Press Release
IEMA Introduces Updated Computer Games Identification Mark and Creates Standardized Template Design for Packaging

New design will launch with EA’s Madden ’07 Game

WILTON, CT (May 19, 2006) – Working in conjunction with leading publisher and retail representatives, the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA) today unveiled the first major redesign of the organization’s now-standard PC icon. The new version incorporates the logo into a broader template design which the group hopes will standardize the appearance of computer games packaging to make it more consistent with similar console titles.

“I am very pleased to present the industry with our updated design for computer games boxes,” said Hal Halpin, president of the IEMA. “A tremendous amount of collaborative work went into preparing, designing and executing upon this final product, which we hope will be as beneficial to the sector as our previous efforts have been.”

The IEMA introduced the “IEMA box” – also known as the “mini box” – in 1999 after acting as the galvanizing force between publishers and retailers. The “mini box” effectively created a 33% increase in the category’s productivity per square foot, allowing a wider and deeper assortment of games to be merchandised in the same shelving space. Two years later the association introduced the original version of the platform identification mark, also known as the “PC Icon,” which was created to eliminate consumer confusion about which type of system for which the game was created. Both were provided to the industry gratis, and given to publishers to use on a royalty-free basis. And this latest version, the update released today, should help create a uniform look and feel for computer games and help standardize packaging further – making the appearance similar to console titles.

“Among the many companies involved in the on-going discussions, Electronic Arts deserves a lot of credit for the patience, talent and extraordinary dedication to helping us refine the final design,” said Halpin. “We hope that by introducing the new template design through the launch of such as high-profile title as Madden ’07 that it will resonate both within the industry and beyond.”

“We were delighted to offer our services to this worthy process,” said EA Senior Vice-President of Sales, Tom Cipolla. “We would be remiss in not acknowledging the efforts of Nancy Fong and our entire Creative Services team, who acted as facilitator in carrying out feedback we received from the IEMA. We have a lot of faith in the PC platform, and ultimately, we believe this effort is instrumental to the future success of the category. We encourage all publishers and developers to continue to support the effort.”

More information about the icon and new template design can be found can be found at:
http://www.iema.org/disc_logo.html

About the IEMA:
The Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA) is the non-profit trade association dedicated to serving the business interests of leading retailers that sell interactive entertainment software (including video and computer games, multimedia entertainment, peripherals and other software). Member companies of the IEMA collectively account for approximately seventy-five percent of the $10 billion annual interactive entertainment business in the United States. [http://www.iema.org]