Hello Dancers!

We've got an exciting new contest for you.

We want you to show us your inner DDR, design your own character for the new mobile DDR game! Have fun, be creative, and make a character for everyone to see and dance along with!

You can make a character in your likeness, a background, or go nuts and make an out-of-this-world dancer!

It’s your choice and the sky’s the limit. It's simple and free to enter, plus there are great prizes.

First Grand Prize (1): Your character featured in a future DanceDanceRevolution Mobile Video Game set to release this fall, plus you will receive a design trophy!

Second Grand Prizes (top 20 finalists): Your submission included in a special Winners Gallery, plus you will receive a limited edition DDR T-shirt!

Check out these Character Samples:

BassHead

BassHead is one of the oldest players in the game. He has been dancing since all the arrows were the same colors. BassHead always had an interest in dancing, but never really showcased his talent, due to the fact that he was shy. When DDR took off and talent from all over started competing, he could not resist the competition. He decided to put a boom box on his head and go by the alias BassHead to conceal his identity. BassHead instantly became a fan favorite, as he breezed through the competition. To this day, BassHead continues to dance and teach all of the rookies a thing or two about DDR. He may be old school, but watch out because he can still dance with the best.

Spike 

Spike comes from a long time lineage of heroic fire dogs, but he has other dreams in mind. Spike felt that being a fire dog was boring and wanted to do something more interesting and exciting. Spike always loved to dance and had been watching DDR competitors ever since he was born. On his off time from fire dog training, he studies the current DDR greats and practices as much as possible. He wishes to become one of the greatest DDR dancers in the world. Even though his family has strong objections to his decision, he is willing to put it all on the line to have his name next to the greatest DDR competitors ever.

Flars Vultum

Flars Vultum, an alien being from the planet Funkton. Flars is a high school student that loves competition. Flars was an all-star at anything he tried. He grew tired of the fact that no one could challenge in anything he did, so he decided to find other avenues of competition. Once he learned of DDR and the many competitors, his interest was automatically sparked. Flars trained and practiced to become the best in the universe. On his home planet, Flars owned anyone who challenged him to a DDR competition. Now he travels the universe searching for someone that can give him a good challenge.

DanceDanceRevolution® Design A Character Contest
OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN, A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE ONE'S CHANCES OF WINNING.

1. SPONSOR:  Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., 2381 Rosecrans Ave, Suite 200, El Segundo, CA 90245 ("Sponsor").

2. ADMINISTRATOR: Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., 2381 Rosecrans Ave, Suite 200, El Segundo, CA 90245, Mobile Department ("Administrator").

3. OVERVIEW OF CONTEST:  The DanceDanceRevolution Design A Character Contest ("Contest") is being conducted on www.ddronlinecommunity.com ("Website") in accordance with these Official Rules ("Official Rules").  In order to enter, each contestant (each, a "Contestant") must register on www.ddronlinecommunity.com and submit an original character design for the DanceDanceRevolution Mobile Video Game to be published by Sponsor (the "Game").  Contestants must create a character of their own original design and submit it through the Website in either a GIF, TIFF or JPEG format ("Character").  A completed registration and submitted Character is hereinafter referred to as an "Entry."  Contestants may enter as many Characters as they want.  

The winning Entry ("First Grand Prize Winner") and next top twenty (20) Entries (each, a "Second Grand Prize Winner") will be chosen by a panel of qualified judges on or around May 1, 2008 based equally on the following criteria:  artistic skills and best fit for the Game. The First Grand Prize Winner's Entry will be used in the Game as an unlock-able character.   The Second Grand Prize Winners will be included on the "Website" as part of a gallery of fan created art.  The First Grand Prize Winner and Second Grand Prize Winners will be notified via phone or email.  The awarding of each Grand Prize (collectively, the "Grand Prizes") is subject to the eligibility and forfeiture provisions, as well as all other terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules.  The judges' decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to the Contest.

