Global Games Industry Encourages Players to
Follow Health and Safety Guidelines for COVID-19; Provides
Information and Social Connection
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Games Industry Unites to Promote World
Health Organization Messages Against COVID-19; Launch
#PlayApartTogether Campaign
WHAT
Today, the global and far-reaching games industry agreed to
disseminate key messages from the World Health Organization to help
slow the spread of COVID-19. To promote these messages, 18 game
industry leaders in the interactive entertainment space have
launched #PlayApartTogether, an initiative that encourages their
vast network of users to follow the WHO’s health
guidelines—including physical distancing, hand hygiene, respiratory
etiquette and other powerful preventive actions people can take to
fight COVID-19.
By bringing special events, exclusives, activities, rewards and
inspiration to some of the most popular games in the world,
#PlayApartTogether encourages users to adopt best practices for the
sake of their own health and that of their families and
communities. By incorporating COVID-19 self-protection messages
into games, the industry is telling the world: “Wherever you are,
whatever game you play, you can make a difference.” Joining the
program are:
Activision Blizzard Amazon Appstore Big Fish Games Dirtybit
Games Glu Mobile Jam City Kabam Maysalward Playtika Pocket Gems
Riot Games SciPlay Snap Games Twitch Unity Wooga YouTube Gaming
Zynga
Follow the hashtag #PlayApartTogether on social media for
ongoing updates and details.
Addendum:
Since the campaign’s March 28th announcement, additional gaming
industry partners have joined the #PlayApartTogether campaign,
including:
Akupara Games AIV - Accademia Italiana Videogiochi CCP Games
Drone Racing League East Side Games ESPAT Media Group Etermax
Facebook Gaming FunPlus G5 Entertainment Gameforge GameHouse
Gismart Golden Poppy Inc Google Play Jagex Lenovo Legion Logitech G
- ASTRO Gaming MobilityWare MY.GAMES N3TWORK Next Games Nordeus
Oculus PlayMob PUBG MOBILE Razer Rogue Games Rovio Scopely Stadia
Tilting Point Twitch Prime WellPlay Wildlife Studios YANA Yodo1
Companies interested in participating in #PlayApartTogether can
use the following:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/feu56zhoo9tfg5s/PaT_Participant_Resources.pdf?dl=0
#PlayApartTogether Game Industry Partner Quotes:
Activision Blizzard - Bobby Kotick, CEO “It’s never been more
critical to ensure people stay safely connected to one another.
Games are the perfect platform because they connect people through
the lens of joy, purpose and meaning. We are proud to participate
in such a worthwhile and necessary initiative.”
Akupara Games - David Logan, CEO “During these trying times, it
is absolutely vital for each of us to play our part - adhering to
our local ordinances, staying informed of the messages from the
World Health Organization, and supporting our global community with
a thoroughly washed hands-off approach. While we practice social
distancing, we must not confuse this for social isolating; we will
always be a social community that finds a means of connection.
Players - old and new - allow this time to connect with the game
medium as a means of joining new communities and discussions,
sharing stories and experiences, and ultimately playing apart yet
together.”
AIV [Accademia Italiana Videogiochi] “Video games are not only
about fun and entertainment but could also serve as a means to
enhance learning skills, scientific research, and creative
solutions. Our mission as a school is to lead our students into the
creation of a product that might be innovative, immersive, and
meaningful. In this difficult moment, all over the world people are
facing a threat, that is still unknown and affects our social
behaviours. We unite with all players thanks to #PlayApartTogether
campaign, and encourage people of all ages to play games online,
respecting the rules and suggestions given by WHO and our
Governments in order to fight Covid-19 diffusion. It is fundamental
that each one of us stays at home and follow the rules but it is
also important that we take care of our relationships. Video games
communities and online games are such a helpful resource, being
both a link with people and a social distancing way to stay
together.”
Big Fish Games - Jeff Karp, Managing Director and President
“There has perhaps never been a more pivotal time than present, for
solidarity around a cause, such as the one facing us now with
COVID-19. Together, with our global community of games publishers
and the technical guidance of the World Health Organization, we
hope to reach millions of players across our titles with the
#PlayApartTogether campaign. Through games like Cooking Craze,
Gummy Drop, Decurse and Fairway Solitaire, we can share WHO’s
important message of safety while letting our community know that
they are not alone. We are all in this together, even if we are
apart.”
