Current:Home > MarketsComic Relief US launches new Roblox game to help children build community virtually and in real life-LoTradeCoin
Comic Relief US launches new Roblox game to help children build community virtually and in real life
View Date:2024-12-23 23:51:42
NEW YORK (AP) — The notion that online gaming could help players develop charitable habits seemed bold when the anti-poverty nonprofit Comic Relief US tested its own multiverse on the popular world-building app Roblox last year.
As philanthropy wrestles with how to authentically engage new generations of digitally savvy donors, Comic Relief US CEO Alison Moore said it was “audacious” to design an experience that still maintained the “twinkle” of the organization that’s behind entertainment-driven fundraisers like Red Nose Day.
But the launch was successful enough that Comic Relief US is expanding the game this year. Kids Relief’s second annual “Game to Change the World” campaign features a magical new Roblox world, an exclusive virtual concert and a partner in children’s television pioneer Nickelodeon.
The goal is to instill empathy and raise money through a scavenger hunt across various realms, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Users travel through portals to collect magical tools that will improve their surroundings. The net proceeds from in-game purchases will be donated.
The community-building inherent in collaborative gaming is intended to subtly encourage off-screen acts of kindness.
“It’s a little bit like me helping you, you helping me — all of us together. I love the idea of doing that in a game space,” Moore told The Associated Press. “It’s not meant to be a banner ad or a sign that says, ‘Do Good.’ It’s meant to be emblematic in the gameplay itself.”
Nickelodeon is also promoting an instructional guide for kids to start their own local projects in real life such as backpack drives.
Quests are delivered from wizards voiced by “Doctor Who” icon David Tennant, “Veep” star Tony Hale and “Never Have I Ever” actress Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. One wizard invites users to “embark on an enchanted journey to awaken the heart of your community.”
The campaign will culminate in a weekend music festival on Roblox beginning Sept. 13 that features rock band Imagine Dragons, whose lead singer Dan Reynolds has focused his philanthropy on LGBTQ+ causes. Virtual acts also include Conan Gray, Poppy, d4vd and Alexander Stewart — all musical artists who got their big breaks on YouTube.
Moore said she was “blown away” by last year’s numbers. The inaugural game has been played for over 55 million minutes and one performance received the highest “concert thumbs up rating” ever on Roblox, according to Comic Relief US.
Charitable donations are increasingly being made through gaming, according to business strategist Marcus Howard.
The fit comes naturally, he said, considering that young people value experiences such as gaming over the material possessions that past generations might have bought at a charitable auction.
“It just makes sense,” Howard said.
But he finds that partners must overcome the negative stigma associated with online chat rooms. To its credit, Howard said, Roblox combines the creativity of popular competitor Fortnite with less “toxicity” because of its emphasis on cooperation over competition.
Comic Relief US kept in mind the need to build a game that appeals to both children and their parents, Moore said.
To navigate that tricky balance, the nonprofit has adopted a mindset that she credits Nickelodeon with originating: Include parents in the conversation but speak to their children.
“Good games are good games,” Moore said. “Good games that make me feel good are good things.”
___
Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and non-profits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
veryGood! (7227)
Related
- We Can Tell You How to Get to Sesame Street—and Even More Secrets About the Beloved Show
- New York City’s teachers union sues Mayor Eric Adams over steep cuts to public schools
- GM buys out nearly half of its Buick dealers across the country, who opt to not sell EVs
- Wisconsin leader pivots, says impeachment of state Supreme Court justice over redistricting unlikely
- Mississippi Valley State football player Ryan Quinney dies in car accident
- Houston children's hospital offers patients holiday magic beyond the medicine
- Top COVID FAQs of 2023: Staying safe at home, flying tips, shot combos, new variant
- Pregnant Suki Waterhouse Proudly Shows Off Her Bare Baby Bump on Tropical Vacation
- Lady Gaga Joins Wednesday Season 2 With Jenna Ortega, So Prepare to Have a Monster Ball
- Philadelphia news helicopter crew filmed Christmas lights in New Jersey before fatal crash
Ranking
- Patrick Mahomes Breaks Silence on Frustrating Robbery Amid Ongoing Investigation
- Kevin McAllister's uncle's NYC townhouse from 'Home Alone 2' listed for $6.7 million
- 'The ick' is all over TikTok. It may be ruining your chance at love.
- Did Travis Kelce Really Give Taylor Swift a Ring for Her Birthday? Here's the Truth
- Wisconsin agency issues first round of permits for Enbridge Line 5 reroute around reservation
- Oregon man is convicted of murder in the 1978 death of a teenage girl in Alaska
- 'Not suitable' special from 'South Park' spoofs online influencers, Logan Paul and more
- Rachel McAdams explains why she didn't join the 'Mean Girls' reunion ad
Recommendation
-
Wildfire map: Thousands of acres burn near New Jersey-New York border; 1 firefighter dead
-
You’ll Be Charmed by Olivia Flowers’ Holiday Gift Guide Picks, Which Include a $6 Must-Have
-
Oklahoma judge rules Glynn Simmons, man who wrongfully spent nearly 50 years in prison for murder, is innocent
-
Rachel McAdams explains why she didn't join the 'Mean Girls' reunion ad
-
The Best Gifts for Men – That He Won’t Want to Return
-
Transfer portal king Deion Sanders again reels in top transfer recruiting class
-
Holocaust past meets Amsterdam present in Steve McQueen’s ‘Occupied City’
-
Philadelphia news helicopter crew filmed Christmas lights in New Jersey before fatal crash