4. ELIGIBILITY:  To be eligible to participate in the Contest, each Contestant must at the time of entering be: (1) a natural person legally residing in, and physically located within, the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia ("Territory"); (2) thirteen (13) years of age or older; (3) willing to have his/her name, likeness and biographical information published on the Website, or otherwise distributed, in connection with, or to promote, the Contest, the Website; and (4) not an employee, consultant, independent contractor or intern who has, within the past six (6) months, performed services for, Sponsor, Administrator or any organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the Contest or supplying the Prizes, or their respective parent, subsidiary, affiliated or successor companies (collectively, "Entities"), nor a member of their household or immediate family.  "Household members" shall mean people who share the same residence at least three months a year and "immediate family members" shall mean parents, step-parents, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, or spouses.

5. HOW TO ENTER:  Contestants may Enter the Contest during the period commencing at 12:01 A.M. on April 8, 2008 and ending at 11:59 P.M. on April 22, 2008.  For purposes of these Official Rules, all times and days are Eastern Standard Time.  To Enter the Contest, Contestants will need to submit their name, age and email at www.ddronlinecommunity.com.  Contestants under the age of 13 will not be allowed to enter the Contest.  Once all required information has been entered on the registration pages and submitted to Sponsor, Contestants will be able to submit as many Characters as they want.

        In order to Enter, each Contestant represents and warrants that (i) Character is the original work of the Contestant and is exclusively owned by the Contestant, (ii) the Character will not be a parody or derivative of other copyrighted characters and (iii) Contestant agrees to defend, hold harmless and indemnify Sponsor against any and all claims of alleged or actual infringement of any intellectual property rights, proprietary rights, rights of privacy and publicity, moral rights and rights of attribution raised by third parties against Sponsor in connection with the Character.  Character must not have been submitted in any other competition or previously published.  Character must be in keeping with Sponsor's image and may not be offensive, as determined by judges in their sole discretion, nor can it defame or invade publicity rights or privacy rights of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person's personal or proprietary rights.  Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any Entry at any time in the event it is determined that the entrant has not complied with these Official Rules.

6. LIMITATIONS:  Review these Official Rules carefully as all Entries and Grand Prizes are subject to these Official Rules, including without limitation, the Selection Procedures set forth below in Section 8.  Once submitted, the Character becomes the sole property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.  Contestants can only enter and participate in the Contest under one (1) email address.  Once an email address has been submitted by a Contestant, that email address cannot be used by any other person for Contest participation.  Only the Contestant who entered under a particular email address may participate in the Contest.  All information must be completed in full.  Entry information will be retained until the end of the Contest, until winners have been determined and prizes have been awarded.  Entries by any method other than set forth above in Section 5 are void.  Any use of automated or programmed methods of effecting participation is prohibited.  Neither the Entities, nor any of their officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents or representatives (individually and collectively, "Releasees") are responsible for: (1) Entries from persons residing, or physically located, outside the Territory; (2) Entries that are altered, delayed, deleted, destroyed, fraudulent, improperly accessed, inaccurate, incomplete, interrupted, late, lost, misrouted, multiple, mutilated, non-delivered, postage-due, stolen, tampered with, unauthorized or unintelligible; or (3) any printing, production, technical, electronic or other errors; or (4) for telephone, telecommunications, hardware or third party software malfunctions; (5) failures, or difficulties of any kind; (6) any failed, partial or garbled computer transmissions; (7) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to electronic malfunction or damage of any network, hardware or software; (8) any condition caused by events outside of Sponsor's control; (9) any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission; (10) communications line failure; (11) any problems or technical malfunctions of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment or software; (12) failure, misdirection or delay of any e-mail or electronic Entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or on the Website, or any combination thereof, or other errors of any kind, whether due to electronic, mechanical or human error or other causes, even if caused by the negligence of any of the Releasees.  Each of such potential Entries will be disqualified.  Void where prohibited or restricted by law and subject to all applicable federal, state, local and municipal laws and regulations.