CCP Games - Hilmar V. Pétursson, CEO “We now face an
unprecedented global challenge for all humankind, and given the
global nature of EVE and the solidarity of the EVE community, we
are activating PLEX for GOOD again to begin on 3 April 2020 with
the aim of raising funds for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
It is time to unite once more and help fight this unprecedented
worldwide health challenge. The money raised through this PLEX For
GOOD campaign will help the World Health Organization (WHO) to
coordinate the global effort, support countries to prevent, detect,
and respond to the pandemic. It will also help the WHO to ensure
that all countries - especially those with the weakest health
systems - are prepared, as well as supporting their work to
understand the virus, to ensure frontline workers get essential
supplies and information, and to accelerate efforts to develop
vaccines, tests, and treatments.”
Dirtybit - Anette Staloy, VP of Business & Marketing “Our
mission is to let people create memorable moments together, and our
focus has always been on creating social game experiences. Our
players all over the world have been sharing heartwarming stories
about how much it means to them to be able to connect with and keep
in touch with friends and family through our Fun Run games. We
appreciate the opportunity to take part in the #PlayApartTogether
initiative, to help encourage people to follow the guidance of the
WHO and local health authorities.”
East Side Games - Josh Nilsen, CEO “We are extremely lucky as
game developers to be able to continue to deliver engaging
experiences to players during these difficult times. Games are a
fun and interactive way to stay close to one another while
maintaining safety. We are very excited to take part in
#PlayApartTogether and help provide a means for all of us to keep
playing wherever we may be. Play games, stay home, be nice to each
other. We’ll get through it crew.”
ESPAT Media - Ed Brooks, Co-founder, CEO “ESPAT encourages
everyone around the world to choose creative contribution over fear
and despair.”
Etermax - Maximo Cavazzani, CEO “Etermax is focused on finding
technological solutions to the needs of today and the future,
merging technology and creativity to connect active communities.
Our Gaming division ensures to bring people meaningful ways to stay
connected while having fun with family, friends and users across
the globe with games that contribute to the development of
knowledge. This has taken a new dimension as we face this global
crisis and we're proud to support #PlayApartTogether,
fostering even more interaction with different people through fun
and social games.”
FunPlus - Andy Zhong, Founder and CEO “FunPlus’ games connect
many millions of people around the world every day into a powerful
community built on deep friendships. Our games’ translation engine
enables cross-cultural communication in 23 languages so that people
from across the world can play together as one team. Now more than
ever, it is important for our players to rely on one another, share
useful communication and unite to combat COVID-19. We are proud to
join the industry in supporting #PlayApartTogether.”
G5 Entertainment - Vlad Suglobov, CEO “Games can be a force for
good. This has been our vision at G5 Entertainment since we started
almost 20 years ago. Our puzzle games entertain millions of users
each month and they are free-to-play. We see that during times of
stress our players find relief in our adventures and they engage
and connect with fellow players through our games. The reviews we
receive praise our games for keeping players entertained and for
challenging their logic and puzzle skills. These are difficult
times for us all, and through this initiative we can do our part
and #PlayApartTogether. If games can help some people get through
this, it is the best reward for us as game developers.”
Gameforge - Alexander R�sner, CEO and Founder “During these
challenging times of uncertainty, when it is so risky to go
outside, we are happy to provide alternate worlds where people can
come together to socialize, interact, and have fun from the safety
of their homes. We are thankful to have such wonderful development
partners and industry peers who make it possible to join the
#PlayApartTogether cause.”
GameHouse Europe BV - Erik Goosens, Chief of Games “We are going
through an unprecedented time in history. The coronavirus holds the
world in its grip and it creates an uncertain future. But some
things will not change. Our players remain our inspiration. For
nearly two decades women from across the world have been our
inspiration. We built games centred around the struggles and
victories of women doctors, chefs, vets and small business owners
so our players could see themselves in their heroes. They have
hopes and fears, make mistakes and pick themselves up again, just
like us all. And during this time we want to be able to say through
these stories: You rock! We're rooting for you.
#PlayApartTogether.”
