Joystiq

'Retake Mass Effect 3' donations remained largely with Child's Play, 'a handful' requested refunds

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST

When thousands of people took to a Facebook group rallying Mass Effect 3 players to "demand a better ending," their efforts were represented by a "donation protest." The protest raised just over $80,000 in donations to Penny Arcade's "Child's Play" charity, and arguably contributed to BioWare's decision to respond with an upcoming addition to Mass Effect 3: "Extended Cut."

Regardless of the group's success, Penny Arcade co-founder Jerry "Tycho" Holkins halted the fundraiser. "Child's Play cannot be a tool to draw attention to a cause. Child's Play must be the Cause," Holkins said of hypothetical future efforts. He also cited Child's Play project manager Jamie Dillion as "buried under mail" from donors who didn't clearly understand exactly what they were giving money to.

"Apparently some of the people giving to the cause seemed to think that they were paying for a new ending to Mass Effect. She's been asked what the goal is, and how much they need to raise in order to get the ending produced," Holkins wrote. "We've also been contacted by PayPal due to a high number of people asking for their donations back. This is in addition to readers who simply couldn't understand how this was connected to Child's Play's mission. We were dealing with a lot of very confused people, more every day, and that told us we had a problem."

That doesn't mean, however, that all of those folks were demanding refunds. "Essentially, there were a handful of people who requested their donation returned, which we did. The large majority of the funds were not returned and will be distributed to the hospitals as normal. If anyone feels that they would like their donation back, we are happy to do so," Dillion told us in a recent email.

Continue reading 'Retake Mass Effect 3' donations remained largely with Child's Play, 'a handful' requested refunds

'Retake Mass Effect 3' donations remained largely with Child's Play, 'a handful' requested refunds originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play expands to assist domestic abuse victims

Alexander Sliwinski — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST

Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity is expanding its scope to assist children living with a parent in domestic violence shelters nationwide. The charity, known for donating toys, games and cash to hospitalized children, feels this a natural extension of its efforts.

"The mission is the same as far as we're concerned," Penny Arcade's Mike Krahulik told us at PAX East.

"Children make up a significant percentage of the population that move through domestic violence shelters on an annual basis: providing them with a way to escape some of the stress and struggle is directly in line with what the charity set out to do," Child's Play Charity's Jamie Dillion told Joystiq. "Our mission is to improve the lives of children through the kindness and generosity of the video game industry and the power of play. Games can and do have a hugely positive impact for kids who are enduring stress, whether it is from illness or an unsafe home."

Child's Play raised $3.5 million in 2011.

Child's Play expands to assist domestic abuse victims originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play shuts down fundraiser aimed at changing Mass Effect 3's ending

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST

Recently, part of that whole "We're the Internet and we're upset about Mass Effect 3's ending" thing manifested itself in a Child's Play fundraising initiative called "Retake Mass Effect 3." The movement attempted to combine raising money for the charity with convincing BioWare to change the ending of its game.

BioWare was completely unaffiliated with the fundraiser, however, and no amount of money raised would guarantee a new ending -- a fact severely misunderstood by many people that donated. "We were dealing with a lot of very confused people, more every day, and that told us we had a problem," said Penny Arcade's Jerry Holkins in an update on his site. "Apparently some of the people giving to the cause seemed to think that they were paying for a new ending to Mass Effect."

Holkins also said that Child's Play project manager Jamie Dillion was "buried under mail" about the fundraiser from people wanting to know "what the goal is, and how much they need to raise in order to get the ending produced." The charity was also contacted by PayPal, on account of a "high number" of donors requesting refunds. As a result, Child's Play requested that the fundraiser come to an end.

As an organisation, Child's Play has guidelines regulating how money is raised (Child's Play can't be used to sell anything, for instance). Since Retake ME3 technically fell within the boundaries of the charity's existing framework, Holkins has created a new rule to prevent future misunderstandings: "Child's Play cannot be a tool to draw attention to a cause. Child's Play must be the Cause."

Child's Play shuts down fundraiser aimed at changing Mass Effect 3's ending originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Humble Bundle for Android #2 brings Canabalt to Android

JC Fletcher — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST

If you have an Android phone, you've probably been eagerly awaiting this day: the day when Semi Secret Software's auto-runner Canabalt jumps through a window and lands on Android. Not only is it out today, it's part of a new Android-focused Humble Bundle.