7. PRIZES:

7.1 Grand Prizes.  One First Grand Prizes will be awarded.  The First Grand Prize will consist of (1) the inclusion of the First Grand Prize Winner's Character as an unlock-able character in the Game, (2) a character design credit (in the name designated by the Winner) in the Game and (3) a Game design trophy  (ARV$ 200).  Up to twenty (20) Second Grand Prizes will be awarded.  Each Second Grand Prize will consist of  (1) inclusion of the Second Grand Prize Winner's Character in the art gallery on  the Website, (2) a special thank you (in the name designated by the Winner) on the Website and (3) Konami T-Shirt (ARV $40).  The judges' decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to the Contest.

Potential Grand Prize Winners (or his/her Parent if the potential Grand Prize Winner is under the age of 18 at the time of entry) will be required to sign, execute, have notarized, and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release, (where legal) a Publicity Release, a Copyright Assignment and any other documentation that Sponsor requires (collectively "Affidavit/Release Documents") within five (5) days after receipt by the potential Grand Prize Winner or such potential Grand Prize Winner may be disqualified and an alternate potential Grand Prize Winner may be determined by Sponsor in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.  If a potential Grand Prize Winner is a resident of a state that deems him/her to be a minor, all legal responsibilities of the minor under the Official Rules will be assumed by the Parent.

7.2 Other Prize Information.  The total ARV of all prizes is $1,000.  Limit one (1) Prize per person/family/household.  Prizes are not redeemable for cash or transferable and no substitution allowed except, at Sponsor's sole discretion, a prize of equal or greater value may be substituted.  Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen tickets, travel vouchers, certificates or Prize items.  All taxes are solely the responsibility of each Winner, who will each receive an IRS Form 1099 reflecting the final actual value of his/her prize(s).  Disqualification and the selection of alternate Prize winners may result from any of the following: (1) potential Winner's failure to accept a prize within the Sponsor-selected time period after notification; (2) the return of any e-mail notification as undeliverable after three (3) attempts; (3) the return of any other notice as undeliverable; (4) potential Winner's failure to provide Sponsor with satisfactory proof of age, identity and residency; (5) potential Winner's failure to execute and return any Affidavit/Release Document within five (5) days of receiving it; (6) potential Winner's failure to deliver any such other documentation as Sponsor may require in its sole discretion; and (8) any other non-compliance with Official Rules.  Upon receipt of all required documentation and verification that the potential Prize Winners have met the Contest eligibility requirements, Sponsor will announce the Prize Winners on the Website.

8. SELECTION OF WINNERS:  Subject to the other provisions of these Official Rules, the Grand Prize Winners will be chosen by a panel of qualified judges on or around May 1, 2008 based equally on the following criteria:  artistic skills and best fit for the Game.  Contestants that are selected by the panel of judges for the First Grand Prize and Second Grand Prize Winners will be notified via email or phone on or before 11:59 P.M. on May 5, 2008.  

9. WINNERS LIST:  For list of Winners (after May 5, 2008) and/or copy of the Official Rules, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., 2381 Rosecrans Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245, Attention: Mobile Department or visit www.ddronlinecommunity.com and click on the "Winners" link on the home page or in the Quick Links section after May 5, 2008.

10. PRIVACY: During the registration process, you will be asked to provide the Sponsor with your first name, last name, e-mail address, date of birth and country, and you will be able to opt-in or opt-out from usage of your personal information in receiving communications that are not in the administration of this Contest.  Your e-mail address may be used to contact you if you are a potential Prize Winner or for Contest Updates and/or administrative purposes.  All personal information collected will be used by Sponsor only for the purposes of administering this Contest and as described herein. (To obtain information regarding Sponsor's and Administrator's Privacy Policy and your California Privacy Rights please go to http://www.ddronlinecommunity.com)