Glu Mobile - Nick Earl, President and CEO “Games have the power
to not only entertain people, but bring them together in difficult
times. We are proud to join arms with the games industry to support
the World Health Organization as we encourage a global community of
players to #PlayApartTogether. Across multiple games in Glu’s
portfolio, we are actively encouraging players to follow WHO
guidance and that of local health authorities for the health and
safety of their families and communities.”
Golden Poppy - Carroll Titus, Founder and CEO “During these
challenging times we are pleased to provide a mobile educational
augmented reality experience where families can come together to
safely socialize, exercise, and play indoors or in their own
backyard. Golden Poppy's aim is to have every user write their own
champion story and find the unicorn within. We are proud to join
our industry peers in supporting #PlayApartTogether.”
Jagex - Phil Mansell, CEO “COVID-19 is having a massive impact
on many of our lives, but we know gaming communities can help. We
are proud to join the #PlayApartTogether global games initiative
and ensure that RuneScape and Old School continue to remain strong
places for players to socialise and escape to during this
time.”
Jam City - Chris DeWolfe, Co-founder and CEO “Jam City knows
that many are turning to games for stress relief and a little joy
during these perilous times. As a game company with tens of
millions of players, we call on everyone to #PlayApartTogether to
flatten the curve and put an end to COVID-19.”
Kabam - Tim Fields, CEO “At Kabam we entertain the world. And
the role of entertainers is never more important than in hard
times. Kabam supports the #PlayApartTogether initiative; by
following the wise guidance of the World Health Organization we can
ease the burden on healthcare professionals and save lives. What
better time to catch up on some of your favorite games or try some
new ones? You can be a hero by playing with your friends, together
but apart.”
Lenovo - Matt Bereda, Vice President of Global Consumer
Marketing, Intelligent Devices Group “Lenovo Legion has always been
about empowering the global gaming community to connect, engage and
have fun through immersive, digital experiences. We’re proud to
join the #PlayApartTogether campaign as we stand united with the
community during this global crisis now, more than ever. To
continue making an impact where it matters most, the Lenovo
Foundation will also be making a $25,000 grant contribution to the
WHO to support the fight against the virus, in addition to the $10
million global response to date.”
Logitech G - ASTRO Gaming - Ujesh Desai, Vice President and
General Manager of the Logitech Gaming Business “Astro Gaming and
Logitech G are honored to join forces with the rest of the gaming
industry to support the World Health Organization and encourage
everyone to #PlayApartTogether. Gaming has the power to not only
entertain, but to also bring people together during this difficult
time. Because we all know, life is more fun when you play.”
Maysalward - Nour Khrais, Founder and CEO “Everyone must do
their part to fight this pandemic and reduce its spread. Staying
home is an important way to protect ourselves and society from its
danger. At Maysalward we are committed to fighting the spread with
our games, therefore, we are joining #PlayApartTogether and
launching new games with more online gameplay capabilities. Stay
Home, Stay Safe.”
MobilityWare - Founder and CEO, Dave Yonamine “Our company motto
at MobilityWare is, 'Bringing joy to our players, one game at a
time.' Now more than ever, we are proud to join with others in our
industry to provide moments of delight, moments of relaxation, and
moments to take a breath during this unique time. Whether you’re
enjoying a digital Jigsaw Puzzle with your quaranTEAM, or the kids
drive you to need Solitaire as you shelter-in-place, we will be
there with you.”
MY.GAMES - Vasily Maguryan, CEO “We are delighted to join
#PlayApartTogether. This is a truly global movement for so many
games companies, like ours, who want to offer what help we can
during the pandemic. As part of the campaign, we’ll be focused on
providing support and information to our millions of players around
the world.”
N3TWORK - Neil Young, Founder and CEO “Games are incredibly
powerful in their ability to build community and shared
experiences; they go beyond physical spaces to create social
connections. In Legendary Game of Heroes, the land of Korelis is
more than just a narrative setting—it’s a very real home that
players have built upon a foundation of friendship and connection,
in competition and camaraderie. At N3TWORK we are proud to support
#PlayApartTogether as we all weather the global impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic.”