Other games in today's pay-what-you-want charity collection include Zen Bound 2, Cogs, and Spiderweb's Avadon: The Black Fortress. Those who pay over the average also get Swords & Soldiers.

Though it's an Android bundle, buying it gets you access to all the games across PC, Mac, and Linux as well, plus soundtracks for everything but Avadon. And, of course, you get the positive feeling of contributing to charity or whatever.

Humble Bundle for Android #2 brings Canabalt to Android originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another indie game bundle with Sideway NY, Wasteland Angel, mysteries

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST

Let's get ready to Bundle! The latest installment in the pay-what-you-want bundle franchise is the Be Mine Indie Game Bundle, offering five games, a soundtrack and extra incentives when the total payment reaches $3,000, $50,000 and $75,000, with 20 percent of all donations going to Child's Play Charity. The current total is just over $46,000 and the bundle is available until March 3.

The Be Mine Bundle includes Xotic, Sideway New York, Wasteland Angel, Beep and The Ball, and for hitting the $3,000 mark it now includes Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals and all DLC packs for Xotic when they're released. The $50,000 includes a bunch of soundtracks and $75,000 hits a mystery bonus.

Another indie game bundle with Sideway NY, Wasteland Angel, mysteries originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Humble Bundle Mojam makes nearly $500K for charity

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

Mojang is everyone's favorite studio to blindly throw money at these days, so it comes as little surprise that the Sweden-based Minecraft creators raised nearly $500K ($458,215.95) this past weekend during a live "game jam." The conceit was that Mojang would arrange a game jam (a "Mojam," if you will) and stream it live across 60 hours, with the resulting product being added to the most recent Humble Indie Bundle, as well as two games developed under similar constraints from Oxeye Game Studio and Wolfire Games.

What games did the three studios end up making? Mojang created an Egyptian/Steampunk-themed RTS slash shoot 'em up called "Catacomb Snatch," which we'll refrain from making lurid jokes about, while Oxeye made a game named "Fists of Resistance" and Wolfire made "The Broadside Express."

As over 81K bundles were purchased, the three studios collectively raised just under half a million dollars, all of which will be donated to Child's Play, Electronic Frontier Foundation, charity:water, and the American Red Cross. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got some lurid jokes to make in private.

Humble Bundle Mojam makes nearly $500K for charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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N-Control makes good after PR meltdown, donates to Child's Play [update]

JC Fletcher — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:00:00 EST

Something good has come out of the PR nightmare faced by N-Control (when its PR turned out to be a nightmare). In a successful effort to buy good press, the company announced today that it's donated $10,000 to Child's Play, along with a pledge of $50,000 worth of Avenger products, which currently includes the "Avenger" controller attachment (a device designed both for "hardcore" gamers and those with disabilities). Now that's classy PR.

There is some bad news, which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, given the issue that touched off the drama in the first place: late shipping. N-Control has decided to suspend new orders of the freaky-looking Avenger contraption, in the interest of filling backorders.

Update: N-Control let us know that, while it's not taking orders on its own site right now, Buy.com has plenty of Xbox 360 Avengers for sale.

Continue reading N-Control makes good after PR meltdown, donates to Child's Play [update]

N-Control makes good after PR meltdown, donates to Child's Play [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play raised $3.5 million in 2011

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST

Child's Play announced today the charity received $3,512,345 in donations in 2011, easily besting the $2.2 million from the prior year. The goal for 2012 is to reach $3.5 million again, a goal it should be able to hit if gamers keep giving at the same exponential rate they have been for nearly a decade.

Child's Play was founded in 2003 when the charity first sent a truck of toys to Seattle Children's Hospital and now supports over 80 hospitals worldwide. A recent charity gala helped raise $351,000 for the group that donates toys, games and cash to hospitalized children -- oh, and someone got a sweet life-sized (non-functional) Half-Life Gravity Gun.

Child's Play raised $3.5 million in 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play reaches $1.95 million in donations for 2011 following gala

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST

Contributions to Child's Play Charity have reached $1.95 million this year, following the Child's Play Gala and Auction. The event raised another $351,000 for the charity that donates toys, games and cash for hospitalized children.

Standout bids from this year's event were $21,000 for the life-sized Half-Life Gravity Gun, the rare Nintendo World Championships Grey #60 for $11,500 and a guest spot in a Penny Arcade strip for $10,000.

