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Ghosts of Tsushima lost last year in The Game Awards 2020 but its fans have come together in a way that no other title could replicate. Fans of the PlayStation 4 exclusive came together in a crowdfunding effort to restore the Torii gate at the Watatsumi Shrine in Tsushima, Japan. The crowdfunding project reached 500% of its initial goal primarily thanks to the game's loyal players.
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A Torii gate is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of Shinto shrines. One such gate stood tall at the Watatsumi Shrine in Tsushima, Japan. However, the gate received substantial damage in September 2020 due to a typhoon. As a result, a project was developed to help fund its repairs.
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The crowdfunding project began in late November 2020 and reached its initial goal of 5 million yen on the first day of December. The project officially closed with a total of 27, 103, 882 yen (approximately USD 260,000). The support of Ghosts of Tsushima players greatly impacted the success of the project.
The Watatsumi Shrine management scheduled the restoration of the Torii gate to begin in April 2021. In addition, the organizers intend to erect a stone monument that lists the names of backers that donated at least 10,000 yen. The ongoing global pandemic could potentially delay the entire restoration itinerary.
The real island of Tsushima in Japan served as the primary reference for Ghosts of Tsushima which is still available on PlayStation 4. Coincidentally, Sony plans to release the game on the next-gen PlayStation 5 down the line. Ghosts of Tsushima took home the Player's Voice award at The Game Awards 2020.
Players rallying behind the repair effort is a great example of the positive effect of games. Hopefully this amazing occurrence serves as a great example of the potential of video games.
