Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), in collaboration with GlassLab, today announced SimCityEDU is in development, an online educational community based on the award-winning SimCity^TM videogame. SimCityEDU will serve as a resource for classroom teachers who have a strong interest in utilizing digital platforms as a learning tool to drive student interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects*.

SimCity - inspiring the next generation through play. (Photo: Business Wire)

Educators will be able to create and share digital SimCity-based lesson plans that will encourage students to think critically about the challenges facing modern cities. In the classroom, SimCity will be more than a game – it will be a way for the next generation of leaders to hone their skills through urban planning, environmental management and socio-economic development.

“For decades, SimCity has been embraced by the educational community as an engaging videogame that also provides a powerful learning experience, teaching problem solving skills through imaginative civic gameplay,” said Lucy Bradshaw, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA’s Maxis Label. “We want to up the ante of SimCity’s educational influence. Through our partnership with GlassLab, SimCity will become the foundation of a program to re-imagine learning in a way that will inspire today’s youth to get excited about STEM education and become the problem solvers of tomorrow.”

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter hosted a panel today, titled “Learn. Build. Create.: Connected Learning Over the Next Four Years” at the United States Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C. Featuring a diverse group of panelists including Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy Roberto Rodriguez, MacArthur Foundation Director of Education for U.S. Programs Constance Yowell, and musician and philanthropist John Legend, the group engaged in a discussion on the importance of community-centered, connected learning. The discussion focused on public-private partnerships with a goal to advance STEM education, including EA and GlassLab’s collaborative effort on SimCityEDU.

To learn more about forthcoming SimCityEDU project and about the SimCity videogame, which will be released worldwide from March 5, please visit www.SimCity.com.

* SimCityEDU’s curriculum and tools will be correlated to U.S. Common Core standards.

About SimCity

Throughout its history, SimCity has engaged actively with teachers, students and education organizations to inspire new ways of learning and change the way students see the world around them. These programs have inspired a generation of city planners, architects and mayors. With its return, SimCity will engage an entirely new generation of PC and Mac gamers as they take charge of their own customized cities and build a world that co-exists alongside friends. For the first time in SimCity franchise history, players’ decisions will have long-lasting repercussions that will extend beyond their city limits. Together, players will address real global challenges such as climate change, the search for renewable resources and natural disasters. It’s up to the players to decide whether to compete or collaborate to shape the world of tomorrow – for better or for worse.

SimCity is scheduled to release on March 5, 2013. To stay up-to-date on the latest regarding SimCity please visit http://www.SimCity.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones, tablets and social networks. EA has more than 250 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2012, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.1 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield™ and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.

SimCity, Maxis, The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. Battlefield is a trademark of EA Digital Illusions CE AB. John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About GlassLab

GlassLab is a non-profit bringing together leaders in the commercial games industry and experts in learning and assessment to leverage digital games as powerful, data-rich learning and assessment environments. By integrating learning and formative assessment in a single engaging experience, the Lab aims to deliver students and teachers pioneering tools that improve the process of learning and accelerate progress on the path toward college and career.

GlassLab represents a groundbreaking collaboration between Institute of Play, Electronic Arts, Entertainment Software Association, Educational Testing Service, Pearson’s Center for Digital Data, Analytics & Adaptive Learning, and others. GlassLab is supported by grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

For more information about GlassLab, please visit http://www.instituteofplay.org/work/projects/glasslab/

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130118006002/en/