14 DAY TRIAL // Blizzard Entertainment, the creator of such well known videogame franchises like StarCraft, Diablo and Warcraft, has announced that it has made a 1.1 million dollar donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which aims to help young patients fulfill one wish that they could not afford otherwise. The group usually helps those kids who have a life threatening disease.
It's interesting to note where the money actually comes from. The 1.1 million dollars represent exactly 50% of the revenue Blizzard managed to generate through the sale of a pet that can be used inside its MMO World of Warcraft, currently the most played subscription-based videogame in the world.
The Pandaren Monk was initially offered in November 2009 and Blizzard explicitly stated that half of the money it got from the sale would be used for charity. 220,000 of the pets were sold in all, suggesting that the World of Warcraft playing community is ready to contribute to charity even if their only reward is a pet, which does not have any in-game effect. Blizzard might organize similar efforts in the future to harness the power of MMO-based money giving.
Mike Morhaime, who is the Chief Executive Officer and one of the co-founders of Blizzard Entertainment, stated that “We've had a long relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and we're proud to support the priceless work they do for children. This donation also reflects the spirit and generosity of our players - their enthusiasm for World of Warcraft and for supporting a good cause made this possible.” David Williams, who is the CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, thanked Blizzard for its contribution saying that “This generosity is helping us bring hope, strength and joy to children when they and their families are facing an unimaginably difficult time in their young lives.”