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The second annual Unlock Xbox challenge winner is…Doritos Crash Course

by: Dan - posted: 1/2/2011 8:40:00 PM
More On: Unlock Xbox Challenge
If you ever scan through those Xbox Live panes on your dashboard you are bound to come across some contest or challenge. One of those was the Unlock Xbox challenge, which has crowned it’s second annual winner. This year, top prize went to Jill Robertson of Raleigh, N.C. who’s task it was to create an Xbox Live title that “brings to life the bold, intense spirit of the Doritos brand.” Jill created “Doritos Crash Course” and it was voted the winner by Video Game fans, scoring her a $50K grand prize and the opportunity to work as a consultant with Doritos on gaming for the next six months. Congrats to Jill and second place winner Justin Carpenter of Ogden, Utah (who also scored $50K) and feel free to grab their games for free located under the Games & Demos Channel in the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
Fans Select 'Doritos Crash Course' as Winner of Doritos Unlock Xbox Challenge
North Carolina Gamer Jill Robertson Takes Home Contest Grand Prize - $50,000 and the Chance to Consult with Doritos on Gaming

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, live on Xbox LIVE®, Doritos and Microsoft announced that video game fans selected "Doritos Crash Course," the game concept created by Jill Robertson of Raleigh, N.C., as the winner of the Doritos "Unlock Xbox" challenge. This one-of-a-kind competition invited gaming enthusiasts in the United States to think of an Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft game idea that brings to life the bold, intense spirit of the Doritos brand. As the contest winner, Robertson will receive a grand prize of $50,000 and the opportunity to consult with Doritos on gaming for six months.

Between Dec. 8, 2010 and Dec. 26, 2010, Doritos lovers and gamers could play and vote for their favorite Unlock Xbox finalist game – both of which were created exclusively for Xbox 360. The finalist games included "Doritos Crash Course" created by Robertson and "Harm's Way" created by Justin Carpenter of Ogden, Utah, with "Doritos Crash Course" resulting as the fan favorite.

Throughout the voting phase, both "Doritos Crash Course" and "Harm's Way" generated tremendous excitement from consumers, with more than two million downloads between the two games over the three-week period. In response to the positive feedback from fans, the Doritos brand added a last-minute twist to the contest prizing structure – the awarding of a second $50,000 cash prize to second-place finisher, Carpenter.

"This program was about giving our fans the chance to pursue their passion for gaming and make their dreams come true, and our fans truly delivered," said Rudy Wilson, vice president of marketing, Doritos. "We congratulate Jill on being selected the fan favorite and hope our fans continue to enjoy both finalist games."

From the very start, Robertson knew she wanted to use Xbox LIVE Avatars as part of her game concept as a way for players to customize their gaming experience. She also wanted to incorporate her passion for game shows and her love of Doritos chips into the final product. The result was "Doritos Crash Course," a fast-paced, funny, obstacle course game show that lets each player's Avatar compete against their friends and family as they battle for number one. "Doritos Crash Course" can be played through 15 exciting platform levels across three different countries with up to four players over Xbox LIVE and local split-screen.
"This entire experience has been nothing short of amazing – from dreaming up my initial concept to creating the fully playable version for Xbox LIVE Arcade," said Robertson. "I'm grateful to Doritos, Microsoft and all the fans who voted for my game. Being part of this contest has given my gaming career a huge leap forward, and I'm excited to see what happens next."

Fans can continue to download and play each finalist's game free of charge from the Arcade Slot under the Games & Demos Channel in the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360.

The Doritos Unlock Xbox challenge is one of many ways the Doritos brand continues to bring its fans access to unparalleled experiences. The brand's commitment to fan empowerment began with the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" program, which has turned the brand's Super Bowl advertising over to its fans for the last five years. Doritos has continued to put consumers in control through a variety of other exciting opportunities that have broken new ground in gaming and entertainment.

Frito-Lay North America is the $12 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate website, http://www.fritolay.com/ , the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fritolay.

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 18 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade – also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries. With more than $43 billion in 2008 revenues, PepsiCo employs 198,000 people who are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose.

By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.