In what is absolutely the best video games bundle ever for multiple reasons, you can buy the itch.io Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality — which includes 742 items — for a mere five dollars at the minimum.
We reached out to our community and an unprecedented number of creators donated over 740 projects to be part of what we believe is the largest bundle ever.
The Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality is now available #BlackLivesMatterhttps://t.co/JCCnqMF6yz
— itch.io (@itchio) June 6, 2020
Almost 600 creators — 564, to be exact — have come together to contribute their games to the bundle. The initial target was $100k in 10 days; in approximately 20 hours, it reached $1 million through over 80,000 contributors. As of the writing of this article, the average contribution is $12.25 and the top contribution is $5,000.
As I wrote this news post, I kept refreshing the page every other minute, gleefully watching the number of money raised quickly inch towards its goal — and then ultimately surpass it. Once it did at approximately 4:45 p.m., I cried. It’s brought some joy and hope in what has been an extremely tumultuous time for many around the world, especially black people and people of color.
On May 25, white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes, even after Floyd kept saying he couldn’t breathe. Floyd later died in police custody, and his death marked the uprising of protests and riots not just in the United States, but also all over the world. It is June 6, and the fight for justice for not only Floyd, but also Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, and every black person whose life has been robbed by the police, caught on film and otherwise, only continues to grow and expand — even despite the continuously growing violence of the police nationwide.
While a few in the gaming industry swiftly responded, many of the responses have been slow and shallow, non-committal, and simply not enough.
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…which brings us back to itch.io’s bundle. Sure, having all these wonderful games for such a low price is pretty great, especially with some of the extremely quality titles it includes. Since there’s such a huge amount of them, itch.io has organized a page with special selections from the bundle. Among them are some of my personal favorites, like Night in the Woods and A Short Hike, and beloved games like Minit, ART SQOOL, Oxenfree, and EXTREME MEATPUNKS FOREVER. More games are being added, too!
Over 1 MILLION DOLLARS raised for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Community Bail Fund!! Thank you all for this absolutely incredible show of support and for showing what we can do when we unite! https://t.co/JCCnqMWHX9
— itch.io (@itchio) June 6, 2020
But this bundle is so much more than just a collection of hundreds of games; it’s an incredibly moving show of solidarity in the games industry. Itch.io’s statement paired with the bundle says:
We live in a time of racial injustice, inequality, and police brutality against black people. We hope that everyone takes a stand in any way that they can. We’ve partnered with creators from all across our platform to support organizations that are working directly with those affected.
All proceeds will donated to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Community Bail Fund split 50/50.
If you’re looking for more ways to help try here: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
#blacklivesmatter
Black Lives Matter. Solidarity with everyone fighting for a better tomorrow in the ways they can.
