This is Mercy, a healer in the video game “Overwatch,” which I played quite a bit last winter. However, the story here is that the pink skin/outfit she’s wearing was a special fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Players usually earn new skins for their characters by playing the game. But the only way to get the pink Mercy skin was to pay $15 cash. There was also a limited edition t-shirt available for $30. The minute I read that 100% of the proceeds from the skin would go to the BCRF, I jumped back into the game and bought it. How many fundraisers have you heard of that give 100% of the donations to the charity? I couldn’t NOT be a part of it.
And yesterday, Monday, the results were announced. (I first saw the story in Forbes.) During the fundraiser’s limited two-week period, gamers worldwide poured $12.7 million into the foundation!
Gamers are a wonderful community. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And given my little run-in with breast cancer a few years ago, I am absolutely bursting with pride and gratitude (and a few tears).
Blizzard’s thank you to players:
(Cross-posted to “Cancer: Curves Ahead”)
This is great news, Susan. Especially good for the recipients, and fun for the gamers—a ‘win-win’.
So many of the “pink” fundraising efforts are primarily for publicity. The sponsors pat themselves on the back for sending one or two percent on to the designated cause. I always encourage people to donate directly to the group they want to support if they want to be sure all their money gets there. Maybe this Blizzard effort will start a trend.
That’s wonderful news. Good on the gamers/
I’ll spare you the pun I just thought of. (Yes, I’m tickled pink about it.)
That’s just AMAZING! What a wonderful community of humans.
Gamers get such a bad rap sometimes. Makes me sad. I’m guessing a lot of the critics have never played video games and don’t know anyone who has.
I’m gobsmacked! So much is just a con job/front for unscrupulous creatures to do a bit of pocket lining. Good to see there are still some honourable people on this earth
They’re out there … if you can find them.
Super proud of the overwatch community! It’s good to know it’s not all toxicity 🙂
I was blown away by the response. Wouldn’t it be great if other game companies did something similar?
Yeah, think of all the good we could achieve if other companies decided to follow along!