Preview: EA's Flips

The Flips range, announced last month, offers younger DS owners a selection of popular children’s tales on each card. Having signed up some of the most recognisable authors in young fiction, the publisher is confident a large target audience has already been established.

“We know there are a huge number of kids in the UK who already own a  DS and the Flips range is aimed at those who love playing with the console but might not necessarily pick up a book,” says product manager Alice Brandvik.

“The first titles in the range – Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree Stories, Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl and the Cathy Cassidy and Too Ghoul for School collections – bring the popular kids books to life in a truly unique and interactive way.

“Launching just before Christmas, we also think that the range provides a great present opportunity for parents and grandparents looking to pass on their love of reading to kids who are reluctant readers but keen DS users.”

While lobbyist groups will no doubt be unhappy that publishers are digitising the written word and drawing children away from the joys of genuine books, EA is keen to point out the benefits of its Flips range. Not only does it allows kids to take their favourite books with them in a single portable package, the software also serves as a learning aid.

“We’ve had really great feedback from people we’ve shown the product to,” says Brandvik. “Kids have been really engaged with it and parents like the educational angle. We’ve had some really great coverage from earlier announcements, not only in gaming press but also mainstream and book press so the appeal is already showing to be pretty far reaching.”

Of course, there’s more to Flips than just the stories. As users read through each book, they earn tokens hidden throughout the text that unlock interactive extras, such as links to character profiles, sound effects
and animations.

FLIPS SERVICE
Each title also features exclusive content tailored to suit the stores. For example, the Enid Blyton product has recipes and activities while the Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl title features extra stories.

Users can also share a chapter with friends via the DS’ wireless functionality – and are rewarded with more unlocks.

Given the target audience of young children, the affordable price, the value for money and the educational prospect, the range looks a perfect proposition for the festive season.

EA is working hard to raise awareness of the Flips range among parents as Christmas approaches.

“We’re looking to launch the products with a really strong PR programme to educate parents on the features of the titles,” says Brandvik. “We’re keen to make sure that these aren’t mistaken for games of the books – 80 to 90 per cent of what kids will be doing while using them is reading, but obviously the interactive elements are a real draw to keep them engaged and encourage them to keep reading.

“We’ll be targeting gifters through press and online, but we’re also looking to ensure we have a clear presence at retail with POS wherever possible to range the product and highlight the key features to parents looking for the perfect Christmas gift.”

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This piece originally appeared on our sister site MCV.