PlayStation has announced its plan to make a major donation to the ASPCA, and Stray fans are invited to participate. The company is making this decision in light of the way Stray trended upon release.
Stray immediately found popularity with people who love cats, and many of those people have cats and dogs of their own who were intrigued by the simulated feline. The internet lit up with videos from all over of people showcasing their cats and dogs watching the TV, and that hasn't gone unnoticed by PlayStation.
In a post on the official PlayStation blog, the company revealed that the reactions to the game were so positive that it looked for a way to turn the trend into something good for pets. PlayStation reached out to the ASPCA, and now PlayStation is ready to reveal that it's planning on making a $25,000 donation to the ASPCA. However, pet parents are being asked to help out, not in the form of monetary donations, but with videos and photos of their pets watching Stray being played.
Through September 23, PlayStation will be watching for videos and photos shared on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #StrayReactions. Once that date has passed, the company will take what it considers to be the best reactions and put them together in a digital photobook that it will be giving to ASPCA with the donation. The best submissions will also be featured online in the form of a sizzle reel.
Stray has previously had ties with charity and positive feline outreach efforts. Several copies of the game were shared with animal wellness groups in the UK and US to help raise awareness for the shelters and in some cases, to help raise funds. The cat that Stray's playable character is based upon was also a stray at one time, and even cat specialist and advocate Jackson Galaxy has discussed and played the game on his YouTube channel.
BlueTwelve Studio successfully launched a hit with the cat game, with players all over the world not only enjoying the game, but also doing things like modding their own cats into Stray. While the jury is out on whether Stray will see a sequel or follow-up of some kind, the positives coming from the game, developers, and platforms hasn't ended just yet. With any luck, this charity initiative from PlayStation will help to bring more attention to the ASPCA and other cat charities and shelters in need of funds and support.
Stray is available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
Source: PlayStation