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LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- But dear, Turok is such a nice name for the baby!
Video game publisher Acclaim Entertainment Inc. said on Tuesday it will give $10,000 in savings bonds to the first family to have a child on September 1 and name it "Turok," after Acclaim's new game of the same name to be released on that day.
The game, "Turok: Evolution," is Acclaim's biggest title of the year; it will be released simultaneously on all major game platforms September 1, which the company has taken to calling "Turok Bloody Sunday."
In the straight-forward shooter game, Turok must battle his way through "reptilian hordes" in a place called the Lost Land, according to the game's Web site.
"People for generations have been naming their children for sports celebrities, movie star, musicians," said Acclaim spokesman Allan Lewis. "It's a natural evolution ... people are going to start naming their children for video games."
What's in a name?
To participate, expecting parents will have to preregister on the game's Web site, and once the baby is born, they will have to provide proof of birth from a U.S. hospital, including the exact time and date.
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However, Lewis cautioned that parents should not immediately name their new children Turok -- unless they are so inclined anyway -- as the company will first have to certify exactly which contestant was born first.
The winning parents will have to sign a letter of intent promising to name their child Turok for a period of one year and then prove that they have done so in order to collect.
Acclaim's British operation is also running a similar stunt; Lewis said the company will pay up to five British adults the equivalent of about $800 to change their given names to Turok for one year.
"Turok: Evolution," which carries a "Mature" rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, is the latest game in a franchise that Acclaim said has generated more than $250 million in sales, with 6 million copies of the games sold.
The promotion, while unique, is not a first, as companies have in the past tried to buy naming rights to children as a promotion for their brand.
The Internet Underground Music Archive, or IUMA, ran a contest in 2000 urging parents to name their children "Iuma" in exchange for $5,000. A total of 10 babies ended up getting the name as part of the program.
Video game publisher Acclaim Entertainment Inc. said on Tuesday it will give $10,000 in savings bonds to the first family to have a child on September 1 and name it "Turok," after Acclaim's new game of the same name to be released on that day.
The game, "Turok: Evolution," is Acclaim's biggest title of the year; it will be released simultaneously on all major game platforms September 1, which the company has taken to calling "Turok Bloody Sunday."
In the straight-forward shooter game, Turok must battle his way through "reptilian hordes" in a place called the Lost Land, according to the game's Web site.
"People for generations have been naming their children for sports celebrities, movie star, musicians," said Acclaim spokesman Allan Lewis. "It's a natural evolution ... people are going to start naming their children for video games."
What's in a name?
To participate, expecting parents will have to preregister on the game's Web site, and once the baby is born, they will have to provide proof of birth from a U.S. hospital, including the exact time and date.
MORE STORIES
Forfeit your identity, sell a video game
However, Lewis cautioned that parents should not immediately name their new children Turok -- unless they are so inclined anyway -- as the company will first have to certify exactly which contestant was born first.
The winning parents will have to sign a letter of intent promising to name their child Turok for a period of one year and then prove that they have done so in order to collect.
Acclaim's British operation is also running a similar stunt; Lewis said the company will pay up to five British adults the equivalent of about $800 to change their given names to Turok for one year.
"Turok: Evolution," which carries a "Mature" rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, is the latest game in a franchise that Acclaim said has generated more than $250 million in sales, with 6 million copies of the games sold.
The promotion, while unique, is not a first, as companies have in the past tried to buy naming rights to children as a promotion for their brand.
The Internet Underground Music Archive, or IUMA, ran a contest in 2000 urging parents to name their children "Iuma" in exchange for $5,000. A total of 10 babies ended up getting the name as part of the program.
