Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ESA Foundation splits $1 million among 9 charitieshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/esa-foundation-splits-1-million-among-9-charities/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/esa-foundation-splits-1-million-among-9-charities/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/esa-foundation-splits-1-million-among-9-charities/#commentsFiled under: ,


The ESA Foundation, the charitable division of the Entertainment Software Association, will be dividing $1 million in grants to nine organizations. The money will be used to "develop unique and innovative programs that will improve the health, education, and safety of America's youth."

The organizations getting a check are quite diverse (details listed after the break), dealing with varied topics such as the environment, gun violence, cancer and economics. The ESA Foundation recently popped up on our radar for its "Nite to Unite for Kids" event, occurring next month, and the $2.6 million it raised for charity with the sale of a game bundle.

Recipients and the ESA's description for the grant's use:
  • Animation Project, Inc. will use technology-based art therapy and 3D computer animation to promote mental health among at-risk adolescents. For more information, please visit http://www.theanimationproject.org/.
  • HopeLab Foundation will continue to distribute Re-Mission, a video game that builds confidence in cancer patients to manage the disease. For more information, please visit http://www.hopelab.org/.
  • PAX (not this PAX) will provide resources that enable youths to prevent weapon-related violence in their schools and communities. For more information, please visit http://paxusa.org.
  • ThanksUSA will distribute an online classroom game that celebrates and teaches America's history and values and receive scholarships. For more information, please visit http://www.thanksusa.org.
  • WGBH will develop a video game that teaches children how to deal with environmental challenges and live sustainable lifestyles. For more information, please visit http://www.wgbh.org/.
  • Web Wise Kids will expand the reach of its youth Internet safety program, which features three customized video games that teach students how to be safe online. For more information, please visit http://www.webwisekids.org/.
  • Federation of American Scientists will develop a video game for high school biology classes, particularly in underserved areas, that teaches basic immunology concepts. For more information, please visit http://www.fas.org/.
  • One Economy Corporation will enroll 5,000 youths in a program that seeks to connect low-income families and communities with the 21st-century economy. For more information, please visit http://www.one-economy.com/.
  • National Institute on Media and the Family will develop an on-line e-learning zone for using the latest interactive technologies to help kids and adults understand the issues and potential areas of concern with the Internet. For more information, please visit http://www.mediafamily.org/.

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]]>charityentertainment-software-associationesaesa-foundationAlexander Sliwinski2008-09-25T12:00:00+00:00Shiggy to be honored at ESA's 'Nite to Unite for Kids'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/shiggy-being-honored-at-esas-nite-to-unite-for-kids/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/shiggy-being-honored-at-esas-nite-to-unite-for-kids/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/shiggy-being-honored-at-esas-nite-to-unite-for-kids/#commentsFiled under:


Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto will be honored during the Entertainment Software Association's 2008 "Nite to Unite for Kids" charity event. The event will be held October 22 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. The "black-tie optional" (translation: wear one!) dinner will only set you back $500, affording you the opporunity to hang out with Shiggy and executives like EA's John Riccitiello and THQ's Brian Farrell.

The event is being hosted by the ESA Foundation, the charity arm of the lobbying group, which has raised over $11 million for children's charities since 1999. The organization recently raised $2.6 million through its unremarkable game bundle.

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]]>charityesaesa-foundationnite-to-unite-for-kidsAlexander Sliwinski2008-09-18T13:15:00+00:00Extra Life charity lets gamers battle cancerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/extra-life-charity-lets-gamers-battle-cancer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/extra-life-charity-lets-gamers-battle-cancer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/extra-life-charity-lets-gamers-battle-cancer/#commentsFiled under:


With billions of loyal fans visiting our site each hour, we have a considerable, almost daunting amount of power. It's a power we occasionally use for evil or just for stupid, but we decided this morning that we'd do something good with it for a change and direct your attention to Extra Life.

Fresh from the victory of their non-boycott, Sarcastic Gamer is once again rallying the troops, this time asking them to set aside Oct. 18 for an all-day gaming marathon. All you have to do is get friends and loved ones to sponsor your decadence with money that goes straight to the Texas Children's Cancer Center. It's like a charity fun run, but for fat people.

It's a great effort, but do us a favor and take at least a couple of breaks, will you? The last thing you want to do is fight cancer while you die of dehydration.

