A promotion on the Bungie store benefiting wildfire relief efforts has been extended until October 18th, 2020. The heart-shaped official Destiny 2 collectible pin comes with an in-game code for the exclusive Destiny emblem, "Benevolent Hue," to be delivered via email. The listing also indicates another emblem, "Planet of Peace," may be included.
The limited-edition Empathetic Ghost Shell Pin went on sale on the Bungie store this past September 16th, with all profits from October 1st onward going to fund wildfire relief via Direct Relief, which is the 7th largest U.S. charity. Today the Bungie Store announced it is extending the window of availability for this pin so that more people have a chance to contribute to the campaign and get a nifty collectible as well. The campaign was originally only going to run until October 15th.
Sales of this pin from October 1st to October 18th will go to fund Direct Relief's wildfire efforts in the West Coast of the United States. Direct Relief has been making great strides to prepare areas at risk for wildfire damage by providing essential equipment to hospitals and first-responders, including emergency medical backpacks and N95 masks, which are in especially high demand right now due to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is not the first time Bungie has raised money for Direct Relief, or even its first time raising money to combat the negative impact of wildfires. Just last May, Bungie raised over $780K for Direct Relief to support front line healthcare workers battling the Coronavirus. Back in January, a similar campaign directed profits from Destiny 2 merchandise to wildfire relief in Australia.
Many video game brands have been making 2020 the year of charitable donations and campaigns, from Itch.io's Black Lives Matter bundle to Fall Guys' "Battle of the Brands," which incidentally received a winning donation of $1 million USD at the last minute. For a lot of people around the world, video games are an increasingly essential key to staying sane when things are going off the rails. Gamers today recognize that many people around the world are handling multiple disasters at once, and many are jumping at the chance to feel like they are contributing, especially if there's a nice bit of loot involved.
Previously, the beneficiary for the pin's profits was listed as The Bungie Foundation, which aims to help children cope with traumatic situations by providing entertainment, since relaxation is essential for recovery from trauma. Bungie did not elaborate on what the status is of profits from the pin made between September 16th and September 30th. Either the profits made in September are being sent to The Bungie Foundation as originally intended, or are being lumped in with the sum being raised for Direct Relief. Both scenarios are equally likely.
Other campaigns aimed at wildfire relief include PUBG's frying pan skin, which was aimed more specifically at wildfire relief in Australia.
Source: Direct Relief, Bungie Foundation