The EVE Online PLEX For Good campaign has raised over $135,000 to support COVID-19 Relief via the WHO's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the John Hopkins Center for Health Security.
EVE Online is a ruthless, cutthroat game. Featuring full PVP, a player can lose some or all of their most valuable assets in a heartbeat if they're not careful. This has bred a population of players who don't blind twice at engaging in a massive battle with assets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line.
"An unprecedented global crisis has been met by an unprecedented level of support and for that, I am once again hugely proud, grateful and humbled by the efforts of our players. We stand together as a community in our support of the work that is being done by health workers, scientists, and institutes around the world to fight this pandemic and bolster its relief." – CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson
Surviving the virtual galaxy can be tough — war is always just around the corner and there are no shortage of players ready to take everything of value you have on you. Despite its harshness, the players of EVE Online occasionally do some real-world good — and they've done just that, yet again.
If you're unfamiliar with EVE Online's terminology, a "PLEX" — or Pilot's License EXtension — is an actual in-game item that can be bought and sold on the game's open markets which extends a player's game time by 30 days. This makes it possible to play the game without spending any real-world money by purchasing PLEX with in-game currency. CCP Games is still getting paid, though — PLEX are only spawned by someone spending real-world money to buy one and bring it into the game world.
The EVE Online PLEX For Good campaign has raised a total of $135,550 for the WHO's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the John Hopkins Center for Health Security., all thanks to the generous contributions of players. Thus far, the PLEX For Good campaign has raised a grand total of $713,620 for charitable causes.
PLEX For Good Campaign Has Another Success
Six figures for COVID-19 relief is certainly impressive, but it isn't the first time the EVE Online PLEX For Good campaign has hit such a milestone. In fact, the game's community raised almost as much earlier this year for an entirely different charitable cause.
The beginnings of 2020 saw Australia ravaged by wildfires. Tens of thousands of people were displaced and funds were badly needed to provide relief efforts; EVE Online players happily stepped up to raise over $100,000 to help the nation down under.
This campaign is over for now, but EVE Online will surely continue its charitable efforts in the future. If you haven't yet jumped into this brutal MMO, you can play a limited version of EVE Online for free via its official website; expanding to a full subscription will cost you $14.95/month or your regional equivalent.
What do you think of the most recent success story from the EVE Online PLEX For Good campaign? What's your favorite thing about EVE Online? Let us know in the comments below!
