Ori developer Moon Studios alongside publishers iam8bit and Skybound Games pledged to donate five percent of the proceeds from every Nintendo Switch sale of Ori and the Will of the Wisps from December 8-13 to the Rainforest Trust. This included all versions of the game, from downloads on the eShop to collectors’ editions sold on the iam8bit site. Originally, there was a $25,000 guarantee, but now the companies will be donating over $58,000 in proceeds from this period to the charity.
The Rainforest Trust is a charity that works toward the conservation of rainforests around the world by establishing protected areas in partnership with local organizations and communities. They have already protected 33 million acres and are working towards securing 50 million more. Thanks to the donation from Moon Studios, Skybound Games, and iam8bit, the Trust will be able to secure another 29,000 acres, which is about the size of Manhattan.
Iam8bit co-owner Jon Gibson explained the companies’ reasoning for the donation in a posted back in December. Because of the stories they tell, the companies felt it was imperative they do their part to protect our own environment. The Ori franchise, for instance, is about a spirit that watches over a forest and its varied inhabitants, looking to keep them safe. According to Gibson, this decision to partner with the Rainforest Trust came from a desire to use Ori’s marketing budget to try to make some positive change.
“As its publisher, we had to make the critical decision of how to spend the game’s marketing budget,” Gibson said in the video. “We decided to shake things up and try to make a difference with that money, so we’re trying something bold in hopes of activating players just like you around the world.”
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