- The campaign saw $36 million gathered in the first 24 hours
- The funds were raised through the sale of Fortnite Battle passes
- The war in Ukraine has affected many professional players directly
Two weeks after it first launched its fund-raising campaign, Epic Games has gathered $144 million for humanitarian relief for Ukraine.
Epic’s Fundraising Campaign Is a Huge Success
The whole world seemed shocked when in the early hours of February 24 Russia invaded Ukraine. The war, now lasting over a month, has caused destruction that is still not being able to be measured to its fullest. A bright light in all of this is that many states, privet individuals, and companies have answered the call for help from Ukraine, and have provided the country with much-needed humanitarian aid.
One such company is Epic Games, which vowed to donate all Fortnite battle pass proceeds from the start of its new season until April 3 for humanitarian help. The campaign saw massive success, generating over $36 million for medical aid.
Two weeks after the start of the fund-raising campaign, Epic Games revealed it has gathered a final total of $144 million. These funds will go to several humanitarian groups, including Direct Relief, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the World Food Programme.
This number was achieved with the aid of Microsoft’s contribution, which promised to donate all Fortnite-related Xbox earnings for the period of March 20 to April 3.
Epic Games raised the sum of $144 million in just two weeks, but it has started donating already as the first income from new battle passes came in. This was done so that the funds do not have to wait long times in bank transfers. You can read the full documentation of Epic’s plans and approach to these donations on the official Fortnite website.
The War and Ukraine’s Esports Community
Ukraine has been a vital hotspot in the esports community in Eastern Europe. The country hosts many organizations, and has many nationals competing on very high levels in games like Dota 2, CS:GO, and VALORANT.
When the first rockets started to fly in late February, many of these players were caught in the middle of it. Ukraine’s capital Kyiv is the hometown of many esports organizations and by extension the residence of many of their players.
Many teams have their members and support staff involved in the war effort. “Every NAVI employee is doing something connected to this war, and we are OK with it,” said Yevhen Zolotarov, CEO of the Ukrainian esports organization Natus Vincere in a recent interview for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
With reports of atrocities committed in Ukraine recently surfacing, it is clear the war is turning uglier by the day. It’s no wonder that even professional players and staff are needed to help their country.