"The gala and auction always brings in a lot of donations, but it is just one part of Child's Play," remarked Child's Play Charity's Jamie Dillion. "The real heroes are all the gamers who organize local events and send in individual donations that account for the vast majority of what we raise every year. We couldn't do this without all of their support."

Child's Play brought in $2,294,317.53 in 2010, a record for the organization. After surpassing the $1.5 million mark earlier this week, the charity is on track to crack the $2 million mark again.

You can donate by heading to the Child's Play site.

Continue reading Child's Play reaches $1.95 million in donations for 2011 following gala

Child's Play reaches $1.95 million in donations for 2011 following gala originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play raises $1.5 million so far in 2011, passes $10 million in total contributions

David Hinkle — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST

In 2010, Child's Play earned a whopping $2,294,317.53 for charity, a new record for the organization. Lifetime total earnings came to over nine million dollars last year since the charity started back in 2003, which donates countless toys and video games to childrens hospitals across the country. And in 2011, the bar has been raised even higher.

The charity has earned $1.5 million so far in 2011, pushing total earnings over the $10 million mark. News came via a post over on the official blog, where Robert Khoo, president of operations and business development for Penny Arcade, the charity's organizers. Khoo said fundraising this year "is coming along at a record pace" and thinks the $2 million mark is "well within reach."

Child's Play raises $1.5 million so far in 2011, passes $10 million in total contributions originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Desert Bus comes to a stop, raises nearly $400K for Child's Play

Justin McElroy — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:40:00 EST

In perhaps the most compelling proof yet that we humans will happily donate money to see other humans suffer, the team at LoadingReadyRun announced that this year's Desert Bus for Hope marathon earned a whopping $378,895 for the Child's Play charity. All it cost the crew was 150 hours (a little over six days) of playing the stupifyingly boring "Desert Bus" minigame from unreleased Sega CD game Penn and Teller's Smoke and Mirrors.

So LRR gets nearly $400K for playing a dull game, yet we listened to Great Uncle Jerry's post-Thanksgiving lecture on the ethical failings of the BCS system, and nobody gives us a dime? Where's the justice?

Desert Bus comes to a stop, raises nearly $400K for Child's Play originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indie Games for Good is helping Child's Play by killing themselves, over and over

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST

Indie Games for Good is smack in the middle of its weekend marathon, raising money for Child's Play Charity. Its schedule is packed full of entertaining indie titles, which they're playing on a live stream right here and on justin.tv. Alongside play time, Indie Games for Good is hosting interviews with developers, including Kayin of I Wanna Be The Guy, Nigel Kilmer of Beret and Tim Ambrogi of Jamestown.

The indie warriors have raised more than $3,000 so far, and if you're interested you can donate to an individual game to ensure they play it to your satisfaction. No one can lose in this scenario, except for the player when it's time to start I Wanna Be The Guy. Because that's how that one works.

Indie Games for Good is helping Child's Play by killing themselves, over and over originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play 2011 starts annual drive, trying for $2 million in donations

Mike Schramm — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:30:00 EST

Halloween has passed us by, which means the season of charity is here, and Child's Play has started up its yearly drive for donations. Child's Play, started by the fine folks at Penny Arcade, is dedicated to providing sick children in hospitals all over the world with video games and toys to play while they recover, and has raised nearly $9 million in money and donations since it was founded in 2003.

This year, Child's Play is aiming for at least $2 million in donations, in part through a slew of events during the next two months, including the annual Desert Bus for Hope marathon later this month, and a Charity Dinner and Auction on December 8 up in Seattle. The group has picked up $450,000 in donations this year already, putting it well on the way towards its final goal.

You'll probably have a few other opportunities to donate over the next few months, but if you would like to jump in and help the kids out now, Child's Play accepts checks, Paypal donations, or you can even text in your donation by sending "GAMERS" to 50555. So go ahead -- even if the bells haven't started ringing in your neighborhood just yet, take this chance to give a little bit to those in need.

Child's Play 2011 starts annual drive, trying for $2 million in donations originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Game Play' theater festival combines gaming and performance art

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST

Brooklyn-area nerds are about to receive a special gift from the cultured world of indie theater. For the majority of July, The Brick Theater will play host to "Game Play," a theater festival comprised of gaming-oriented stage productions, musical performances and interactive performance art, among other things.

