EA introduces new program to relieve stress through gaming

by: Chuck - posted: 10/15/2007 10:50:00 PM

EA has announced a new program through their casual game website Pogo.com to help people relieve stress through gaming.  The program includes a series of games and events to help people learn to relieve their daily stresses through games and other activities.  While I doubt mowing down the Covenant with a needler is on the list the program does include some day to day activties and games to help people better deal with their stress. Check out the release for the full details of the program

EA’S POGO.COM LAUNCHES “TAKE 5 TO PLAY”

Pogo and Dr. Kathleen Hall Present Playful Alternatives for Stress Relief


Redwood City, Calif. – October 15, 2007 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that its casual gaming destination Pogo.com™ has launched “Take 5 to Play™” with nationally recognized stress expert Dr. Kathleen Hall and the Stress Institute. The program gives Pogo™ players advice about creating a healthy and balanced life and highlights the positive benefits of playing casual games. According to Dr. Hall, playing games is not a luxury -- it a necessity. It’s a vital way for people to take a break from their hectic lives and let the stress of the day melt away. With “Take 5 to Play”, Dr. Hall becomes a regular contributor in the Pogo community. Her advice and tips now are available to the 13 million1 unique monthly visitors on Pogo.com. The life-balance focused program features include:

o “Take Five for You” Stress LESS Tips – In addition to showcasing stress-busting games like Poppit!™, Dr. Hall will provide players tips on additional things they can do in their life to create less stress and more balance.

o Ask Dr. Kathleen Corner – Pogo players will be able to submit questions to Dr. Hall about issues they encounter in their daily lives.

o Monthly articles – From children starting school to holidays with the family, each season brings with it new stressors. Dr. Hall will address these special issues during her monthly articles.

o Pogo extras – To help players achieve a more relaxed and balanced state, there will be stress relief game nights and relaxation e-cards which players can send to friends and family.

“Launching the ‘Take 5 to Play’ program with Pogo is a great first step in our effort to “de-stress” the world through play,” said Dr. Kathleen Hall, Stress Institute Founder and CEO. “Pogo is synergistic with the Stress Institute’s SELF care program. Exercising the brain is essential for your mental and physical health and slowing the aging process. Pogo provides a vibrant platform and easily accessible online community for individuals to interact and discover mindful living. Sharing with others creates health and well being.”
Dr. Hall continued, “We have a great opportunity to practice stress prevention as we approach the incredibly stressful holidays. Launching ‘Take 5 to Play’ in October, which is National Stress Prevention Month offers the perfect stress prevention activities to effortlessly incorporate into one’s already busy life.”

“Many of our players spend time on Pogo as a way to take a break and get in some ‘me time’, said Beatrice Spaine, Vice President of marketing for Pogo. “We wanted to give players additional tools to help relieve stress and lead healthier and more balanced lives. We are so happy to launch ‘Take 5 to Play’ with Dr. Hall. Her expertise and advice will be valuable to the Pogo community,” added Spaine.

Founded by Dr. Hall, The Stress Institute serves as a center for the collection and dissemination of information on the impact of stress on our lives. Comprised of professionals and prominent physicians in a variety of disciplines, the organization is interested in exploring the various effects of stress on mental and physical well being. The Stress Institute suggests resources and tools that are helpful in the reduction of life stress and solutions for work-life balance.

For more information and to experience some of the best online games on the Internet, visit www.pogo.com. For screenshots and assets, please visit info.ea.com. To visit the “Take 5 to Play” program, visit www.pogo.com.

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1 According to ComScore August 08

About Pogo.com
Pogo.com is the #1 stickiest online casual game destination in the US1. The site is home to 13 million unique visitors a month (worldwide) who play for more than 45 minutes a day1. Boasting a wide variety of more than 80 free online games including puzzle, word, casino, classic card and board, Pogo.com features both single-player and multiplayer games. The site offers players an easy-to-use chat feature where millions of people talk about their favorite games, best scores, or simply share stories about their lives. Pogo.com is known for its thriving online community of players who forge life-long friendships through the site. Pogo has local sites and communities in UK (pogo.co.uk), Germany (pogo.de) and France (pogo.fr).

The premium service for Pogo.com, Club Pogo, offers players a variety of VIP features including exclusive games, no ad interruptions, private chat and avatars. Club Pogo has over 1.5 million paying subscribers.

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2007, EA posted revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

About Dr. Kathleen Hall
Dr. Kathleen Hall, internationally recognized stress and healthy lifestyle expert, founder and C.E.O. of The Stress Institute (www.thestressinstitute.com), has been featured on major media including The Today Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, FOX, ABC News, CBS, Good Morning America Radio, Martha Stewart Radio, Fortune, Forbes, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Money, Business Week, Parents, Cosmopolitan, Real Simple, and Woman’s Day. She is the author of A Life in Balance, 2007 Nautilus Book Award winner, and Alter Your Life; has a weekly radio show, Live with Dr. Kathleen Hall; and, is a contributing writer for PINK Magazine. In times of national crisis, the media looks to her for expert advice. In fact, Martha Stewart Publications coined her as “The Stress Queen”.

Her diverse background of study with medical pioneers includes, Dr. Dean Ornish of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute and Dr. Herbert Benson at the Harvard Mind/Body Institute. Dr. Hall has also studied under illustrious Nobel Peace Prize recipients including, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu and President Jimmy Carter.


EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, POGO, Club Pogo and Poppit! are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.