PlayMob - Jude Ower MBE, CEO “Reaching people via mobile gaming
will be a hugely important way to communicate to people in all
corners of the planet about the measures they can take to keep
themselves and others safe during this crisis. Games are also an
important tool to show cause and effect - what the outcomes are of
our actions. Combine these two superpowers and we have a solution
which can slow down the virus by making people aware of how vital
their actions are at this critical time. #PlayApartTogether is such
an important initiative to galvanise the power of games to raise
awareness, to educate and to enjoy social time with our friends and
family and we are proud to be able to play our part.”
Playtika - Robert Antokol, CEO “At Playtika, we believe that
play is an integral part of life, even in the toughest of times. We
are proud to promote messages by the World Health Organisation and
to join this coalition of games industry leaders to support the
#PlayApartTogether campaign. As part of this important response to
the COVID-19 pandemic, Playtika is fully committed to helping
people worldwide stay safe and feel connected.”
Pocket Gems - Ben Liu, CEO “Games can provide needed
entertainment while fostering connection. In these challenging
times, Pocket Gems is supporting the #PlayApartTogether campaign
together with our fellow developers to amplify key messages from
the WHO. We hope players enjoy some added content and bonuses in
our mobile games like Episode and War Dragons, while also getting
important reminders from the World Health Organization.”
PUBG MOBILE - Vincent Wang, Head of PUBG MOBILE Global
Publishing and Operations “We may be separated physically, but that
doesn’t mean we can’t connect in meaningful ways through our shared
love of games. We encourage all PUBG MOBILE players to safeguard
their health by staying home, and closely following advice from the
medical community. Let’s show our team spirit by continuing to
enjoy PUBG MOBILE in a fun and healthy way. By supporting the
#PlayApartTogether campaign and enjoying their chicken dinner at
home, the PUBG MOBILE players can help fight COVID-19 and make a
tremendous difference for all of us.”
Razer - Min-Liang Tan, co-founder & CEO “Gaming possesses
the extraordinary power of keeping friends, family and communities
connected while we all do our part and stay at home to combat the
spread of the virus. In addition to our continuous support for
gamers on all platforms, Razer will be expanding our efforts to
convert some of our existing manufacturing lines to produce
surgical masks and donate them to health care authorities around
the world, supporting the global fight against COVID-19.”
Riot Games - Nicolo Laurent, CEO “Physical distancing shouldn't
mean social isolation! Let's stay physically apart — and take other
public health steps such as hand hygiene — to help flatten the
curve and #PlayApartTogether to help power through this crisis. For
Rioters, playing games is more than just a game; it's a meaningful
life pursuit. And now, for the billions of players around the
world, playing games could help the pursuit of saving lives. Let's
beat this COVID-19 boss battle together.”
Rogue Games - Mike DeLaet, CEO “We've always seen the power of
games to bring us each closer together in play. In today's world
and the global pandemic, games offer both an outlet for fun and
social engagement while reinforcing critical social distancing
measures to save lives and prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are
excited to both support and help spread the word about the WHO
guidelines along with our industry peers and encourage the billions
of gamers around the world to stay safe and participate in the
solution to the global health crisis.”
SciPlay - Josh Wilson, CEO “Here at SciPlay, we’re all driven by
the joy our games bring to the global community. In these
challenging times, we must all come together to fight the virus and
flatten the curve of transmission. One of our core values is
#playTOGETHER, which is ingrained into every action that we take in
order to serve our players. We are honored that we can evolve this
core value into the #PlayApartTogether initiative, which we believe
in so strongly, and magnify live-saving messages from the World
Health Organization. So, let’s all #PlayApartTogether to stay
healthy, both mentally and physically!”
Scopely - Walter Driver & Javier Ferreira, Co-CEOs “We are
dedicated to creating diverse, immersive game experiences that are
an important part of people's lives and now more than ever
free-to-play mobile games are an exceptional way for communities to
stay connected during this very uncertain time. We are proud to
support the World Health Organization and the #PlayApartTogether
campaign to inspire connection and positivity through games, as
well as share guidelines and best practices to stay healthy and
well for communities around the world.”
Tilting Point - Samir El Agili, President “Right now, living
with so many unknowns and the constraints of physical distancing,
it is so important we all find ways to escape while feeling
connected to one another, and there's no better medium for that
than games. That's why we at Tilting Point are so excited to be
joining the effort to provide all types of players with new,
engaging ways to #PlayApartTogether across our portfolio of games,
from deep strategy games like Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest to a
terraforming game like TerraGenesis to casual games like Bold
Moves, Languinis and more.”