The schedule is pretty wild and ranges from what you'd expect (chiptune dance parties), to what you wouldn't (nerd-culture burlesque shows.) For instance: Romeoo and Julietet, a modern interpretation of Shakespeare's classic, will be performed entirely within World of Warcraft, while Modal Kombat uses real-ass guitars to control Mortal Kombat characters, as seen after the break.

The venue has even turned one event, their Rock Band Karaoke Night, into a fundraiser for Child's Play, granting free admission to anyone with a Child's Play donation receipt. The festival runs from July 7 through the 31, and tickets are available now. Hit the source link to check out the full schedule, but be careful: there are some seriously-almost-entirely-nude naked people on this website. You have been warned!

Continue reading 'Game Play' theater festival combines gaming and performance art

'Game Play' theater festival combines gaming and performance art originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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4th Annual Mario Marathon triple-jumps into action today

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST

For the fourth year in a row, a group of insane people will board themselves up in a small, Mushroom Kingdom-decorated room to beat every level, collect every star and stomp every Goomba the Super Mario franchise has ever produced. Why would someone purposefully, harmfully oversaturate themselves with such a wonderful, timeless franchise? Because they're the Mario Marathon. It's in their blood.

The crew is kicking off this suicide mission today at 11 a.m. ET, starting with a playthrough of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Even though it hasn't started yet, the event has already raised $13,000 for Child's Play. We encourage you to go watch these poor souls hurt themselves with Mario, and then, if you feel so inclined, reward their efforts with a donation to a good cause.

4th Annual Mario Marathon triple-jumps into action today originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buy Peter Molyneux's E3 badge for a good cause

JC Fletcher — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST

Looking for the perfect accessory for that "Peter Molyneux at E3 2011" costume you've been putting together for the last week or so? Good news: you can buy Molyneux's E3 badge on eBay, and all the proceeds go to charity.

Continue reading Buy Peter Molyneux's E3 badge for a good cause

Buy Peter Molyneux's E3 badge for a good cause originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play golf tournament to be held just before E3

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 01:00:00 EST

Child's Play and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Foundation are teaming up for the first annual Child's Play Invitational Golf Tournament. The event will be held at the Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena on Sunday, June 5, right before E3 kicks off.

The entrance fee for the tournament (a third of which is tax deductible) is $150 for those with clubs, or $175 if you need to rent some -- we hear they frown upon picking up sticks from the ground to use as clubs. All proceeds go to the Child's Play network and partner hospitals. Beyond the good feeling of helping sick children, the entrance fee will also net participants gift bags and other perks; it's all listed after the break.

Continue reading Child's Play golf tournament to be held just before E3

Child's Play golf tournament to be held just before E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Humble Bundle features Frozenbyte games and prototype

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:20:00 EST

Humble Bundle's third, pay-want-you-want indie games collection, "The Humble Frozenbyte Bundle," is now available from the official site for the next fifteen days. As the name implies, the new set features the works of Finnish developer Frozenbyte, including the platformer Trine and the top-down shooter series Shadowgrounds.

The bundle also includes a pre-order license -- no, not for Trine 2, but for Splot, a mysterious (yet adorable-looking) title that's still under development. Most intriguing, Frozenbyte has tossed in the source code for a canceled project called Jack Claw. According to Edge, the developer hopes to crowd-source the game to completion and offer it for free to everyone that helps.

Like past Humble Bundles, this one is DRM-free and -- with the exception of the Windows-only Jack Claw code -- all the games are available to download for PC, Mac and Linux. Additionally, purchasers are entitled to Steam, Desura and OnLive product keys for compatible titles, as well as the soundtracks for Trine and the Shadowgrounds games.

Oh! And how could we forget? Any two portions of your purchase can be donated to the Child's Play Charity and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a public interest nonprofit that protects consumers' digital rights. Check out the Frozenbyte Bundle promotional video after the break to find out more about this most awesome offering -- or just go buy it already!

[Thanks, Luis!]

Continue reading New Humble Bundle features Frozenbyte games and prototype

New Humble Bundle features Frozenbyte games and prototype originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LittleBigPlanet custom shoes being auctioned for Child's Play

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:25:00 EST

If you're in love with the LittleBigPlanet universe from your head to your feet, it's time you donned some apparel representative of your admiration: The shoe artists at KyozoKicks have transformed a pair of Vans into a sticker-stuck canvas, inspired by Media Molecule's customizable PS3 platformers.

