Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Speed Gamers return with another 72-hour marathon for charity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/the-speed-gamers-return-with-another-72-hour-marathon-for-charit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/the-speed-gamers-return-with-another-72-hour-marathon-for-charit/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/06/the-speed-gamers-return-with-another-72-hour-marathon-for-charit/#comments
Texas-based marathon-gaming group The Speed Gamers is preparing for its annual winter charity drive once again, this year raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation through extensive exposure to Mario and his various exploits.

Starting at 7 p.m. Eastern on December 14, the group's non-stop 72-hour gaming session will work its way through a respectable block of Mario games, spanning the vastness of the plumber's body of work, both new and old. The whole event will be streamed live on the group's official website, where viewers can donate to not only help a worthy cause, but to also win prizes and play practical jokes on the marathoners.

So far this year, The Speed Gamers has already raised $59,324.36 for charity, thanks to its insane 168-hour Pokemon marathon last June. In total, the organization has accumulated $369,304.15 for various causes since it was founded in 2008.

JoystiqThe Speed Gamers return with another 72-hour marathon for charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscharitycharity-marathonMake-A-Wishmake-a-wish-foundationmarathonmariomario-marathonnintendosuper-mariothe-speed-gamerswiiwii-uThu, 06 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Feel-good Sunday post: 11-year-old makes games for cancer patients, charity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/22/feel-good-sunday-post-11-year-old-makes-games-for-cancer-patien/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/22/feel-good-sunday-post-11-year-old-makes-games-for-cancer-patien/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/22/feel-good-sunday-post-11-year-old-makes-games-for-cancer-patien/#comments Game development has become more accessible to non-professionals with tool suites such as GameSalad, which is what 11-year-old Conner Haines used to start his own studio, Flip Flop Games. Through Flip Flop, Haines began the BElieve program, where he turns game ideas from cancer patients age 5-12 into real iOS titles, with all profit going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Flip Flop's app sales clock in at more than 1,400 so far, and it sounds like Haines is just getting started. He says it takes him two to three months to complete an idea, and eligible kids can submit their ideas right here.

JoystiqFeel-good Sunday post: 11-year-old makes games for cancer patients, charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>11-year-oldcharityConner-HainesiosipadiphoneMake-A-WishmobileSun, 22 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Make-A-Wish recipient's Allied Star Police now available from PopCap]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/make-a-wish-recipients-allied-star-police-now-available-from-po/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/make-a-wish-recipients-allied-star-police-now-available-from-po/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/make-a-wish-recipients-allied-star-police-now-available-from-po/#comments
You may not remember the name Owain Weinert, but you probably remember his story. The 9-year-old, who's been living with leukemia since 2010, had a dream fulfilled by the Make-A-Wish foundation when he designed a game in conjunction with PopCap.

Today, the product of that collaboration -- Allied Star Police -- arrives on iOS platforms courtesy of PopCap's 4th and Battery branch. Better yet, the top-down arcade RTS tower defense game (ambitious for a rookie!), is available for free on the App Store right now. Well, what are you waiting for? What are you, made of stone?

Continue reading Make-A-Wish recipient's Allied Star Police now available from PopCap

JoystiqMake-A-Wish recipient's Allied Star Police now available from PopCap originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allied-star-policeiositunesmake-a-wishmobilepopcapThu, 21 Jul 2011 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Make-A-Wish receives $800K from WoW DLC proceeds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/make-a-wish-receives-800k-from-wow-dlc-proceeds/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/make-a-wish-receives-800k-from-wow-dlc-proceeds/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/make-a-wish-receives-800k-from-wow-dlc-proceeds/#comments The Make-A-Wish Foundation has received an $800,000 donation from Blizzard Entertainment. Well, technically, it's from Blizzard's customers, who dropped $10 on the World of Warcraft "Moonkin Hatchling" in-game pet. According to the foundation, the donation was based on "50 percent of the total sales during November and December 2010" of the little bear-bird.

Blizzard also welcomed two Make-A-Wish kids to the studio on April 29, "World Wish Day," to tour the digs and meet the development team. A similar promotion a year ago, featuring a Pandaren Monk, raised $1.1 million for the organization.

JoystiqMake-A-Wish receives $800K from WoW DLC proceeds originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 May 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>macMake-A-WishMake-A-Wish FoundationMake-A-Wish-Foundationmoonkin-hatchlingpcWorld-of-WarcraftWoWThu, 05 May 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Make-A-Wish and PopCap help 9-year-old create his own iOS game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/30/make-a-wish-and-popcap-helps-9-year-old-create-his-own-ios-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/30/make-a-wish-and-popcap-helps-9-year-old-create-his-own-ios-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/30/make-a-wish-and-popcap-helps-9-year-old-create-his-own-ios-game/#comments PopCap and the Make-A-Wish foundation recently teamed up to help 9-year-old Owain Weinert, who was diagnosed with Leukemia last year, realize his dream of creating his very own iOS game. The developer took Weinert's idea for the title -- a real-time strategy game called Allied Star Police -- and turned it into a fully-fledged product which is set to launch on the iPad and iPhone App Stores sometime within the next few months. Best of all, the proceeds from the game will go directly to Make-A-Wish, forming some kind of beautiful circle of altruism.

Check out a video report from Seattle's FOX affiliate after the jump to see the launch party PopCap threw for Weinert and his friends. You might want to brace yourself, though, because you're about to have a new favorite kid of all time.

Continue reading Make-A-Wish and PopCap help 9-year-old create his own iOS game

JoystiqMake-A-Wish and PopCap help 9-year-old create his own iOS game originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allied-star-policeiosipadiphoneMake-A-WishmobilepopcapSat, 30 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[12-year-old Make-A-Wisher designs GameStop's holiday gift card]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/25/12-year-old-make-a-wisher-designs-gamestops-holiday-gift-card/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/25/12-year-old-make-a-wisher-designs-gamestops-holiday-gift-card/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/25/12-year-old-make-a-wisher-designs-gamestops-holiday-gift-card/#comments
Rather than choosing something selfish like the opportunity to ride Donald Trump like a pony or a trip around the Moon with the original Apollo 11 astronauts, 12-year-old Make-A-Wish Foundation wish recipient Emily Adkins instead chose to give back to the foundation. In designing the Holiday 2009 GameStop gift card, Adkins secured $1 per card purchased (up to $100k) for the Make-A-Wish coffers.

Though the design will be featured amongst other gift cards this year, GameStop is offering the donation deal across all card designs. Any gift cards purchased from now until December 26 will go towards the donations, though none of the proceeds will bring Emily any closer to riding Donald Trump like a pony. Isn't that just a crime?

Joystiq12-year-old Make-A-Wisher designs GameStop's holiday gift card originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>donald-trumpdonationgamestopgift-cardholiday-2009holidaysmake-a-wishmake-a-wish-foundationWed, 25 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rock Band competition sponsoring Make-A-Wish in Vancouver]]>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/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?

JoystiqRock Band competition sponsoring Make-A-Wish in Vancouver originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charityeaElectronic-Artsharmonixmake-a-wishmake-a-wish-foundationrock-bandFri, 05 Sep 2008 02:00:00 EST