View source for Press release: 1996-01-12: 12-year-old gamer wins $25,000 cash grand prize in Sega's videogame contest

{{PressRelease|source=[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ The Free Library]|language=English}}


<pre>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 12, 1996--What more could a 12-year-old boy want on Christmas Day other than to play his new Sega videogame.

How about $25,000?

Keolamanaokalahuinui "Keola" Kaula of Albuquerque captured the $25,000 grand prize as part of Sega's "Play To Win" promotion in the hit Genesis game "VectorMan." In addition to the cash, Kaula and his family will be flown to Sega headquarters near San Francisco for a gamer's dream day, including VIP tours of Sega, a special "Vectory" award ceremony, a starring role in a Sega TV commercial and a chance to create his own page on Sega Online.

Kaula is the first winner in Sega's series of "Play To Win" contests. Additional prizes have yet to be awarded, including ten $10,000 first prizes and 90 free Sega Saturn videogame systems.

Randomly selected "VectorMan" game cartridges contain the chance to win the unclaimed cash and prizes. In this national contest, gamers must play through to the end of the game (without cheat codes) and see a special screen message to know if they have a winning cartridge.

"Keola must feel like the luckiest kid in the world today," said Mike Ribero, executive vice president, Sega of America. "He made it through `VectorMan' in three hours -- that's better than anyone in our test department."

Kaula received "VectorMan" on Christmas Eve. This three-year Sega Genesis fan discovered he had a winning cartridge when "You Win!" flashed on his television screen at the end of the game. A special hot-line phone number instructed him to call in and register as a winner.

"I was so excited I could not believe I was the winner," said Kaula, the eldest of three brothers who all take classes at home rather than attending school. His name, pronounced Kay-o-la, means "the living branch of many nations" in Hawaiian.

"I want to use the prize to help my family," he continued.

There is no purchase required to play the contest and winners can also participate by handwriting their name, address, age and phone number on a postcard and sending it to "Sega Play To Win Contest"/note a, P.O. Box 7531, Melville, N.Y. 11775-7531. All entries must be received by July 31, 1996. Rated KA, "VectorMan" is available nationwide at a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Sega of America is the arm of Tokyo-based Sega Enterprises Ltd. responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega videogame systems and videogames in the Americas. Sega Enterprises is a nearly $4 billion company known as the industry leader in interactive digital entertainment media, and is the only company that offers entertainment experiences both inside and outside the home.

Sega of America's World Wide Web site is located at (http://www.segaoa.com). The VectorMan World Wide Web site is located at (http://www.vectorman.com).

Note a: Contest void where prohibited. No purchase necessary.

CONTACT: Manning, Selvage & Lee

Christopher Kingry, 213/782-6600, ext. 229

or

Sega of America

Angela Edwards, 415/802-3908
COPYRIGHT 1996 Business Wire
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Copyright 1996, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.</pre>