Fidelity Investments is launching an interactive investment game designed to challenge consumers' knowledge of investing principles. The US brokerage is to distribute the Chart Climber software through an alliance with Gateway stores and via Palm operating system handhelds later this month.
Through the promotion with Gateway, consumers who visit participating stores to test-drive computers can also play the Chart Climber game for that particular store. Consumers will also be invited to download a version of the game from the Fidelity Web site and play on any Palm handhelds. Palm VII owners can also download the latest version of Fidelity's InstantBroker wireless trading application, which now includes news, charts, an intraday stock screener and account information.
In Chart Climber, two animated characters, a Bull and a Bear, compete on a game board comprised of spaces that form a stock chart. The object of the game is for the Bull (the player), to reach the top of the chart before the Bear reaches the bottom by answering a series of multiple choice and true/false questions on retirement, college savings, stocks, bonds, annuities and mutual funds.
Players may also land on "Market Blips" - positive or negative market circumstances that send players up or down the game board - or on "Peter Lynch Principles" - excerpts from Peter Lynch investment books that earn players a free space.
"Chart Climber provides a fun, interactive way for investors to learn more about their personal finances," says Tracey Esherick, executive vice president, Fidelity Online Brokerage.