Video Game Hero Crash Bandicoot Urges Kids to Join the Fight Against Leukemia

08-08-2007

Crash is the New National Champion of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's School & Youth Programs

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Vivendi Games today announced that Crash Bandicoot, the valiant, action hero of the highly popular video game series, is the new national champion for the Society's School & Youth programs.

The partnership comes as Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games prepares for the launch of the latest incarnation of the top-selling Crash Bandicoot game franchise, "Crash of the Titans", available this October on the Xbox(TM) 360, PlayStation(R)2, Wii(TM), NintendoDS(TM), PSP(R), Game Boy(R) Advance and mobile phone platforms.

Throughout his video game adventures, Crash must battle the evil Dr. Neo Cortex and his no good ways. In joining forces with the Society, Crash now helps in the fight against leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Crash, the fun-loving, adventure seeking marsupial is always ready for a good fight and is a natural fit for the School & Youth programs, which are geared towards teaching kids about community service and helping kids with leukemia and other blood cancers. In the 2006-2007 school year, more than 21,000 schools participated in the program, raising more than $18 million for blood cancer research and patient services.

The Society and Vivendi Games anticipate that Crash's involvement will help attract more students to the Society's various youth programs due to his popularity with kids of all ages. More than 35 million Crash Bandicoot games have been sold worldwide since 1996, making Crash one of the most recognizable gaming and entertainment characters in the world.

"We are extremely honored to be partnering with the Society and in joining the battle against Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma," said Mark Halacy, executive vice president of Human Resources for Vivendi Games. "Crash is a bandicoot with a big heart; he's brave, he's loyal and he's always ready for a good fight and a great cause. We feel this is a winning combination for a tremendous cause."

Crash Bandicoot will appear on the School & Youth recruitment posters and other printed materials as well as on the School & Youth Web site, newsletters, apparel and other items. Free downloads of Crash wallpaper and icons are available at http://www.schoolandyouth.org/.

"The Society is extremely excited about introducing Crash Bandicoot as the new national champion of School & Youth programs," said Nancy Klein, the Society's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. "Crash is a fun, energetic character with tremendous appeal among kids and will help attract even wider interest in this life-saving campaign which has raised more than $100 million since its inception."

About School & Youth

School & Youth programs, which include "Pennies for Patients" and "HOP for Leukemia & Lymphoma," are value-building school-based programs in which students collect money, beginning with their own spare change to help the Society fund blood cancer research and patient services. These programs help students learn the value of achieving goals that benefit others and let them experience empathy and compassion.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society(R), headquartered in White Plains, NY, with 68 chapters in the United States and Canada, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The Society's mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, the Society has invested more than $550 million in research specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Last year alone, the Society made 4.2 million contacts with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals. For more information about blood cancer, visit http://www.lls.org/ or call the Society's Information Resource Center (IRC), a call center staffed by master's level social workers, nurses and health educators who provide information, support and resources to patients and their families and caregivers. IRC information specialists are available at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

About Vivendi Games

Vivendi Games (http://www.vivendigames.com/) is a global developer, publisher and distributor of multi-platform interactive entertainment with 16 offices around the world conducting business in 75 countries. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Vivendi Games and its four divisions - Blizzard Entertainment, Sierra Entertainment, Sierra Online and Vivendi Games Mobile - span the key areas of the industry. The company is the leader in the subscription-based massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPG) category with Blizzard Entertainment's blockbuster hit World of Warcraft(R) and has a significant presence in the console, handheld, PC, casual online and mobile gaming segments.

Contact: Andrea Greif
914.821.8958
andrea.greif@lls.org

Michele Guthrie
Vivendi Games
310.431.4560
Michele.guthrie@vgames.com

Website: http://www.schoolandyouth.org/
Website: http://www.lls.org/
Website: http://www.vivendigames.com/