Hi-Rez Studios and the passionate player communities of its games SMITE and Paladins have now surpassed $1 million in donations to Child’s Play Charity, after a new $419,446 donation.
“We love that our fans stand by Child’s Play’s mission of helping kids feel better by playing games,” said Stew Chisam, CEO of Hi-Rez Studios. “Philanthropy is an important part of Hi-Rez’s identity and we’re so lucky to have players that support doing good in the world with an awesome partner like Child’s Play. To know we helped fund a gaming and technology specialist position for our local Child’s Play Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, brings this even closer to home”.
The collaboration between Hi-Rez Studios and Child’s Play Charity started as an effort to celebrate
Universal Children’s Day. In 2015, the Hi-Rez player community welcomed the opportunity to support
Child’s Play through the purchase of a holiday chest in SMITE that included a Child’s Play Scylla skin.
Sales resulted in a $224,000 donation. Hi-Rez developers have continued the yearly tradition, and
expanded the promotion to include Paladins in 2018. This resulted in sending a massive check in April of
2019 for $419,446 which helped Hi-Rez Studios and its player communities to surpass a cumulative
million-dollar donation milestone for Child’s Play.
Child’s Play Charity seeks to improve the lives of young people in hospitals and shelters through the
power of play. Supporting the Child Life departments, Child’s Play helps purchase much-needed
technology, equipment, and distraction tools that aid in creating a sense of calm and normalcy for
children.
“We know the gaming community can relate to the mission of Child’s Play. We hear stories every day of someone who used the power of play to overcome adversity in their lives and they know Child’s Play will help make that happen for pediatric patients and domestic violence shelters,” says Travis Eriksen, Executive Director of Child’s Play.
