Money to be distributed among food banks and other charities
Back in March, in the earlier days of COVID-19 and global social distancing, Square Enix launched its “Stay Home and Play” campaign, offering bundles of great titles from its deep catalogue at discounted prices, with all of the proceeds going to charity.
Yesterday, the publisher proudly announced that it had raised a staggering $2.4 million from these sales, every cent of which will be distributed to food banks and other charities across North America and Europe. Beneficiaries will include organisations such as The L.A. Food Bank, Dans La Rue, The Big Issue, The Trussell Trust, Hamburger Tafel, Northwest Harvest, and many more.
“We’re proud – and grateful – that we’re able to give back to our communities during this crisis and hopefully help make a difference in people’s lives,” reads a statement on Square’s official website. “It genuinely means a lot to us – not only as a company, but also as a group of people who live and work all around the world. These remain challenging times for many, so we ask that you please continue to act responsibly, follow local guidelines, and support both your communities and each other.”
In addition to the bundle sales, Square Enix had been offering up free games – including Tomb Raider (2013), Lara Croft GO, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, and others – in order to encourage people to stay indoors. These titles saw a huge total of 16 million downloads. As the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic continues, Square Enix stated that it hopes fans will continue to keep themselves and those around them safe and healthy.
