NEW YORK, April 25 -- New York based Templar Studios, LLC has received a Silver Award in the Consumer Informational category of the 2002 Summit Creative Awards for the BIONICLE(TM) storysite, www.BIONICLE.com/matanui. The Flash site features an extensive storyline with mysteries to unravel, enticing animation and game-play, and an original score. Peter Mack, Templar's President and General Manager, made the announcement.
The Mata Nui site is an online adventure game and was released in nine chapters throughout 2001. The innovative site was designed to introduce visitors to the exciting new product line from the LEGO Company. After its release in the summer of 2001, BIONICLE quickly became one of the top-selling toys of the year and received two "Toy of the Year" awards by the American Toy Industry Association. Templar provided concept design, animation, and technical production for the LEGO-produced series.
According to Mack, "The Site has created an extensive following; many fans have posted their own BIONICLE sites, sharing stories and offering hints to puzzles. Mata Nui has received an average of more than 500,000 visitors each month. Templar is very pleased to be continuing the series for LEGO throughout 2002."
"The challenge was to use the web as the focal point in communicating the complex Bionicle story line," says Leah Weston, Senior Producer of BIONICLE.com at LEGO Direct. "The Mata Nui site accomplished that beautifully and really brought the story and the characters to life."
This marks the third award Templar has taken home for their work on the BIONICLE Mata Nui Site, having previously received a Gold Award (Product Site) in the 2001 OMNI Intermedia Awards and the Best of Industry Award (Toy/Hobby) at the 2001 Web Awards.
LEGO Company, a privately held firm based in Billund, Denmark, is committed to the development of children's creative and imaginative abilities, and its employees are guided by the motto adopted in the 1930s by founder Ole Kirk Christiansen: "Only the best is good enough." For more information, visit http://www.LEGO.com.
Based in New York's historic Lower East Side, Templar is a collective of artists, animators, writers, composers and technology specialists. Templar develops the highest quality video games and other interactive entertainment and has worked with clients such as LEGO, National Geographic, BMG/RCA, Noggin, and Comic Relief (UK). Formed in 1998, Templar is currently producing its own video games and on-line properties. In the past two years, Templar has taken home eleven industry awards for design, gaming, arts and product promotion and is part of the Intel® Developer Alliance. Templar's own website, http://www.templar.com, was recently named "Cool Site of the Day" by coolsiteoftheday.com.
Note: LEGO and BIONICLE are trademarks of the LEGO Group 2002. Templar is a registered trademark of Templar Studios. Other product and company names herein are trademarks of their respective owners.