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]]>charityExtra-lifesarcastic-gamerJustin McElroy2008-09-12T10:00:00+00:00Rock Band competition sponsoring Make-A-Wish in Vancouverhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/rock-band-competition-sponsoring-make-a-wish-in-vancouver-starts/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/rock-band-competition-sponsoring-make-a-wish-in-vancouver-starts/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/rock-band-competition-sponsoring-make-a-wish-in-vancouver-starts/#commentsFiled under: ,


The Make-A-Wish foundation, in conjunction with a slew of sponsors, will be holding a Rock Band competition in Vancouver, Canada, starting Oct. 4. The $100 entry fee, along with pre-purchase tickets for the finals at the Roxy Nightclub, go straight to the Make-A-Wish foundation. The first round of the competition will be held at the EA studios located right outside of Vancouver in Burnaby. From that event, the five finalist bands from each of the four divisions will then compete at the Roxy Nightclub on November 6 for prizes.

There are four divisions for competitors to register their groups: Competitive, Social, Corporate and 18 & Under. There are currently no details about prizes, but it sounds like a cool charity event. Isn't that enough?

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]]>charityeaharmonixmake-a-wishmake-a-wish-foundationrock-bandAlexander Sliwinski2008-09-05T02:00:00+00:00VenJuvo's Trade4Cause sends old console's value to charityhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/venjuvos-trade4cause-sends-old-consoles-value-to-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/venjuvos-trade4cause-sends-old-consoles-value-to-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/venjuvos-trade4cause-sends-old-consoles-value-to-charity/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


We're starting to head into the holiday season, which means our collective capitalist guilt tells us it's time to start thinking about the less fortunate for five seconds as we spend $4 on a Frappuccino. Electronics trade-in site VenJuvo.com is now offering its Trade4Cause program. The program appears to be fairly painless: Pick your console from the list (we did the PS2), get a quote on its value ($35), choose the charity from the dropdown menu to receive the donation, print the shipping label, pack and send. The company tests the product once it's received and donates the payment on your behalf to the charity.

Another nice touch is that if the charity you're looking for isn't on the company's list, there's also the option of filling in the organization's information. Obviously, we're big fans of Child's Play, but there are plenty of other worthwhile gamer-centric causes out there. VenJuvo also has a no-cost recycling program for products that qualify, just in case you're looking to be charitable to our little planet this holiday.

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]]>charityrecycletrade4causevenjuvoAlexander Sliwinski2008-09-04T05:00:00+00:00ESA's mediocre game pack raises $2.6 million for charityhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/28/esas-mediocre-game-pack-raises-2-6-million-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/28/esas-mediocre-game-pack-raises-2-6-million-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/28/esas-mediocre-game-pack-raises-2-6-million-for-charity/#commentsFiled under: ,


The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today its pack of odious unremarkable games sold to sponsor children's charities has raked in an astounding $2.6 million. The ESA Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the industry's lobbing group, will divide the cash among five charities (which we've listed after the break).

The charity pack included software donated by Disney, THQ, Ubisoft, Sony Pictures, Microsoft and Pixar. It was sold by 17 retailers and organizations agreed to waive associated fees and royalties, meaning as much cash as possible went to the children. No word yet if something similar will be done this year, but imagine the cash the charities could get if the games were actually good?!

The recipients are:
  • Web Wise Kids
  • Work, Achievement, Values & Education Inc. (WAVE)
  • Hopelabs
  • Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
  • Computers for Youth

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]]>charityentertainment-software-associationesaesa-foundationAlexander Sliwinski2008-07-28T21:00:00+00:00Ultimate Band getting charity concert venue, Linkin Park lovehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/ultimate-band-getting-charity-concert-venue-linkin-park-love/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/ultimate-band-getting-charity-concert-venue-linkin-park-love/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/ultimate-band-getting-charity-concert-venue-linkin-park-love/#commentsFiled under: ,


While there's no shortage of games designed to keeping you humming songs in your head until all you want to do is scream, there's only one that will give you the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from giving back. That game is Ultimate Band, as publisher Disney today linked up with Linkin Park's non-profit, Music for Relief, to help raise awareness of disaster victims and global warming by letting players rock out from the safety of their living rooms.

Sure, it might not be the most altruistic alliance, but Wii rockers can nonetheless look forward to lending their rhythm-keeping talents during a Music for Relief charity concert, which has been added as an in-game venue. Curiously, only the Wii version was mentioned in the announcement, though a DS version of Ultimate Band is also planned. The game will also make a featured appearance during Linkin Park's own Projekt Revolution 2008 tour, kicking off this week in Burgettstown, PA, though we're not sure a game featuring the music of The Who and Devo is exactly poised to rock nu metal fans out of their fishnet socks.