11. GENERAL CONDITIONS: Each Contestant by entering the Contest agrees that: (1) he/she will abide by and be bound by the Official Rules and the Sponsor's and Administrator's decisions, which are final as to all Contest matters; (2) all Entries or other materials submitted by Contestant become solely the Sponsor's property and will not be acknowledged or returned; (3) the Releasees do not make any representation, warranty or guarantee, express or implied, relating to the Contest; (4) Sponsor may use Contestant's name, voice, likeness, image or biographical data otherwise obtained and any other materials submitted by Contestant in any media or format now known or hereafter devised, including the Internet, for any purpose related to the Contest, including, without limitation, in and in connection with the Contest and/or Website; (5) by submitting an Entry, each Contestant (or their parent/legal guardian should they be a minor in their state of residence) agrees Sponsor shall own the Character submitted (including all rights embodied therein) and that it and its designees may exploit all elements of such entry in any and all media now known or not currently known (including the right to post Character on Sponsor's websites and to use such Character in a future product/service ), without compensation to Contestant or any third party and without limitation to time or territory; (6) the Sponsor reserves all rights, including the right to edit, publish, use, adapt, exploit, modify, copy, disseminate, post or dispose of any Character, online, in print, film, television, or in any other media for advertising and promotional or other purposes without compensation or notification to the entrant of any kind, except as prohibited by law; (7) Contestant hereby releases, discharges and agrees to hold harmless Sponsor and affiliates, their agents, licensees, successors and assigns, from any liability from any claims regarding or related to the use of the Character or any ideas contained therein, including any claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, or infringement of moral rights, rights of publicity or copyright. (8) in the event unauthorized human intervention, Acts of God, acts or regulations of any governmental or supra-national authority, war, national emergency, accident, fire, riot, strikes, lock-outs, industrial disputes, acts of terrorism or other matters beyond the Sponsor's reasonable control, corrupt, prevent or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play of the Contest, so that it cannot be conducted as originally planned, except where prohibited by law, the Sponsor has the right to cancel, modify, terminate or suspend the Contest; (9) the Releasees are not responsible for typographical or other errors in the offer or administration of this Contest, including but not limited to: errors in the advertising, Official Rules, selection and announcement of the winners and distribution of the prizes; (10) any portion of any prize not accepted or used by any winner will be forfeited; (11) the Releasees are not responsible for any inability of any winner to accept or use any prize (or any portion thereof) for any reason; (12) Sponsor has the right to disqualify, in its sole discretion, any person tampering with the entry process, the operation of the systems required to conduct the Contest or operate the Website, or who is otherwise in violation of these Official Rules; (13) all issues concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, and the rights and obligations of the Contestants, shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion and governed by California law without regard to any conflict of laws principles; (14) Sponsor may assign all or any rights granted by Contestant hereunder to any party at Sponsor's sole discretion. (15) Sponsor has the right to amend the Official Rules, from time to time, at its sole discretion, and to cancel or postpone the Contest; (16) the Releasees shall not be responsible or liable for, and are hereby released from, any and all claims, injuries, costs, losses or damages of any kind, including without limitation, death and bodily injury, resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from participation in the Contest or any Contest-related activity, or from the award, delivery, acceptance, use, misuse, possession, loss or misdirection of any prize or from any interaction with, or downloading of, computer Contest information ("Claims"); (17) if a Claim arises that cannot be waived or barred, Contestant's sole remedy is at law; and (18) Contestant expressly waives and relinquishes all rights and benefits afforded by Section 1542 of the Civil Code of the State of California with respect to any Claim, and does so understanding and acknowledging the significance of such specific waiver of section 1542, which states as follows:

"A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him or her must have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor."

Thus, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1542, and for the purpose of implementing a full and complete release and discharge by the Contestant of the Releasees, Contestant expressly acknowledges that this document is intended to include in its effect, without limitation, all claims and causes of action relating to any Claim which Contestant does not know or suspect to exist in his/her favor at the time of execution hereof, and that this document contemplates the extinguishment thereof.

12.  The Contest and the Official Rules shall be exclusively governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of California, without regard to conflicts of law provisions. Contestants (or their parent/legal guardian should they be a minor in their state of residence) submit to exclusive personal jurisdiction in California and agree that any dispute shall be brought in the state and federal courts in Los Angeles, California.

© Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.