Continue reading LittleBigPlanet custom shoes being auctioned for Child's Play

LittleBigPlanet custom shoes being auctioned for Child's Play originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play raised over $2 million in 2010

JC Fletcher — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST

The Child's Play charity announced today that it brought in a grand (grand) total of $2,294,317.53 in donations for 2010, a new annual record for the organization. Reflecting on the figure at the bottom of a Penny Arcade news post primarily about a repellent fruit sludge you squeeze into your mouth, Jerry "Tycho Brahe" Holkins said that the lifetime total for Child's Play donations is now over nine million dollars, noting to contributors, "If it is possible to Win Charity, you have done so." He also pointed out that not all of last year's donations are likely to have been accounted for yet.

Gamasutra reports that some of the larger donations came from charity drives like the Humble Indie Bundle, which contributed $300,000 during its second-year initiative in late December, and the "Desert Bus for Hope" marathon, which raised $207,000, in addition to the Gears of War 3 "Fate of Carmine" fundraiser, which accounted for $150,000 in donations and might have killed a virtual guy. Another high-profile fundraiser, the Indie iPhone sale, brought in around $25,000 to the charity.

Child's Play raised over $2 million in 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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72-hour charity marathon lets internet pick games, gets really tough ones

Mike Schramm — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:30:00 EST

The marathon gaming team Wily Whompers was scheduled to race team Zeldathon this week, but when that showdown fell through, it decided to turn its marathon into a Viewer's Choice of sorts, asking Reddit readers to help choose which games to play for 72 hours straight. The group is also raising money for Child's Play as it streams the event -- so far it has only reached a few hundred dollars, but there's still time left to play ... and watch.

The team started with a run through Mega Man 10 and then the Reddit folks showed a cruel streak, sending the players through Super Meat Boy (we're told they beat all of the Light World levels and the warp zones), Super Ghouls N Ghosts and a few other unforgiving titles before the Whompers' current challenge as of this writing: Beating the forehead-slappingly difficult Demon's Souls. We can only wish them luck -- we're hard pressed to do anything for three days straight, much less play some of the hardest games around.

72-hour charity marathon lets internet pick games, gets really tough ones originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Humble Bundle 2 closes, earns over $1.8 million

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 10:38:00 EST

The Humble Indie Bundle 2 -- which added last year's bundle during its promotion -- has raised over $1.8 million. The name-your-own-price, DRM-free set included indie darlings like Braid, Machinarium and Osmos, along with several others.

Purchasers could decide whether their years of saved pennies went to developers, the Electronic Frontier Foundation or the Child's Play Charity. They could also provide a "humble tip" for the bundle's organizers.

Humble Bundle organizers plan on releasing more detailed statistics later but, beyond the final sum, we know that there were 232,849 purchases, with an average payment for the 12-game bundle of $7.83. Windows operating systems made up a majority of the purchases, but Linux users offered up the most support with an average purchase of $13.76. If you're all good little boys and girls, the Humble Bundle might return next year with a new set of indie greats.

Humble Bundle 2 closes, earns over $1.8 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play nearing $2 million in donations

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST

Donations from charitable gamers like you have pushed the Child's Play 2010 donation total to an all-time high of $1.85 million -- all of which will go towards purchasing toys and games for children's hospitals across the globe. That's a bit higher than last year's total of $1.78 million. It's also dangerously close to $2 million, which just looks like a gargantuan sum of money, doesn't it?

If you haven't already donated to this worthy, worthy cause -- or even if you have! -- why not give a little something something to bring this total over the $2 mil mark? You could even get some incredible games for doing so, which is the very definition of a win-win transaction.

Child's Play nearing $2 million in donations originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Humble Indie Bundle 2 grosses over $500K in day-one purchases, led by Minecraft's Persson

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST

"Humble Bundle" no longer seems like an appropriate name. In less than 24 hours upon release, the pay-what-you-want indie game collection Humble Bundle #2 earned over $500,000 in revenue and appears to be well on its way to beating the first bundle's seven-figure returns.

The Humble Bundle website offers an interesting look into purchasing trends by providing real-time stats. As of writing, over 70,000 people have purchased the pack, including Minecraft creator Markus Persson, who paid an extraordinary $2,000, and Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling, who went with a generous $500 payment. The average selling price for the bundle is currently $7 and change.

