Elf Island is a web-based tween-based world that uses "Good Quests" as a means of getting kids to learn about and contribute to worthwhile cases. Xeko provides a range of products related to ecology and animal protection, including plush toys and a card game. Sounds like a potentially powerful partnership to educate youth about various real world issues and charities using an online game space. I'll be interested to see what they come out with next!
The press release follows after the jump...
The Force For Good Just Got Bigger
Contact:
Liz Kronenberger
liz@elfisland.com / 404.771.8724
Xeko and Elf Island Create A Unified Brand Focused On Empowering Entertainment for Kids
Creating World-Class Products and Media that Entertain and Inspire People to Make a Difference
ATLANTA, December 7, 2009 – Founded on the premise of Good, Xeko (pronounced “zeeko”) and Elf Island have united their companies with the vision of creating and marketing world-class products and media that entertain and inspire the kid in everyone to make a difference. The Xeko Motto: Be a Force For Good!
Bringing together their award-winning product offerings, the unified brand, Xeko (www.xeko.com) instills positive social and environmental values into the world’s future stewards while empowering kids to make a difference today. The new company is co-founded by Xeko creator Amy Tucker and Elf Island co-founders Craig and Liz Kronenberger.
“It’s the perfect marriage. Elf Island brings an immersive online virtual world and Xeko brings an amazing brand, offline trading card game and eco-friendly toys. Combined, we have a powerful, integrated product offering that delivers enriching entertainment that kids love and values parents feel good about,” said co-founder and CEO, Craig Kronenberger.
Kids make a difference in the real world by playing in the Xeko virtual world, as well as with Xeko games and toys. On Xeko.com, Xeko partners with nonprofits to promote causes through online games called GoodQuests™. By playing and meeting a collective goal in game, kids activate a donation to the nonprofit. Xeko calls it Gaming for Good™, which is a new trend in the gaming world.
Kids also make a difference by playing the Xeko eco-adventure trading card game and by adopting Xeko Pal endangered animal toys. Based on the Legend of Xeko and endangered animals from the world’s conservation hotspots, Xeko games and toys connect players to the online virtual world and are made from recycled and/or sustainable materials. By playing with Xeko Pals, Xeko Trading Cards and the Xeko Virtual World, kids become Xeko Agents on a mission to help change our world.
Xeko Pals allow users to care for an endangered animal online by nurturing them until they are well enough to be released back to their natural habitat. The better players care for their virtual animals, the more proceeds that are given to support endangered animals in the real world.
Xeko Trading Cards allow kids to play offline and, soon, to log-on to Xeko.com to play with others. Kids can collect and play with each other in highly competitive game play but with one big twist. The more you master your Xeko skills through the trading cards the more you are helping endangered animals in the real world.
”I’m over-the-moon thrilled,” said co-founder and CCO Amy Tucker, “the Xeko virtual world is an amazing space for bringing the Legend of Xeko to life and expanding the Xeko community where our players—Xeko Agents—are real world heroes. The positive difference Xeko players are making is huge!”
In addition to GoodQuest donations, Xeko also makes a donation with every toy purchase to Conservation International (www.conservation.org) in support of its work to save Earth's biodiversity hotspots.
How kids have helped others through Mirrored Gaming:
• Built eight homes for eight families in Honduras
• Repaired six boats to protect sharks and other wildlife from poachers
• Planted 2,000 trees in Niger
• Helped scientists track polar bear migration in the Arctic
• Fed 100 under served families healthy produce in Sacramento
• Adopted a panda from an earthquake-affected area in China
• Built one camp in Uganda for kids living with HIV
Xeko’s products are created for tweens and teens but welcomes kids of all ages – especially those who care about changing our world.
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About Xeko:
Xeko, rated “G” for “Good,” is the award-winning kids’ entertainment brand specifically created to instill positive social and environmental values into the world’s future stewards while empowering kids to make a difference today. At the heart of Xeko is a virtual world that turns online gaming efforts into real-world results through non-profit partnerships and Mirrored Gaming™. An eco-adventure trading card game and line of Earth-friendly toys provide positive play and connect players online. To further its mission, Xeko invented Gaming for Good™, Mirrored Gaming, and GoodQuests™ and in December 2009, Xeko and Elf Island combined their forces for Good to create world-class products and media that entertain and inspire the kid in everyone to make a difference (www.xeko.com).
Awards
• 2008 & 2007 Outstanding Product Award, iParenting Media
• 2008 Mom’s Best Award
• 2008 & 2007 Game of the Year, Creative Child Magazine
• 2008, 2007 & 2006 Seal of Approval, National Parenting Center
• 2007 & 2006 Recommended Award, Parents’ Choice Foundation
• 2007 & 2006 Amazing Toy Award, Parent Zone
• 2007 The Toy Man Award of Excellencev
• 2006 Top Toy of the Year, Creative Child Magazine
• Screenshots and graphics are available per request
• Xeko’s investors include Stone Gossard, Pearl Jam guitarist and conservationist and Dan Gilbert, chairman and founder of Quicken Loans Inc., the nation's largest online retail mortgage lender and one of the five largest retail mortgage lenders overall. Gilbert also is the majority owner of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team and operator of the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
