It’s been about two weeks since Typhoon Haiyan (aka Typhoon Yolanda) hit the Philippines, causing destruction and loss in its wake, leaving almost 4,000 lives lost, over 12,000 injured, and over 1,100 persons unaccounted for. The aftermath of these effects are said to still continue to be felt throughout the region.
In response to this catastrophe, CCP Games and the EVE Online community, over half a million players strong, have reactivated the “PLEX for Good” cause to help aid survivors and relief efforts in the Philippines.
The PLEX for Good is a combined effort of both CCP Games and the EVE Online community to help raise funds for natural disaster victims. PLEX (Pilot’s License Extension) is a valuable and expensive – both in real-life and in-game – commodity which allows EVE Online players to add game-time onto their account or to trade/sell it on EVE’s market for a high price. PLEX for Good gives players the option to donate their PLEXs to the cause, in which for each PLEX donated CCP will contribute $15 USD (up to a maximum of $75,000) to the Icelandic Red Cross to help support their efforts in the Philippines. As thanks to those who donate, CCP will offer donors two in-game Sisters of EVE Food Relief t-shirts (one male, one female) to use within EVE Online .
The PLEX for Good cause in its lifetime has helped donate over $100,000 to those in need in the aftermath of a natural disaster in Haiti, Pakistan, and the United States. In total, the EVE Online community has raised over $150,000 for charitable causes since PLEX for Good’s inception following the Indian Ocean earthquake and Tsunami back in 2004.
The cause itself started on Wednesday, November 20, and will continue through to Saturday, December 7. For more information on the PLEX for Good cause for the Philippines, you can head on over to CCP’s blog entry on the matter here . There’s even an FAQ on the PLEX for Good cause if you’re interested in reading.
I find it very heartwarming whenever game developers and their communities get together to support victims of disasters or those in need in general. For all the ugliness video games are infamous for, we shouldn’t forget the amount of good that can come from video games, causes like this being an example.
My heart and thoughts go out to all those affected by this tragedy, and to all those helping to make a difference in its aftermath.