Thursday January 29, 2009
The Upper Deck Company has announced the debut of a new, sports-themed virtual world for kids that marries physical trading cards to a massive, multiplayer online gaming experience (MMOG). The new site - www.UpperDeckU.com - will offer boys and girls a place to share their passion for sports, competing, socializing and online game play in a safe, fun-filled virtual world environment. The key to unlock the expansive features of UpperDeckU is to enter special codes printed on the inside of foil wrappers of select Upper Deck sports card releases debuting with 2009 Upper Deck Series One Baseball. UpperDeckU will officially launch on Feb. 3, 2009, to coincide with the in-store arrival date of the aforementioned baseball release.

What makes Upper Deck’s new online gaming experience revolutionary is that it marks the first time a true virtual world and MMOG will feature officially licensed team gear and player assets combined with the support of an existing offline product. And although the special wrapper codes debut in 2009 UD1 Baseball, additional wrapper codes will follow just one week later inside Upper Deck’s 2008-09 Series Two Hockey release. Only select 2009 “kid-friendly” brands - such as Upper Deck, First Edition and Collector’s Choice - will feature the special game-play codes printed inside the wrappers.

Upper Deck will support its latest online initiative with significant TV, print and online advertising in both the U.S. and Canada beginning in early March. The ads will prominently feature Upper Deck sports card packs as the keys to accessing the new virtual world.

Hobby shop owners interested in obtaining free UpperDeckU promotional kits, which include posters, point-of-purchase displays and sample packs, can either email dealer_support@upperdecknvcom, or call 1-888-752-9832.