As relief efforts and donations continue to pour in from around the globe in the wake of last month’s devastating earthquake in Haiti, the video game industry also has joined the cause in its own unique way.
Local Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) contributed more than $25,000 to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development fund during the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
To raise money, SOE offered players the chance to purchase special in-game Haiti Relief items, such as the Haiti Relief Plush Bear in "Everquest," the Protectors of Faydark Crate in "Everquest II," and the spiked T-Rex in "Free Realms." For each item purchased, SOE donated $10 to the Red Cross fund.
"In just three days we were able to reach our goal of $25,000 and it’s all because of the generosity of our players; they really stepped up for a good cause and we're proud to lend support to the estimated 3 million Haitians affected by the recent earthquakes," John Smedley, president of SOE, said.
This was not the first time the company has contributed to a worthwhile cause.
The company had also just completed a month-long drive for Child’s Play, a charity that provides toys and games to more than 70 hospitals worldwide.
Social network gaming giant Zynga also aided in the relief efforts by raising more than $1.5 million across four of its top games on Facebook.
By similarly selling virtual items in Farmville, Fishville, Mafia Wars and Zynga Poker, the company’s estimated 230 million active monthly users were able to reach this amount in just five days.
Proceeds went directly to the World Food Programme.
This past weekend, IGN hosted a 12-hour "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" charity event where editors from the Web site pledged money for each level earned during the play session.
The company also held a charity auction on eBay with the benefits going to Habitat for Humanity.
Some of the items included a signed "BioShock 2" Splicer Mask and a life-sized, gold-plated replica of the gun from "Bayonetta."
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