CCP, the world’s leading independent developer of massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, today announced that the players of its game EVE Online have donated US$190,890 to the Icelandic Red Cross to help the citizens of the Philippines recover from Typhoon Haiyan. The money was raised through the "PLEX for GOOD" program, which allows players of EVE Online to collectively donate in-game currency to worthy charities, as well as other associated donations.
During the PLEX for GOOD drive the EVE community banded together in dozens of unique player-run efforts to donate 12,726 PLEX (approximately 1060 years of playtime) to total US$190,890.
The drive culminated on December 7 in an 8+ hour ‘telethon’ live-streamed on Twitch (www.twitch.tv/ccp) featuring EVE Online developers who pledged unique donations as fundraising milestones were hit, including developer boxing matches, male and female head-shaving, getting a full-arm tattoo, sparring versus a Tae Kwon Do champion and even getting shot with one paintball for every US$2,000 donated. Other programming included a guest appearance and "training session" by mixed martial arts phenom Gunnar "Gunni" Nelson, a developer cooking competition, Q&A sessions and a live sampling of the most exotic tastes of Icelandic cuisine.
While the interactive content of the telethon was on the lighter side, the heartfelt thanks from CCP’s development staff to its players is very sincere. Every milestone was reached and well surpassed.
"We often talk about how EVE is ‘real’, a simulation of humanity where there are few rules and all the economic, political and social forces of human nature push the boundaries of morality in all directions," said Hilmar Veigar Petursson, CEO of CCP, "We’ve seen the passionate side of our players over the past decade, but truly nothing could prepare us for this level of generosity from them. It is humbling. It is beautiful. It is what EVE is really about."
Coupled with the other PLEX for GOOD efforts, EVE Fanfest silent auctions and other associated charity drives, the EVE community has raised a total of over US$340,000 for charitable causes since EVE was released on May 6, 2003.