Twitch - Michael Aragon, SVP of Content “Games are a huge part
of what brings the Twitch community together each day. The
#PlayApartTogether initiative is a reminder that even while it's
crucial we keep our distance from one another, we can keep enjoying
the games we love and stay connected with people online. We’re
pleased to share key messages from the WHO alongside other members
of the initiative to continue providing a place where people can
come together, play games, and create community.”
Ubisoft - Yves Guillemot, CEO and Co-Founder “At Ubisoft, we
believe that looking out for our fellow citizens and nurturing a
spirit of togetherness will help all of us get through the
challenges we’re facing today. We’re joining our peers in the
#PlayApartTogether initiative in the hope that by making video
games more accessible we’ll play a part in encouraging people to
stay connected with their friends, have fun, but most of all, stay
safe at home.”
Unity Technologies - John Riccitiello, CEO “At Unity, we believe
the world is a better place with more game creators and game
players in it. Whether you’re playing your favorite game with
friends on the internet or learning how to make your first game
with some of our now-free all-access coding initiatives,
#PlayApartTogether can galvanize players to protect themselves and
their families. We look forward to working with the global games
industry to do our part as global citizens to flatten the
curve.”
WellPlay - Ari Mostov, Founder; Creator, Virus Hunters
“Increasingly audiences seek content that allows them to be a part
of the story and therefore a part of the solution. We need
entertainment that activates our agency, and gaming is the answer.
The #PlayApartTogether initiative empowers players around the world
to be a part of the COVID-19 solution. We are proud to be a part of
this initiative with the launch of our mobile AR game Virus
Hunters, featuring the loathsome Coronavirus.”
Wildlife Studios - Victor Lazarte, Co-CEO “Now, more than ever,
we are witnessing how gaming could unite the world. Wildlife is
honored to be a part of the #PlayApartTogether initiative alongside
other game industry leaders to promote the World Health
Organization messages. This campaign reminds us that we could still
be connected even though we're apart, and together we could
overcome adversity.”
YANA - Adam Whyte, Founder of YANA and Co-Founder of Edge
Esports “Now is a time like no other. Isolation doesn't need to be
isolating! YANA will be a mass participation event, harnessing the
power of video games to connect people and let people know You Are
Not Alone. On May 2nd, we want to bring more than 10 million gamers
together creating an opportunity for people to play their favourite
games while staying apart. We're proud to support and share the
messages of #PlayApartTogether and the World Health Organization's
health and safety guidelines for COVID-19. With video games you can
be separate but together, so let’s game together and flatten the
curve!”
Yodo1 - Henry Fong, CEO “Games have a unique ability to unite
people across cultural and geographical boundaries, enabling a
feeling of togetherness even when players are thousands of miles
apart. Yodo1 is proud to participate in the #PlayApartTogether
campaign and play our part in helping gamers around the world find
a sense of community and unity in the face of the COVID-19
challenge.”
YouTube - Ryan Wyatt, Global Head of Gaming “For 15 years,
YouTube has been a community where people do things alone but
together through #withme videos — but it’s more important now than
ever to #StayHome and #PlayApartTogether. Some of the most
impactful moments on YouTube have been creators virtually engaging
with fans and other gaming creators halfway around the world via
livestreams. Gamers know how to come together, even when we're
apart, so let's be safe during this time and do our part as an
industry to flatten the curve.”
Zynga - Bernard Kim, President of Publishing “Our mission at
Zynga has always been to connect the world through games, and it
has taken on a new dimension as we face this global crisis. We are
honored to support the important work of the World Health
Organization and provide our players with a support system during
this period of physical distancing. The #PlayApartTogether
initiative activates positivity and community that can help us
commit to the urgent task at hand.”
Editor’s Note:
Campaign Graphics, Quote Sheet and Industry Contact Sheet =
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kkvsatzbfkwafft/AAA4NFbVNMfzX-iULm68kyEra?dl=0
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200410005047/en/
Kenny Johnston (kjohnston@zynga.com) Sarah Ross
(sarah@zynga.com) Dana Whitney (dwhitney@zynga.com)
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