The Australian bush fires have destroyed an unprecedented amount of the country over the last few months and although the fire is now contained, the rain that helped stop the spread of the flames has led to major flooding. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has now released a limited edition frying-pan to raise money for those responding to the situation. This move by one of the most popular games in the world is intended to draw attention and funding for those who need it.
PUBG founded the Battle Royale genre in video games, with a surprising amount of realism in its mechanics it quickly drew a lot of attention. Following the release of PUBG, there was plenty of competition, with the likes of Fortnite and Apex Legends taking a share of the market. Yet PUBG still has a huge amount of players, and this charitable cause is commendable.
The Australia Fire Relief Pan will cost PC players $3 and 300 G-coins for console players. The pan, which features an endearing picture of a koala and a kangaroo by @SWatercolour, is available until March 18th for PC players and between February 27 and March 26 for console gamers. The proceeds will go to a charity that will aid the efforts in Australia. In the statement issued by the PUBG Team added: "If the pan is not for you, we encourage you to research the disaster relief efforts and donate directly to a charity of your choosing." It is rare for games to get involved with charities, but PUBG is using its platform for a good cause.
The gaming community has shown its support for those who have felt the impact of the bush fires in Australia. The likes of Call of Duty have released an Outback Relief Pack and many will be happy to see get exclusive items and give to a worthwhile cause. While many will hope that the worst is over in Australia, rebuilding destroyed areas will take time, money and investment. The surest way to ensure that this is done is through charity and relief.
Players will be happy to see some of their favorite studios contributing to charitable causes. It is rare that the likes of Infinity Ward, Bungie and Kojima Productions support a similar goal. It will be interesting to see how game developers and publishers continue to support charities that help a variety of causes. Either way PUBG alongside other publishers are attempting to help those in need with this kind of exclusive content.