Typhoon-Haiyan
Latest
EVE Online's PLEX for GOOD drive raised over $190K to aid The Philippines
EVE Online players aren't all about intrigues and blowing each other up in New Eden, they are about helping others in this world. The community banded together in the recent Plex for GOOD drive and raised $190,890, all of which goes to the Icelandic Red Cross to help The Philippines recover from Typhoon Haiyan. CCP's development staff offers a very heartfelt thanks to its players for their generosity. The drive, which included dozens of unique player-run efforts and culminated in a CCP telethon that lasted over eight hours, brought in 12,726 PLEX (equaling approximately 1060 years of playtime). The livestreamed telethon featured EVE Online devs who pledged things like head-shaving and sparring with a Tae Kwon Do champion when certain fundraising milestones were hit. Perhaps the most painful dev pledge was getting shot with one paintball for every $2,000 donated! Sprinkled throughout the telethon were other tidbits including a dev cooking competition, Q&A sessions, and more. You can watch the follow through with the paintball pledge below, and catch the telethon in its entirety on YouTube. [Source: CCP press release]
EVE Evolved: Donate your old spaceships to charity
The Philippines recently suffered its worst natural disaster in living memory when typhoon Haiyan made landfall on November 8th, leaving over half a million people displaced and millions without food and basic supplies. Countries and organisations around the world have been sending relief aid into the region, and gamers have once again proven to be a generous bunch. Several livestreamers have been running donation drives; the developers behind Luvinia Online even promised to donate 100% of the income from three new in-game items to the Philippine Red Cross. EVE Online has now also joined in the fundraising by reactivating its popular PLEX for Good scheme. CCP started the PLEX for Good scheme back in January of 2010 as a way for players to donate in-game assets and ISK to help people in the real world. EVE Online players have collectively donated over $150,000 US in aid following 2010's Haitian earthquake, tsunami devastation in Japan, flooding in Pakistan, and tornadoes in the US two years ago. Players hope to smash all fundraising records this time around with dedicated fundraising auctions, events, and liquidation firesales happening across the game. There are even ways for ex-players without active subscriptions to donate their idle in-game assets to charity. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the PLEX for Good scheme, the fundraising efforts players are using to help out a country in need, and how you can donate your ISK to charity even if you've long since quit EVE.
Typhoon Haiyan victims to be aided by CCP 'PLEX for GOOD' campaign
CCP, developer of EVE Online, DUST 514 and the upcoming World of Darkness MMO, is currently holding a donation drive to help aid those affected by Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines earlier this month. Each donation of an EVE player's Pilot License Extension (PLEX) during this "PLEX for GOOD" campaign funnels $15 toward the Icelandic Red Cross, and CCP is prepared to give up to a maximum of $75,000. The drive will last until December 7. For those who haven't yet launched into the vast and open world of EVE Online, PLEX is not only an in-game item, but also how players subscribe to the game. By either purchasing PLEX outright with real-world currency or earning it in-game, players are allowed to fly their ships for 30 more days. In other words, players aren't just donating in-game items, they're donating the item that allows them to play. To thank them for their contribution, CCP is rewarding donors with a special in-game shirt. Those who want to donate can read more about the process over on the EVE community blog.