The Humble Bundle #2 includes five celebrated indie titles: Braid, Cortex Command, Machinarium, Osmos and Revenge of the Titans. Purchasers can divide their payments between the developers, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Child's Play Charity as they see fit.

Humble Indie Bundle 2 grosses over $500K in day-one purchases, led by Minecraft's Persson originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Humble Indie Bundle 2 revealed, name your price for Braid, Machinarium and more

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:35:00 EST

Looks like the organizers of the second annual Humble Indie Bundle are busting out the big guns for this year's charity drive -- the name-your-own-price, DRM-free package includes Jonathan Blow's time-twisting platformer Braid, the infinitely charming adventure game Machinarium, the side-scrolling shooter Cortex Command, the super soothing (and equally pretty) Osmos and the tower defense-meets-RTS gem Revenge of the Titans. That's a whole lot of bang for your buck, or nickel, or thousand bucks.

This year, purchasers can choose how much of their donation goes to four possible recipients: The games' developers, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Child's Play Charity or the Humble Indie Bundle organizers. Yes, you can not only customize how much altruism you're going to exhibit with your purchase, you can also customize where that altruism goes! Unless, of course, you pirate it, sending out no altruism to nowhere. You monster.

Humble Indie Bundle 2 revealed, name your price for Braid, Machinarium and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play 2010 passes $1 million in donations

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST

The gaming community's collective back is in desperate need of a thorough patting -- with recent donations raked in by events like the Desert Bus for Hope marathon and the Penny Arcade auction dinner, the total for Child's Play donations has reached 1.2 million American dollars.

Continue reading Child's Play 2010 passes $1 million in donations

Child's Play 2010 passes $1 million in donations originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 12 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheap Ass Gamer holding Child's Play donation drive

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 23:30:00 EST

Our buds, bros, chums and cohorts over at Cheap Ass Gamer are hosting a pretty clever donation drive for Child's Play 2010 (alongside its annual charity drive, of course) -- for every new follower the bargain-wise site obtains on Twitter, its generous creators will give a quarter to to buy some games for sick kids in hospitals across the country .

To take part in the drive, sign in on the promotion's official page, click the link to follow CAG on Twitter, and then (optionally) Tweet the message provided to you to share it with your followers. Not only will CAG donate a quarter for each of your followers who participates, but you'll also move up the leaderboards based on how much cash your endorsement rakes in (UK residents can also participate and will be automatically redirected). And if there's one thing we love, it is earning ranks on leaderboards. By which, of course, we mean "charity!" We love charity so, so much. Way more than we love bolstering our e-peen.

Extra charitable folks who want a chance to win a couple thousand dollars in prizes can also enter a raffle the site is holding -- for every $5 you donate via CAG's PayPal to Child's Play, you get one entry for the raffle. Did we mention thousands of dollars in prizes?

Cheap Ass Gamer holding Child's Play donation drive originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Portal gun to be auctioned off for Child's Play

David Hinkle — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EST

Not only could you own one of the best gaming props ever made (and an even better version of the prop, at that), but you could also help children have better lives. Can you think of a better win-win situation than that? Outside of owning a real, working Portal gun, that is.

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Portal gun to be auctioned off for Child's Play originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Name two of Slam Bolt Scrappers' scrappers in Child's Play auctions

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST

Without the help of special potions, unguents or spells, immortality is a pretty tricky thing to obtain. Fire Hose Games is offering a pretty rare opportunity to have your genius brain live forever: The studio is auctioning off the chance to name one of the characters in its upcoming downloadable tower defense/action title Slam Bolt Scrappers, one-hundred percent of the proceeds from which will go to Child's Play. A second character's naming rights will be sold off during the Child's Play Charity Dinner in Seattle on December 7 -- tickets for which are still available!

There are some limitations, of course. You can't name the characters anything inappropriate, copyright-infringing or too long, so, sorry, Boner MacBurgerKing, but you'll never be a real person. Not ever.

Name two of Slam Bolt Scrappers' scrappers in Child's Play auctions originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Desert Bus for Hope 2010 promises more punishment for charity

JC Fletcher — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:40:00 EST

It's that time of year again -- when a profoundly boring unreleased game is played for days on end in an effort to procure other, better games for hospitalized kids. Desert Bus for Hope is a marathon in which the members of LoadingReadyRun play "Desert Bus," a minigame from the canceled Sega CD game Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors, over and over again in shifts, beginning tomorrow, November 19 at 9PM ET.

