Massively Uplifting: MMO fundraisers, GW2 raid class, and saving trees and cats

By
MJ Guthrie
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Being grateful isn’t relegated to just one month, but November is when many people -and gamers – double-down on the things they are thankful for. And there is plenty out there for us to be appreciative of. You know something that I am very grateful for? All the awesome, feel-good, generous, and charitable things that our friends in gaming do!

From big studios to individuals, gamers are making the world a better place. And this past month had a number of entries in those categories, from the more familiar stream fundraisers of Bungie, Bethesda, and Wargaming to special Digital Extremes deals that plant trees and help the environment. And then there are the efforts of fellow gamers coming together to make a better experience for others, such as what one helpful group is doing in Guild Wars 2. So I am giving extra thanks for the efforts of these studios and individuals this season. Kudos to all of you!

I am the Tenno and I speak for the trees

We’ve seen quite a bit of the good livestream fundraisers can do, but they aren’t the only way folks can contribute to bettering the world around them. Digital Extremes thought outside the box and right to the outdoors with its most recent good deed. The studio is offering a special deal with its Warframe holiday gifts, which include real life items of ornaments and a special ugly Christmas sweater. Here’s the sweet sapling deal: For every purchase that includes the sweater (either as a bundle or separately), DE’s partners Roody Originals will plant one tree to help protect the environment. Get a cool gift, help save the planet — sounds like a fashionable win/win!

Bungie raised a bundle

Speaking of livestreams, Bungie is on board with hosting live fundraisers. The studio has its own official charity called the Bungie Foundation that raises funds for children in hospitals around the US and Canada. In its most recent endeavor from October 24th through November 10th, Bungie encouraged the Destiny community to join in the livestreaming fundraising initiative, the Game2give event. Besides hosting its own 24-hour marathon, the studio offered prizes to other streamers for meeting milestones (in-game items, discounts, and even chances to win a studio tour).

Plenty of you participated: Over 5,500 streamers across 104 countries took part in the event. These efforts brought in 40,000 individual contributions. In total, $1.6 million was raised! The Bungie Foundation will use the funds in its iPads for Kids Program and Children’s Miracle Network, a program that offers content on an iPad so kids’ stays at the hospital can be less stressful.

$8,500 rolls in for Roll4It’s campaign

While Roll4It uses streaming for tabletop RPG gaming endeavors, it is still all about gaming! And this group used Tiltify to turn a stream into a fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders, an independent international medical humanitarian organization that provides aid to people in more than 70 countries. Viewers could use donations to equip/affect the adventurers in different ways, such as granting them weapons, tools, and bunny slippers or even to teleporting a character! These were then incorporated into the streamed game session. While having fun and enjoying the show, fans have so far raised a total of $8,5000 for Doctors Without Borders. The campaign continues through December 2nd.

Stream, slay dragons, and save cats

Like cats? Like to slay dragons? Want to do both… and maybe even stream those adventures? Today is your lucky day! Bethesda, also utilizing Tiltify, has begun its #SlayDragonsSaveCats campaign today, December 2nd. Not content with raising money for just one cause, the Elder Scrolls Online studio will be hosting two fundraisers, and it is calling on streamers who want to participate to join in! As you might expect with studio fundraisers, giveaways will be had.

Both charities that ESO fans will be supporting focus on rescuing and protecting animals. One of the fundraisers will collect donations for the Four Paws organization, a global animal welfare organization for animals under human influence that raises awareness and rescues animals in need. The other fundraiser benefits the Best Friends Animal Society, which dedicates itself to ending the killing of cats and dogs in US shelters by operating a no-kill sanctuary and lifesaving centers. Both campaigns have now kicked off and are already moving on their way to their goals.

Go from Zero to Hero at the GW2 Raid Academy

Good deeds aren’t always giant endeavors; they can be personal as well. And one group in Guild Wars 2 is hosting an event to help other players with gameplay. If you have ever wanted to raid in GW2 but didn’t really know where to start, you might want to enroll in the GW2 Raid Academy the weekend of December 6th through the 8th. This Zero to Hero community event invites anyone and everyone on North American servers who is interested in getting the knack of how to raid to take part in training and mentoring over the weekend. Knowledgeable players who are happy to help you get started on your build as well as take you through training groups will be on hand each day. Organizers emphasize that no prior experience or particular build is necessary to take part. Players are encouraged to already have the elite specs they are interested in unlocked before the weekend commences. Events will be organized through the GW2 Raid Academy Discord.

Wargaming blasts past fundraising goal

A number of large studios have smaller offices in different areas of the world. Wargaming, for example, is based in Cyprus but has offices in the US. On November 19th, the Chicago-Baltimore arm of Wargaming held its own 24-hour livestream Extra Life fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. World of Tanks fans, in true tank-warfare style, blew the $5k goal to smithereens, raising over $16k for the children’s charity.

Feast on more warm fuzzies

If you missed out on any other warm fuzzy stories this past months, you can catch up on them here. And don’t forget, if you come across any heart-warming, feel-good story in our gaming universe, please share! We’d love to make sure it gets highlighted!

From happy stories to good deeds within our virtual worlds and the real world around us, there’s so much good in the gaming community. That’s why Massively OP’s MJ Guthrie pens Massively Uplifting: to highlight those generous, inspiring, heart-warming, and uplifting tales that exist throughout the MMOverse. Send your suggested stories along to warmfuzzies@massivelyop.com for our next entry!
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