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]]>charitydisneye3-2008linkin-parklinkinparkultimate-bandJason Dobson2008-07-14T20:30:00+00:00Nintendo, Starlight partner to help sick kidshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/nintendo-starlight-partner-to-help-sick-kids/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/nintendo-starlight-partner-to-help-sick-kids/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/nintendo-starlight-partner-to-help-sick-kids/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Video games are not always just about financial muscle and suffering the slings and arrows of fanboy-fueled drama. Sometimes, just sometimes, they're about making the world a better place. Such is the case today, as Nintendo has partnered with Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation to place Wii kiosks featuring such games as Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Sports in hospitals across both the US and Canada to help lift the spirits of seriously ill kids.

The move echoes a similar effort by Microsoft last month, which saw the company link up with NHL vet Pat LaFontaine's foundation Companions in Courage to bring hundreds of Xbox 360 kiosks to children's hospitals in the US. According to a statement, Nintendo plans to manufacture some 1,250 new Fun Center kiosks as part of the partnership, with the charity hoping to have around 500 of these in hospitals by the end of 2008. The first pair of Fun Centers will be donated later today to the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles during what Nintendo describes as a Super Mario Galaxy-themed launch event, while Mario will also be on hand, no doubt to discourage Bowser from crashing the party.

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]]>charitynintendostarlight-foundationsuper-mario-galaxysupermariogalaxywiiJason Dobson2008-06-25T08:20:00+00:00PS3 Laptop charity auction, bid at Engadgethttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/ps3-laptop-charity-auction-bid-at-engadget/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/ps3-laptop-charity-auction-bid-at-engadget/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/ps3-laptop-charity-auction-bid-at-engadget/#commentsFiled under: ,


Our brothers-in-arms over at Engadget are proudly hosting a charity auction for Ben Heck's one-of-a-kind PlayStation 3 laptop. If you're interested, you've got one week to scrummage up the coin for this Blu-ray equipped beast. 100% of the proceeds will go to the National Cancer Coalition, so you know it's a good cause. If you've got PS3 laptop-level income and PS3 laptop ambitions, stop over at Engadget to place your bid. Good luck!

[Update: Cancel that. Apparently some clever folks couldn't take an auction for charity seriously, so Engadget has temporarily postponed things. We'll let you know if and when it goes back up. It's back-up and hosted at eBay now.]

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]]>Ben-HeckCharityEngadgetChristopher Grant2008-04-18T16:45:00+00:00GamesforHeroes.com seeks handheld games and systems for troopshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/09/gamesforheroes-com-seeks-handheld-games-and-systems-for-troops/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/09/gamesforheroes-com-seeks-handheld-games-and-systems-for-troops/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/09/gamesforheroes-com-seeks-handheld-games-and-systems-for-troops/#commentsFiled under: ,


OK, we've said it before, but other than the constant threat of dying, one of the things we know troops serving in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from is boredom. So, when Peter Gallagher sent us a tip about his site GamesForHeroes.com, we felt the least we could do was give it some attention.

The Games for Heroes charity, which has a registered donor number with nonprofit MarineParents.com, is simply looking to collect handheld games and systems (Game Boy, DS, PSP), which will be sent to troops serving in a place of war. Information on where to send items or make cash donations can be found on the site. A similar charity called "Fun for our Troops" began last year, but without the portable gaming focus.

We spoke with the 15-year-old Gallagher, who started the charity with his friend, Jack Wilson, and learned the whole concept stemmed from a "Cheer Up the Troops" letter writing campaign he and Jack started with area children while on their spring break. After submitting the letters to MarineParents.com, they found out that one of the most requested items by troops are handheld video game systems. Gallagher explains, "They play PlayStation when they can, but how often do they get TVs? These are 18, 19, 20-year-old kids over there. ... You know, we just want to help out."

Peter's mother, Susan Gallagher, couldn't be happier with what her son is trying to do and assured us he's doing everything by the book. Pssst, multimillion-dollar corporations that read this site, help the kid out. Heck, when we were 15 we never did anything this nice (and definitely not while on break).

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]]>charitygamesforheroes.comhandheldsmarinesmilitaryAlexander Sliwinski2008-04-09T06:00:00+00:00GDC08: Sony donates $5,000 to charity in Buzz! showdownhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-sony-donates-5-000-to-charity-in-buzz-showdown/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-sony-donates-5-000-to-charity-in-buzz-showdown/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-sony-donates-5-000-to-charity-in-buzz-showdown/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Sony hosted a pretty awesome Buzz! charity event at the PlayStation lounge last night. Sixteen players from various media outlets (Joystiq included) partook in the competition. The winner would be able to send $5,000 to a charity of their choice, courtesy of Sony.

Total PlayStation's Sam Bishop took first place with his serious movie trivia skills and will forward Sony's money over to the SPCA: the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Fun was had by all, even if some of us (sob) lost pretty early on ...

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]]>buzzcharitygdc08spcaAndrew Yoon2008-02-21T04:00:00+00:00Cheap Ass Gamer raises $11,000 for Child's Play in only four dayshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/cheap-ass-gamer-raises-11-000-for-childs-play-in-only-four-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/cheap-ass-gamer-raises-11-000-for-childs-play-in-only-four-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/cheap-ass-gamer-raises-11-000-for-childs-play-in-only-four-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

Ever wonder what devout followers of Cheap Ass Gamer do with their saved cash? From the looks of it, they give to charity. Last year, site owner (and wonderful Tokyo tour guide, if you must know) CheapyD raised $10,000 through CAG for Tycho and Gabe's Child's Play Charity, and in this year it only took four days to beat that record.

This year's fundraiser is a raffle: for every $5 you donate, you received one raffle ticket for one of 38 prizes (one grand prize and 44 runner-ups - there are some duplicates, read carefully). $11,300 has been donated as of this writing; excluding CheapyD's initial $1,000 donation, that's 701 people who have given $10,300, or an average of almost $15 per person. The fundraiser ends December 31, although CheapyD has declared he might extend the contest a week.

Care to donate a few extra dollars to a good cause, and perhaps walk away with some nice gaming gear? Head over to the CAG page and use the widget to donate for eligibility. The bar has been set pretty high for next year's fundraising.

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]]>cagcharitycheap-ass-gamercheapydchilds-playpenny-arcadeRoss Miller2007-12-13T05:00:00+00:00Today in Joystiq: November 28, 2007http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/today-in-joystiq-november-28-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/today-in-joystiq-november-28-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/today-in-joystiq-november-28-2007/#comments Those looking to be charitable can check out this year's Funde Razor event in Brooklyn, New York and Denver, Colorado on December 12. At each event, gamers will be rocking out to Guitar Hero and Rock Band, vying for one of the two plush Weighted Companion Cubes shown above, designed by Diane Koss and made possible by a grant from the Bond Street Group. All proceeds go to Child's Play charity; check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
Last week in Warcraft: November 18th - November 24th
Reminder: Win a $5K gaming PC from Falcon Northwest
Today's worst video? One word: Kwari
Wii Fanboy Weekly: November 22nd, 2007 - November 28th, 2007

News
PSP Extended Life Battery Kit gets priced, dated
Nintendo enjoys its biggest sales week ever in U.S., breaks record
Activision CEO wants Xbox 360 & PS3 at $199
Calif. Sen. Yee urges parents not to buy M-rated games
GripShift to race to XBLA sometime this year
Xbox Video Marketplace in Europe soon, limited release
Playlogic wins copyright battle over Ancient Wars: Sparta
Rockstar drops GTA IV box art video, dates new trailer
EA preparing ninja party game for Wii, DS
Artie Lange provides voice in next Leisure Suit Larry game
Guitar Hero III PC/Mac hybrid done, shipping out Dec. 10
Discovery's Meerkat Manor video game announced
Nintendo DS sets new UK sales record
Nintendo estimates $33 million earned from Virtual Console
Blu-ray sales dominate HD war in Europe
Boom Boom Rocket update live, joined by five free tunes
EA replacing borked Rock Band guitars

Culture & Community
Can rap find a place in music games?
Broken Pixels takes on Space Pirates, Marky Mark
British Army head commends 'PlayStation generation'
Active camouflage Spartan from McFarlane toys
Annual reminder: Xbox Live trash talk is vile
Popular Mechanic's game gift guide has chutzpah
Zero Punctuation boos F.E.A.R. expansion

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]]>charitychilds-playdailyrecappenny-arcadeportalRoss Miller2007-11-28T23:59:00+00:00Reminder: Last day to purchase St. Jude-benefitting MMO calendarhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/reminder-last-day-to-purchase-st-jude-benefitting-mmo-calendar/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/reminder-last-day-to-purchase-st-jude-benefitting-mmo-calendar/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/reminder-last-day-to-purchase-st-jude-benefitting-mmo-calendar/#commentsFiled under:

Today is the last day (following a two day extension) to purchase MMOPortal.com's second-annual MMO Calendar benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Just like last year, all proceeds will go directly to helping children, and even our jaded and bitter blogger hearts have nothing mean to say about that.

The calendar is $12.95 and features 13 different MMOs and prizes available for those who purchase (list found after the break). But it's not about the prizes, right? It's about helping the kids, right?! Think of it as gaining rep and becoming exalted with the Humanity faction.

Games featured in the calendar:
  • Age of Conan
  • Dark Age of Camelot
  • Dungeons & Dragons Online
  • Eve Online
  • EverQuest
  • EverQuest II
  • Guild Wars
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Pirates of the Burning Sea
  • Star Wars Galaxies
  • Stargate Worlds
  • Warhammer Online
  • World of Warcraft
List of prizes:
  • Age of Conan -- Beta Key
  • Dark Age of Camelot -- 1 Month of Free Game-Time
  • Dungeons & Dragons Online -- 1 Month of Free Game-Time
  • Eve Online -- 1 Month of Free Game-Time
  • EverQuest -- 1 Month of Free Game-Time
  • EverQuest II -- 1 Month of Free Game-Time
  • Guild Wars -- Copy of Guild Wars: Platinum
  • Lord of the Rings Online -- 1 Month of Free Game-Time
  • Pirates of the Burning Sea -- Beta Key
  • Star Wars Galaxies -- 1 Month of Free Game-Time
  • Stargate Worlds -- Beta Key
  • Warhammer Online -- Beta Key
  • World of Warcraft -- 1 Month of Free Game-Time
10 of each prize will be given away randomly per game. Odds of winning are solely dependent on the number of buyers.

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]]>benefitcalendarcharitymmocalendarmmoportalstjudeAlexander Sliwinski2007-11-27T15:45:00+00:00Selfless crazies play Desert Bus for charityhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/selfless-crazies-play-desert-bus-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/selfless-crazies-play-desert-bus-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/selfless-crazies-play-desert-bus-for-charity/#commentsFiled under: ,


The guys behind LoadingReadyRun have a very unique way of contributing to this year's Child's Play charity: they're playing one of the worst games of all time.

Desert Bus is one of several mini-games included in the never-officially-released Sega CD game Penn and Teller's Smoke and Mirrors. The Desert Bus mini-game challenges players to drive Penn and Teller's tour bus from Tuscon, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada... in real time... and at a maximum speed of 45 mph.

It's a task that takes 8 hours to complete, and earns players one point in the game. The task can be completed back and forth as many times as the players can stomach, each time earning one point. The LoadingReadyRun team has pledged that the more money they receive, the longer they will sit and endure this painful, painful game. Over $1,000 USD have already been donated, which guarantees the masochists at least 64 hours of play-time. To see just how crazy they are, check out the gameplay footage after the break.

[Thanks, Graham]

We don't know what they were thinking, but this is the very definition of selflessness:

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]]>charitychilds-playchildsplaydesert-buspennsega-cdsegacdsmoke-and-mirrorstellerScott Jon Siegel2007-11-22T21:01:00+00:00ESA and Microsoft collaborate, offer mediocre games for charityhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/esa-and-microsoft-collaborate-offer-mediocre-games-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/esa-and-microsoft-collaborate-offer-mediocre-games-for-charity/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/esa-and-microsoft-collaborate-offer-mediocre-games-for-charity/#commentsFiled under: ,

Microsoft has teamed up with the Entertainment Software Association to offer a special three-pack of Xbox 360 games this holiday season. The pack, which retails for $29.99 USD, is comprised of Cars, Open Season, and Fuzion Frenzy 2 -- three E-rated games which are notable for tepid reviews across the board.

It's definitely for a good cause, so we really shouldn't be complaining. All retail fees for the three-pack have been waived, meaning that the entirety of each $29.99 purchase goes directly to the ESA Foundation, which raises money to support groups like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Penny Arcade's Child's Play event, and HopeLab, the developers behind the serious game Re/Mission.

The charity three-pack is currently available in retail stores, as well as on online sites such as Amazon.

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]]>carscharityesafuzion-frenzyfuzionfrenzyhopelabmicrosoftopen-seasonopenseasonxbox360Scott Jon Siegel2007-11-16T05:00:00+00:00Non-profit group buying games for soldiershttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/non-profit-group-buying-games-for-soldiers/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/non-profit-group-buying-games-for-soldiers/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/non-profit-group-buying-games-for-soldiers/#commentsFiled under:


From what we've heard, the biggest headache for soldiers serving in Iraq (besides, you know, the constant threat of bodily harm) is the boredom. One soldier's wife, unwilling to let her husband go without entertainment, has mounted an effort to get games to those like her husband. That, friends, is real love. The group is called "Fun For Our Troops," and it's trying to raise cash to purchase games for soldiers abroad.