This year, instead of enduring the monotony of Desert Bus (in which players drive a bus from Tucson to Las Vegas, never going faster than 45 miles per hour) for four hours at a time, the members of LoadingReadyRun plan to play in twenty-four-hour shifts. And they'll keep playing as long as donations to Child's Play continue to come in. In addition, fans will be able to donate money to throw "virtual pies" at the team in an online minigame that will be hosted by The Escapist. One lucky LoadingReadyRun cast member will even get a real pie in the face.

We'd say we also look forward to the charity event that will directly follow this one. You know, the effort to raise funds for Loading Ready Run's psychiatric treatment -- but they're Canadian. Their Desert Bus-related PTSD will be treated for free.

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Desert Bus for Hope 2010 promises more punishment for charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reach for your wallet and bid on Emile's helmet for charity

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:25:00 EST

Looking for a fashion statement that says, "Hey, I'm potentially violent, but I've also got a big, sweet heart?" Look no further than this Good-Game-Media eBay auction: a replica of the Halo: Reach helmet worn by Emile; the proceeds from which go to Child's Play and the Brian Wood Memorial Trust.

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Reach for your wallet and bid on Emile's helmet for charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play 2010 site now live, accepting donations

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST

While you read up on Black Friday deals and pour over reviews from this year's holiday game releases, might we suggest taking a time out to donate? Each year, Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity collects donations from gamers of all walks of life -- be they Desert Bus marathon runners, major game developers, or anyone in between -- in an effort to provide "donations of toys, games, books and cash for sick kids in children's hospitals across North America and the world."

Last year, CP raised over $1.7 million, and the charity's expansion in 2010 will certainly help to best that milestone and allow over 70 hospitals to be chosen and donated to directly. Head over to the Child's Play website for specifics on how to give, or text "GAMERS" to 50555 and donate $5. You totally just did it, didn't you? You're the best!

Child's Play 2010 site now live, accepting donations originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gears of War 3's 'Fate of Carmine' campaign raises $150K for Child's Play

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:03:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

The fate of Gears of War 3's Clayton Carmine is sealed. Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski and Rod Fergusson wouldn't reveal what fate would ultimately befall the latest Carmine, but announced that the "Fate of Carmine" campaign has raised $150,000 for Child's Play.

Although the promotion/charity event ended September 1, it appears that the shirts are still available for purchase (SAVE CARMINE Male, Female / CARMINE MUST DIE Male, Female) on the Xbox Marketplace. We're sure that buying the apparel now won't affect Clayton's chance at survival, but it's unclear if the proceeds still go to charity -- we're following up with Microsoft.

Update: The shirts should no longer be available, therefore the whole promotion is over.

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Clayton Carmine)

Continue reading Gears of War 3's 'Fate of Carmine' campaign raises $150K for Child's Play

Gears of War 3's 'Fate of Carmine' campaign raises $150K for Child's Play originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Telltale Games bundles Puzzle Agent, Sam and Max, four more for $20

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST

Starting right now, Telltale Games is offering six adventure games for just $19.95. The initial four are The Whispered World, Jack Keane, King's Quest Collection, and Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode 1, with Telltale's own Puzzle Agent and Sam & Max: Season 2 unlocking as more people buy the bundle.

Child's Play and The World Wildlife Fund are among five charities receiving 25 percent of the profits from this promotion. The deal is currently being offered only on PC, and will be available via the Telltale Games store until September 10.

Telltale Games bundles Puzzle Agent, Sam and Max, four more for $20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Golden Charity will destroy Team Fortress 2 Golden Wrench for Child's Play

David Hinkle — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:01:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Through the destruction of a coveted item, one man is hoping to create something good for some children in need. That's the goal of Golden Charity, an initiative that will see one Team Fortress 2 player sacrifice his Golden Wrench in the name of Child's Play. If that ain't the utmost spirit of charity, then we're not sure what is.

