Gamers have done some amazing things to raise money for charities and important causes. It’s not just limited to players, either: gaming celebrities, game composers, and even big companies like Sony have stepped in to raise money when fundraisers have gone wrong.
Considering this history, it should come as no surprise that the gaming community is coming together to help support survivors of the massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25th.
Bungie, developer of Destiny, and Ubisoft, developer of Far Cry 4, have both taken it upon themselves to help support Nepal and encourage gamers to do the same.
Bungie is offering in-game and real-life perks for donating money to the Nepal relief efforts. Gamers can pre-order a $24.99 t-shirt with a special Destiny Nepal Aid logo on it, which is set to ship in June. Buying the shirt also gives one access to a special in-game shader and emblem, which will be delivered to players’ accounts later this year.
Ubisoft, on the other hand, is planning to match players’ donations to the Canadian Red Cross for the Nepal Region Earthquake Fund, up to $100,000. At the time of this writing, over $35,000 has been raised. While there isn’t an in-game reward or special item to thank donators, being able to double a donation is a great way to make a single donation worth more. Ubisoft notes that they’re particularly eager to help the Nepal relief effort because Far Cry 4 was heavily based upon Nepal.
This isn’t the first time that gamers have come together to help a region struggling after a massive earthquake, either. Gamers supported survivors of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Japan back in 2011, too. Capcom donated all of its proceeds from the Street Fighter IV iPhone app, World of Warcraft offered $10 adoptable pets with all of the proceeds going to the relief effort, and Final Fantasy XI offered in-game Moogle Caps for a donation as small as a dollar. Even before then, Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios donated a portion of the proceeds of special Forza 3 content packs to Haiti's earthquake relief efforts.
It’s horrifying when a massive disaster like this happens, but it’s good to know that there are many ways we, as gamers, can help. Whether you donate a dollar, buy a product that donates the proceeds to the cause, raise money with a game speedrun, or simply spread the word, a little can do a lot to help people in need.