More Games That Give

We love our friends at Games That Give, and will have some great news related to GTG soon (Tim's kids are hooked on Smashteroids and BubbleBurst so there is a lot of giving going on). And Courteney, as she avoids writing papers for as long as possible, more often than not ends up playing online games. So BTC is glad to see that the social gaming space is growing, with gaming companies like Zynga developing programs like “Sweet Seeds for Haiti.”

Only one program among many that allow gamers to be amateur philanthropists, it is based around FarmVille, a game in which players attempt to manage a working farm, doing everything from harvesting crops to raising livestock. Through the Sweet Seeds program, FarmVille players are able to purchase special sweet potato seeds and 50% of the proceeds from these purchases are donated to FATEM (a nonprofit dedicated to bringing info technology and education to Haiti) and Fonkoze (Haiti’s largest microfinance bank).

Don’t think farming is quite your style? FarmVille isn’t the only game that invites players to donate. There is also YoVille, a social game that simulates a city with over 100 million inhabitants. YoVille raised donations for the San Francisco SPCA by allowing players to purchase bulldogs and tabby cats as pets from virtual shelters.

Here’s what Zynga founder and CEO Mark Pincus had to say about this new way to combine gaming and giving:

The sheer scope and reach of social gaming to affect people’s lives in a positive way wasn’t even a reality a few years ago. Today, with ‘social goods,’ we are enabling players to unlock their power to change the world and impact the lives of children. ‘Sweet Seeds for Haiti’ is an early step for Zynga with more to come.

So what’s the total so far? $487,500. Uh, wow! Zynga's made it easier for anyone to give while having online fun, and the social benefit is pretty impressive.

Here’s the press release from Zynga and check out FarmVille and YoVille (both are available online and through Facebook).

Wondering what the heck FarmVille is all about? Here’s just the video you need to get hooked: