Ubisoft Helps Girls Picture the Future with College Cash

Video game maker Ubisoft is promoting the October launch of four new titles in its popular ‘Imagine” casual game series with a month-long “Imagine Your Future” scholarship sweepstakes that will offer each of four college-bound winners a $25,000 educational grant.

In fact, though, the contest is open to the parents or guardians of minors who are planning to continue their education after high school. The grand prizes, one for each of four drawing periods, will all be given in the form of a donation to a 529 education savings plan, which many states exempt from state income tax.

The contest Web site has been accepting online entry forms since Sept. 7 and will continue to do so through Oct. 25. The first drawing, covering entries received by Sept. 20, will take place on October 5 and will occur every week after that though Oct. 25. Non-winning entries will get rolled over into subsequent drawings.

In addition to the four grand-prize awards, the weekly “Imagine Your Future” sweepstakes will award five second place prizes: a Nintendo DSi handheld game system and a pack of the four new titles in the “Imagine” series. Contest organizers will also draw 50 winners each week for a third prize, a pink “Imagine” T-shirt.

Ubisoft’s “Imagine” series walks players—predominantly girls—through the interactive experience of holding certain jobs, including veterinarian, figure-skating athlete and wedding planner. New “Imagine” titles reaching retail shelves next month include games for future zookeepers, fashion designers (both adult and baby) and artists.

“Every kid has big dreams, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate ‘Imagine Month’ in October than with a sweepstakes for aspiring young student,” Ubisoft senior vice president of sales and marketing tony key said in a release.

Ubisoft launched the “Imagine’series—reportedly the first to target girls 6 to 14 years old—with four titles in October 2007 and added others in 2008 and earlier this year. The company says it has shipped more than 14 million units worldwide to date, making it the leading girl-targeted game brand on the Nintendo DS platform.