WiNG, lucky recipient number 31 of Valve's gaudy gift, is soliciting donations until August 23, with the top 20 contributors receiving a front-row seat to the wrench's demise on August 31. When you think about it that way, it almost seems barbaric; all of these folks, sitting around, watching something perish. But it's in the name of charity, so we guess it all balances out in the end.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Golden Charity will destroy Team Fortress 2 Golden Wrench for Child's Play originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mario Marathon squashing Goombas for charity once again

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

For the third year in a row, a small group of brave, platforming-adept gamers have holed themselves up in a room, where they'll play a vast cornucopia of Mario titles until their viewers allow them to stop. That sounds more sadistic than it actually is -- the Mario Marathon is actually a charity drive, where the players take on more difficult in-game tasks as donations for Child's Play continue to pile in.

They're currently standing at a little over $20,000, but they'll need a lot more fungible encouragement if they're going to be made to tackle some of their loftier goals. Why not drop by and show your support?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Mario Marathon squashing Goombas for charity once again originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Humble Indie Bundle extended, pulls in over $1 million

Justin McElroy — Wed, 12 May 2010 09:05:00 EST

If you haven't gotten in on the Humble Indie Bundle, which packages five great indie games for a price of your choosing, you've still got time -- the sale (which also benefits charities like Child's Play) has been extended after making over $1.1 million in just a few days. And now, as if all but giving away their games wasn't thanks enough, the devs are giving back by making four of the games in the bundle (Aquaria, Gish, Lugaru HD and Penumbra Overture) open source.

At this rate, there's no way they can legitimately call the next one the "Humble Indie Bundle 2," can they? Dudes are rolling in it. Let's just say we're eagerly anticipating the "Go Pick Up My Suit From the Dry Cleaner Semi-Indie Bundle Fueled by Dew" in 2011.

[Thanks, killerrin]

Humble Indie Bundle extended, pulls in over $1 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 May 2010 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One-quarter of Humble Indie Bundle downloads were pirated

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:30:00 EST

Perhaps you've heard of (or purchased!) the Humble Indie Bundle -- a set of five DRM-free indie games, which you can choose your own price for, the entirety of which goes to two completely deserving charities. Despite the bundle's altruism and affordability, Wolfire Games reports that over one quarter of the total downloads of the package were pirated. You read that right -- a grip of people have stolen the choose-your-own-price indie-bundle-for-charity. Talk about sticking it to The Man.

This fraction of creeps shouldn't cheapen the fact that the bundle's already brought in $716,944 for the five games, as well as the Child's Play and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, but it's still pretty disheartening. If you'll excuse us, we need to go watch Happy-Go-Lucky or perhaps a few episodes of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition until we regain our faith in humanity.

[Via Ars Technica]

One-quarter of Humble Indie Bundle downloads were pirated originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 May 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Humble Indie Bundle: Pay what you want for World of Goo and four others

Mike Schramm — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:30:00 EST

You've commented on Joystiq posts about oppressive DRM many times before. You dutifully wear your Target-purchased indie game t-shirt every week without fail. And you read every Joystiq Indie Pitch we post. But if you want to put some money towards supporting indie games, you won't find a better way to do it than this. Wolfire Games and a few other indie developers have put together the "Humble Indie Bundle" sale, offering five terrific award-winning indie games (World of Goo, Aquaria, Gish, Lugaru and Penumbra Overture) for the low, low price of ... whatever you want.

That's right -- they're asking you to pay what you feel is right for these bundled, non-DRM, developer-owned Mac, Linux or PC games. And that's not all: You can even specify part or all of your donation to go to a charity, either Child's Play or the Electronic Frontier Foundation. That's about as selfless as it gets in gaming -- pay what you think it's worth, to charity or the people who made it.

The average donation so far is about $8.00, but individuals have donated as much as $500 to the effort. You get lots of chances to say you support indie gaming, but fewer great chances like this to put your money where your mouth is. And walking away with five great indie titles to play doesn't hurt, either.

Humble Indie Bundle: Pay what you want for World of Goo and four others originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 May 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child's Play charity raises more than $1.7 million in 2009

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST

Though the guys over at Penny Arcade would probably find more eloquent ways to articulate this piece of news, we'd like to simply say: Holy crap, you guys. The annual Child's Play charity drive raised over $1.7 million in donations in 2009. Despite the fact that everyone lost their jobs, and the stock market ate all our monies, you still found a way to dig deep and give games to sick kids. This is us high-fiving you. (Smack!)

To learn more about the charity, check out the latest episode of PATV. Not only does it give a nice history of the foundation, it also does a great job of showing you where your donations end up.

Child's Play charity raises more than $1.7 million in 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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