Xbox 360™ Bus Tour will Educate Twin Cities Families on Safe Video Gaming

Business Wire,  April 9, 2007  

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

"Safety is no game. Is your family set?" campaign is sponsored by Best Buy, Microsoft, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

MINNEAPOLIS -- Educating and empowering parents, the Xbox 360[TM] Citizenship campaign bus will visit the Twin Cities Thursday, April 12 through Saturday, April 14 to inform consumers about the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system for video games and highlight family settings available in electronic gaming consoles, including the Xbox 360.

Sponsored by Microsoft, Best Buy and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the nationwide campaign, "Safety is no game. Is your family set?" is designed to ensure parents use the tools available to provide a safe, secure entertainment experience for their families both on video gaming and online.

"Best Buy is committed to giving parents, families and those who care for children the tools and information they need so that they can trust that their children are safe and secure enjoying their interactive video gaming and entertainment," said Paula Prahl, vice president of public affairs for Best Buy.

The Xbox Citizenship bus will make six stops in the Twin Cities:

Thursday, April 12, 2007

1 - 3:30 p.m.       Minnesota State Capitol - Upper Mall

4 - 7 p.m.          Boys & Girls Club, West Saint Paul
                    291 East Belvidere
                    Saint Paul

Friday, April 13, 2007

9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Science Museum of Minnesota
                    120 W. Kellogg Boulevard
                    Downtown Saint Paul, MN 55102

2:30 - 4 p.m.       Cottage Grove Junior High School
                    9775 Indian Boulevard So.
                    Cottage Grove

Saturday, April 14, 2007

10 a.m. - 1 p.m.    Best Buy
                    11600 Leona Dr
                    Eden Prairie, MN 55344

3 - 6:30 p.m.       Minnesota Twins Game
                    Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
                    On the Plaza
                    Downtown Minneapolis

The bus will provide hands-on education and training on video games including how to understand ESRB ratings and how to take advantage of Microsoft's Xbox 360[TM] Family Settings, a feature that allows parents and caregivers to set access restrictions to content on Xbox 360, the Xbox Live service and Xbox Live Vision camera. Bus visitors will receive a copy of the video game ratings guide that is also available in stores.

The 20-city nationwide Xbox bus tour was launched last October in New York. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which has received gaming equipment from Best Buy, has been distributing educational material at its clubs.

Customers can find more information about ratings and safety for video games at any U.S. Best Buy store, or online at www.BestBuy.com/familygaming and at www.xbox.com/isyourfamilyset.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) operates a global portfolio of brands with a commitment to growth and innovation. Our employees strive to provide customers around the world with superior experiences by responding to their unique needs and aspirations. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services through more than 1,150 retail stores across the United States, throughout Canada and in China. Our multi-channel operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com, BestBuy.ca and BestBuy.com.cn), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca), Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers (PacificSales.com), Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com) and Jiangsu Five Star Appliance Co. (Five-Star.cn). Best Buy supports the communities in which its employees work and live through volunteerism and grants that benefit children and education.

About Xbox and Xbox 360

Microsoft revolutionized the gaming industry with the November 2001 launch of Xbox[R] (http://www.xbox.com), its first-generation video game and entertainment system, now sold in 26 countries. Microsoft introduced its next-generation system, Xbox 360, in the 2005 holiday season in Europe, Japan and North America, and has launched the system in Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, Singapore and Taiwan in 2006. The system will be launched in Australia and New Zealand March 23, 2006. Xbox 360 (http://www.xbox.com/xbox360) is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live online gaming service, and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around gamers.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Club Tech Program

Club Tech is a program created by Microsoft and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to "technology enable" more than 2,800 Clubs nationwide, bringing technology access programs to more than 4.4 million young people. By leveling the "virtual playing field," youth of all ages and circumstances will have the same resources and skills to help them discover their world; expand creativity, perform better in school, and eventually take their technology know-how into the workplace.

COPYRIGHT 2007 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning