GDN: Be a Real World Hero

Players of the “City of Heroes” massively-multiplayer online (MMO) computer game are collaborating to collect donations for three real world charities this holiday season. They have created a six-week donation drive at www.RealWorldHero.com that will run Nov. 20, 2009 through Jan. 1, 2010 and be promoted from within the “City of Heroes” game environment.

The idea was formulated by Joel and Karen Garcia, long-time “City of Heroes” players, after attending the HeroCon 2009 event hosted by NCsoft and Paragon Studios, the development studios behind the game. The gaming couple was inspired to encourage real world heroism from fellow gamers after hearing the extensive complimentary comments of the game development team toward the dynamic gaming community during an industry panel, including those from Brian Clayton, Executive Producer and Studio Head of Paragon Studios -- "You guys are by far the best community in the MMO space bar none."

Other members of the panel suggested that perhaps the idea of playing heroes had attracted a community of people who reflect those qualities idealized in society’s favorite comic book super heroes.

With that in mind, www.RealWorldHero.com was created to draw the “City of Heroes” community together in supporting three selected charities this holiday season:

Operation Gratitude (www.OpGratitude.com) - Sending over 100,000 care packages annually filled with snacks, entertainment items and letters of appreciation to U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions, their mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member’s face and express to all our armed forces the appreciation and support of the American people. (Tax ID 20-0103575)

Donate Games (www.DonateGames.org) - Founded upon the belief that people can change the world by simply donating their unwanted video games, Donate Games is a charity dedicated to funding research and support for children with “orphan” diseases and the millions of other Americans affected by them. Donate Games collects new and used video game donations and then resells them online to help the millions of young people suffering from these neglected disorders. (Tax ID 26-3438815)

Child’s Play (www.ChildsPlayCharity.org) - A community based charity grown and nurtured from the game culture and industry. Since its founding by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins of the online comic strip Penny Arcade in 2003, Child’s Play has donated more than $5 million dollars in toys, games, books, and cash for sick children in hospitals across the U.S. and the world. (Tax ID 20-3584556)

100% of all donations made through www.RealWorldHero.com will go directly to these non-profit organizations.