The Coalition, the studio behind Gears, says that it will now donate 1% of all Gears of War sales for both games and merchandise to charity.
Speaking through Xbox Wire, The Coalition Studio Head Mike Crump says:
“We are proud to announce that The Coalition will donate 1% of net revenue from all Gears of War games and merchandise to organizations working to prevent suicide and combat loneliness through mental health advocacy. This is a multi-year commitment our studio is making to give back to our community and create real-world impact.”
Gears is among the most successful video game franchises on the green side of gaming, having sold a total of 41 million copies as of 2019, but their sales figures have slowed down over recent years. Still, the help they’ll be giving towards suicide prevention could help save many lives. The World Health Organization attributes over 700,000 deaths each year to suicide.
For this movement, The Coalition has signed a partnership with Crisis Text Hotline, an emergency hotline for people who are contemplating suicide. The Coalition vows to sign even more partnerships with other suicide prevention organizations moving forward. About the partnership, Crisis Text Line CEO Dena Trujillo says:
“In 2021, we had 1.3 million conversations with texters who needed help with issues like anxiety, depression, and suicide. We’re honoured to partner with The Coalition and the Gears of War franchise to increase access to mental health support and suicide prevention services. Partnerships like this are so critical to addressing the mental health crisis in America and reaching our vision for an empathetic world where nobody feels alone.”
Apart from their pledge, The Coalition also encourages gamers to normalize discussions over mental health issues and to support each other over problems arising from mental health crises.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, you may call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline in the US. If you’re from outside the US, you may find a list of international hotlines here.
Follow Us
Subscribe
