Call of Duty is hosting what Activision says is the first-ever charity race inside of a video game, with players invited to run 100 virtual kilometers in Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific, between May 26 and June 3.The Veteruns event will support the Call of Duty Endowment fund’s ongoing mission of veteran employment, with Activision Blizzard, the video game developer and publisher behind Call of Duty, allocating “$1 for every 10 virtual kilometers run on-foot in Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific, up to $10 per player as part of a $1 million total donation to the Call of Duty Endowment,” according to a press release.A screenshot of the Veteruns event in action. (Image credit: Activision)As well as racking up their virtual steps for a chance to appear on the event leaderboard, players will be able to claim some reward-based incentives for each milestone they reach, including a bronze calling card after running 25 kilometers in the game, a silver version for achieving 50 kilometers, and a gold in-game calling card for completing 100 kilometers.”We always look to engage our players in new ways, and working with the Endowment allows us to give our fans the opportunity to do something that is both fun and impactful,” said Fernando Machado, Chief Marketing Officer of Activision Blizzard. “This is an event we are all excited for, and we can’t wait to see the enthusiasm in the community as they race to hit the top of the leaderboards for a great cause.”While a smart watch won’t be much use in this particular exercise, players will be able to track their progress by tweeting @CallofDuty with their Activision ID along with the event hashtag #CODVeteruns100K. In return, they will receive a report of their in-game stats, including the total number of kilometers run and the funds that will be donated on their behalf.Every IGN Call of Duty ReviewThe Call of Duty Endowment scheme was originally set up in 2009 with the aim of finding new jobs for 25,000 ex-servicemen and women by 2018. More than ten years on, the organization has reached another major milestone, having succesfully placed 100,000 veterans into meaningful employment after their military service, two years ahead of schedule.Last year, Call of Duty held an in-game event to raise money for veteran medics and hospital corpsmen as part of Military Appreciation Month, as well as offering a new DLC pack to raise more cash for the cause. Activision Blizzard says it plans to add a further $30 million to the fund to support the program for the next five years.Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Source link
