“Ori And The Will Of The Wisps” Developers Raise Money for Charity

Making a great game is one thing. Making a difference in the world is another. Ori and the Will of the Wisps was one of the best games of 2020 (not to mention one of our favorite games of the year) and its developer Moon Studios, in conjunction with distributor Skybound Games and Switch publisher iam8bit, decided to use some of the profits for a good cause.

In an appropriate move for a game focused on the theme of restoring nature to an unspoiled state, the studios partnered with Rainforest Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the tropical rainforest and the wildlife that call it home. Proceeds from sales of the Nintendo Switch edition of the game from December 8th to the 13th went toward the purchase of rainforest lands that will be set aside and protected from development or deforestation.

That fundraising drive raised $58,000 from sales of physical and digital copies of the game, which in turn will preserve 29,000 acres of vulnerable forest land. Jon M. Gibson and Amanda White, co-owners of iam8bit, announced the results of the campaign, stating “we could not be more thrilled by the outcome of this drive […] we are humbled by the fans that helped us raise $58,000 for Rainforest Trust’s cause and honored to partner with such an organization.”

After such a long and difficult year, for the gaming industry and the world as a whole, the success of this fundraiser is a nice bit of good news that we could all use more of. You can find out more about Rainforest Trust on its official website, and you can check out Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and Switch.