Best Buy and Electronic Arts Inc. in association with The United Inventors Association (UIA) and By Kids For Kids (BKFK) announce the “Invent-A-Game Challenge,” a national competition offering America’s young people a unique chance to  design an online game that Electronic Arts (“EA”) will produce. The Grand Prize winner will also receive a $10,000 (face value) U.S. Savings Bond. Complete contest rules can be found at www.bkfk.com.

The Invent-A-Game challenge is open to all American youth between the ages of 5 and 19.  The contest period runs from December 3, 2008 until March 31, 2009. All entries must be received online at www.bkfk.com

“Best Buy is excited about the opportunity to tap into the knowledge, innovation and talent of our youth to develop an online game,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of gaming for Best Buy. “We’re especially interested in how kids tell us they use gaming in new and innovative ways to improve and enrich their lives.”

Game Active, an ancillary call for content, asks youth to consider how active gaming could improve ones’ life. For example, could a video game be used in an active way to promote a healthier lifestyle, or stimulate interest in and help track an exercise regime? Ideas submitted might even be celebrated on BestBuy.com and BKFK.com.

Innovative Game Active submissions may be shared with the public through www.bestbuy.com/familygaming or www.bkfk.com.

“EA is thrilled to give today’s youth the opportunity to see their idea made into a video game that people all around the world can enjoy,”  said Daniel Hagerty, Producer, Electronic Arts. “We are eager to see the thought and creativity that kids put into this challenge and the ideas that are brought to the table.”

“BKFK appreciates the opportunity to partner with Best Buy, EA and the UIA to empower enterprising youth to create their very own video games, and to seeing the grand prize winner having their idea produced and distributed freely for the world to play!” added Norman Goldstein, the founder and CEO of BKFK.

“The United Inventors Association is very pleased to support the ‘Invent-A-Game Challenge,’ said Patrick Raymond, Executive Director of the UIA “Considering how much time youth spend playing video games, this contest is an opportunity to channel some of that toward an inventive challenge, especially for a game with a higher social purpose.”