Video Game Charity ESA Donates Hundreds of Thousands to Those in Need

It seems rare for a story to emerge focusing on the philanthropic and charitable good the video game industry provides for kids in this country (thank you Leland Yee), and the Entertainment Software Association (or ESA) has made a name for itself by doing just that.

In the nearly 20 years since its inception, the organization has acted tirelessly as the video game industry’s philanthropic and charitable arm, raising awareness as well as financial support to dozens of children’s causes and raising funds for thousands of kids in need. Their recent “Nite to Unite For Kids” was no exception, raising nearly a million dollars for scholarships, grants, and companies who have made it their mission to create educational video games for children around the globe.

Among the companies receiving large grants: The Inspire USA Foundation, who develop educational video games to prevent teen suicide andy promote mental health; and the Federation of American Scientists, who help develop video games to promote a higher aptitude of science, especially biology.

The official honoree at this year’s gala was none other than Mike Morhaime, CEO and co-founder of Blizard Entertainment, who received the “Most Philanthropic” Award.

In the space of about 20 years, Morhaime has not only brought Blizzard from 3rd Party developer into an entertainment industry powerhouse — but made strong headway in the field of promoting children’s learning, specifically his generous donations to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

This is really just the beginning of some of the charitable efforts ESA has put forther — kind of a nice break considering all the harping and yammering so many seem to do regarding violence and sex in the gaming industry. And not only has the ESA made themselves an active part of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, they’ve also actively combated the illegal pirating of games, and perhaps most importantly, made it their mission to fight Government-imposed video game censorship.

A nice change of pace from all the talk of censorship and brutality as of late.

(vía The ESA)

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