In the MMO shooter Destiny , Bungie has launched a fundraising initiative for the earthquake victims in Nepal. They are selling a t-shirt, a special shader, and an emblem in a package – but the shipping costs are an annoyance for many players outside the USA.
Emergency relief is an important and challenging issue. Anyone who observes the world with open eyes knows this. Shipping costs for items from the USA overseas, however, are a matter that only a few deal with. Both topics have been linked together in the last few hours.
On reddit and elsewhere , people are discussing Bungie’s “Nepal T-shirt” with much sympathy, but also with criticism. The price of $25 is not the problem, nor is the design or anything else, but the high shipping costs. They do not benefit the earthquake victims, but the logistics companies. Anyone ordering the t-shirt with the emblem and the shader to Europe, for example, is expected to pay around $40 in shipping fees.
The crux of the matter: many players are not concerned about the t-shirt itself, but rather about the good cause and an exclusive shader and emblem. Both are virtual in-game items that could be delivered without shipping costs. And “exclusive” really means something in Destiny; there has only been one “exclusive” shader so far, which was also in high demand.
Therefore, some players have demanded in recent hours: Bungie should expand the offer. They should simply leave out the t-shirt and sell only the shader and the emblem digitally. Then 100% of the profits could go to Nepal, and the Guardians would receive the exclusive in-game rewards that some are keen on, and everyone would be satisfied.
A possible role model could be Blizzard, which has previously sold virtual items such as pets to raise money for Ebola (Agri), the Make-A-Wish Foundation, or other causes.
We will keep you updated on whether and how Bungie responds to the players’ initiative.
Mein MMO says: In earlier interviews, Bungie emphasized that they are now expanding into other regions of the world with Destiny and the PlayStation, whereas previously they were mainly at home in North America with Halo (the Xbox is primarily widespread there). Bungie should now learn from an international company like Blizzard and consider players outside the USA in such well-intentioned initiatives.
Of course, it should not be forgotten that the primary goal is to donate to Nepal. Therefore, it should be stated: Anyone who wants to help the earthquake victims in Nepal should consider direct options for assistance and contact their trusted donation organization.
Update Saturday, May 2, 12:30 PM: In the meantime, there is another shipping option: USPS First-Class International Service. A t-shirt will then cost $15.50 to ship, making it $20 cheaper than the previous cheapest option. Thanks to our reader ZeRo for the tip.