It's a great effort, and one we'd encourage everyone to participate in if they're so inclined. We'll be interested though to see what games they'll be purchasing. Will they go with first-person shooters? Or titles that feature rapping about terrorism? Or will they find the terrifying place where the two intersect? Even so, it would still be better than their last care package.

[Via GamePolitics]

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]]>charityfun-for-our-troopsJustin McElroy2007-11-12T14:55:00+00:00Satiate intercontinental voracity with online vocabulary gamehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/satiate-intercontinental-voracity-with-online-vocabulary-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/satiate-intercontinental-voracity-with-online-vocabulary-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/satiate-intercontinental-voracity-with-online-vocabulary-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ever feel you're wasting your time with games? Feel like you should be doing something to better yourself or the world around you instead of staring at a screen? Well, with Poverty.com's Free Rice game, you can do your part for personal and global fulfillment without ever stopping the gaming.

The self-betterment in Free Rice comes from vocabulary identification questions that automatically adjust to your skills so they're challenging but not impossible. The world-improvement comes from the eponymous free rice, ten grains of which are donated through the UN's World Food Program and the site's advertisers for each right answer you provide. In the past month, over 856 million grains of rice have been donated, with the total rising exponentially day over day.

We love the idea, and think this model has potential for all sorts of games. Every Halo headshot can net a donation to Amnesty international (sponsored by Mountain Dew). Every five star Guitar Hero performance could give money to Save the Music (sponsored by VH1, of course). Bill Gates could add few bucks to his foundation for every Achievement point earned. The possibilities are endless.

[Via Gene. Thanks Michelle]

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]]>charitydonateeducationalgamehungerpovertyvocabularyKyle Orland2007-11-07T08:30:00+00:00Fifth annual Child's Play charity drive beginshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/fifth-annual-childs-play-charity-drive-begins/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/fifth-annual-childs-play-charity-drive-begins/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/fifth-annual-childs-play-charity-drive-begins/#commentsFiled under: ,

Child's Play organizers have announced that the annual charity drive is now underway. The drive was first launched some five years ago by Penny Arcade masterminds Gabe and Tycho as a fundraiser for the Seattle Children's Hospital, and has since grown to become a global hub of good will for those in need, while simultaneously demonstrating that gamers by and large are not the anti-social jerkwads the media would make them out to be.

Those interested in contributing to the drive, which now includes hospitals in more than 25 states and five countries, can easily donate items though purchases made via Amazon, and officials note that the tax deductible gifts will be sent directly to those hospitals in need.

In addition, the annual Child's Play Fundraider Dinner is scheduled to take place on December 11 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, and will as always include both a silent and live auction, with all proceeds going towards the charity.

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]]>charitychilds playChildsPlaypenny arcadePennyArcadeweb comicWebComicJason Dobson2007-11-02T19:00:00+00:00Game therapy at Walter Reed Medical Centerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/game-therapy-at-walter-reed-medical-center/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/game-therapy-at-walter-reed-medical-center/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/game-therapy-at-walter-reed-medical-center/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mike Musgrove of the Washington Post has written a touching piece on how soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center have been using video games as both mental and physical therapy.

The story opens on a monthly gathering scheduled by soldiers aid group Cause and highlights how video games have helped soldiers socialize -- both as inpatients and on the battlefield. Said Chuck Ziegenfuss, an Army Major who spent six months at the hospital after being wounded in 2005, gaming in Iraq "gives [soldiers] back a sense that they're normal."

Army Spec. Juan Alcibar has suggested to physical therapists that the use of games like Guitar Hero to help soldiers rebuild hand strength and dexterity. The article, published in time for Memorial Day, exemplifies how video games as an interactive medium can and have contributed to society.

Those who wish to help Cause and Soldiers' Angel, another organization cited by the piece for its game-related donations, can do so at the embedded links. It couldn't hurt to donate any games you have lying around.

[Via Evil Avatar]

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]]>causecharityguitar heroGuitarHeromike musgroveMikeMusgrovemusgrovesoldiers angelSoldiersAngelwa powahsington postWahsingtonPostwalter reedWalterReedWaPoRoss Miller2007-05-29T17:45:00+00:00