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Child's Play raises $5 million in 2012

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Game industry charity dedicated to improving lives of sick children nets record-breaking year.

Organizers of the game industry charity Child's Play recently announced that more than $5 million was raised in 2012, marking its biggest year yet. Last year's then-record-breaking tally came in at $3.5 million.

The total 2012 Child's Play haul was $5,085,761.

A Child's Play representative thanked event organizers, volunteers, and participants for their work to achieve the mark. In addition, the group called out the Humble Bundle team and made specific mention of various game marathons that benefited Child's Play, including the Mario Marathon, Zeldathon, Assassins4Kids, and more.

"We are overwhelmed, honored, grateful, and incredibly proud to be a part of such an amazing community of generous gamers," reads a line from the statement. "Thank you for a record-breaking 2012!"

Founded in 2003 by Penny Arcade's Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, Child's Play works to improve the lives of sick children through offering toys and games at a network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. For more on Child's Play, see the organization's official website.

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

17 comments
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dxshah786
dxshah786

and they said game brings connecticut shootout, but they never said game also puts smile to the faces of sick children...


Hey_Jay
Hey_Jay like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Great news from great people for a great cause!

FanboyslayerPS
FanboyslayerPS

I thought gamers were murderers in the making not charitable human beings?

V3rciS
V3rciS

 @FanboyslayerPS dude gamers are like the best being in the entire universe... fuk the rest!

OHGFawx
OHGFawx

We'll see how well next year goes without a ME3-ending debacle. At least people channeled their whining into helping a good cause.

Swifteagle89
Swifteagle89

I'm really pleased to see them doing so well. I think it's a great charity idea that clearly works!

ZetA_LatA
ZetA_LatA like.author.displayName 1 Like

Don't forget the donations in protest to Mass Effect endings.

Wastlander3000
Wastlander3000

Well this is news you hear/read only once a year pity.

DiamondDM13
DiamondDM13 like.author.displayName 1 Like

I just hope the money is not all invested in toys and games, but also in medical instruments.

GhansB
GhansB like.author.displayName 1 Like

woah nice

the CEO of Child's Play can buy that boat he always wanted!

congrats to you, man. have fun sailing :)

gatsbythepig
gatsbythepig

How much of the 5 million dollars are "Child's Play"  paying themselves?  How much does the CEO and CFO make, with the money donated?  Did anyone work or did they just play games and ask people for money?

ImperialPanda
ImperialPanda like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

 @gatsbythepig 

 

"Does Child?s Play charge administrative fees?

 

We try our best to have every dollar that comes in go right back to the hospitals, but there is a slight administrative cost that does get paid for with donations (for example, shipping thousands of consoles and games to hospitals worldwide is not free, sadly). Historically, these charges have not exceeded 6%. It?s true that we?re a non-profit, but unlike most non-profits, we?re not in it to create a self-sustainable entity. We do it to give."

 

Obviously not the same as a third-party audit, but child's play does have a history. Go look it up.

 

A little cynicism can be healthy. But being cynical and uninformed at the same time just makes you an asshole.

gatsbythepig
gatsbythepig

 @ImperialPanda Asking questions makes me informed... call me what you will.

 

 

Taking 6% of the donated $5,000,000 that was supposed to go to children makes  $300,000 disappear out of what was intended for charity.  Charity is a good thing.  Working for charity is even better.  

 

Taking money as payment, that is supposed to go to kids, makes you a lying scumbag.  Couch it in any reasoning you want- Other charities take more; It is legal to pay ourselves with donated money; It's for the kids, etc.

 

 

xs_paine
xs_paine like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @gatsbythepig  @ImperialPanda Well, first off, it says that the administrative fees have never exceeded six percent. It's not implied to be an average. Secondly, the money that they're taking "that's supposed to go to kids" is to help the process getting everything shipped to the children being donated to and to keep the charity running. Really, six percent as a maximum administrative fee is pretty low, considering that many charities take of upward of fifty percent of their earnings; it's especially true seeing as how Child's Play ships consoles and games, which can be pretty costly to move about. Additionally, I don't really see the Penny Arcade guys (who are already making enough money from that venture to live off their artistic endeavors) as "lying scumbags" only in it to make a quick buck. There are just some costs that can't really be avoided if you run a charitable organization. :P

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