While 2009 was one of the worst years for the gaming industry in a very, very long time and while people aren't so willing to give away their hard-earned cash to purchase a new video game, they are more willing to make a purchase from the “save your soul” publisher. Gaming studios are firing people in the thousands and publishers are shutting down developers like it's the apocalypse, so it's no wonder that charitable actions that are tied in with video games are doing remarkably well. Karmic balance must be restored for all those unemployed people, so everyone is willing to chip in. Most likely, even the people that did the damage.

With the 2009 Penny Arcade Child's Play charity driving on for over a month now, the collected sum has already climbed up as high as one million dollars, and it's still rising. “We are currently sitting at $1,010,680.28! That's up from $748,312.10 last week,” “Gabe” Mike Krahulik said on Friday.

“This is Child's Play's seventh year, and this is the fastest we have ever gotten to the million dollar mark. Considering everything that's going on [with the economy], that's just astounding.” And it seems like the tally will go a lot higher, since there is plenty of donating time still to go, as well as special events, like the big Ümloud! charity night, sponsored by Rock Band.

The charity took place for the first time in 2003, when Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, the founders of the Penny Arcade webcomic, decided to try and make a difference and improve the lifestyle of children around the world. Since then, the charity has grown in size considerably, gathered a lot of donation money, helped many children around the world to live a more comfortable life and it seems that not even the economic screw-ups of this year can quell people's need to help their fellows.