Xeko Debuts Its Fourth Earth-Saving Collectible Card Set, "Mission: China"

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) April 18, 2008 -- The beloved Giant Panda, critically-endangered Snow Leopard, and ferocious King Cobra are just a few of the stars featured in Xeko's newest eco-adventure game collection, Mission: China to debut in July. Already stirring up excitement in anticipation of the Summer '08 Olympics in Beijing, Mission: China is the fourth Xeko card collection to be introduced in just over two years.

The Xeko Mission: China starter set will come packaged in a stunning box decorated with animals from China's habitats and dragon illustrations that capture the mysteries of ancient Chinese culture.

The launch of Mission: China comes on the heels of the company's expansion into the national retail market: distribution will increase by over 500% as both Borders and Barnes & Noble stores begin carrying Xeko games in May and June respectively.

As with their previous three award-winning sets, Xeko Mission: China will stimulate kids' interest in math, science, and nature by combining two things they love: trading card games and animals.

Instead of monsters and fantasy, Xeko takes its cues from nature and science, casting actual animal species as the heroes and basing game play on fragile ecosystem relationships.

Designed for fun and realism, the number and types of cards in each set match real-world species' populations and bioregion attributes. Eye-popping artwork makes the cards especially fun to play with and collect. Dedicated to "a bright green future," Xeko stays true to its goal of having an environmentally stable world by making the games in an Earth-friendly way. Not only are the cards and packaging made of 100% recycled stock, but all of the printing is done with eco-friendly inks.

Every Xeko game features remarkable plant and animal species from one of Earth's 34 biodiversity hotspots, first identified by Dr. Norman Myers and recognized by Conservation International, Xeko's non-profit partner and recipient of 4% of net game sales. These hotspots contain 75 percent of the planet's most threatened mammals, birds and amphibians while covering just 2.3 percent of the Earth's surface. An estimated 50 percent of all vascular plants and 42 percent of land vertebrates exist only in these hotspots.

The starter set game, which includes 40 cards (enough for two players), an oversized playmat, rulebook, and giant learn-to-play cards, retails for $19.99. Booster packs are available for $3.99. While both younger kids and adults can enjoy the game, Xeko is targeted at ages 8-12 years. For more information on how to play or where to buy Xeko, visit www.xeko.com.

About Matter Group, LLC - Matter Group's mission is to foster sustainability by creating and marketing world-class products and media that entertain and inspire people to make a difference. The company's success is measured by their triple-bottom line: profitability, environmental impact, and social contribution. The Seattle-based company launched the Xeko game on Earth Day in 2006 and is currently working on projects to extend the Xeko entertainment property into television, film, and merchandise.

Media Contact: Sarah Blanchard, Parsons Public Relations, 206-789-5668 or (sarah @ parsonspr.com)

NOTE: Photos from the Mission: China collection available upon request

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