Direct Relief for Houston - Calling All Guardians - Destiny 2 - MMORPG.com

SBFord

Direct Relief for Houston - Calling All Guardians - Destiny 2 - MMORPG.com

Destiny 2 News - Bungie is ready to lend a helping hand to the Houston, Texas victims of Hurricane Harvey.The Bungie Foundation has partnered with Direct Relief to assist the "most vulnerable, extending the reach of relief efforts and bolstering critical frontline responders". The Bungie Store is offering a commemorative pin that also includes an emblem for use in Destiny 2. 100% of profits will be sent to Direct Relief to support ongoing efforts in Texas.

Read the full story here

Wizardry

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.

This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.

This is like me saying,i really want to help out the elderly couple next door by cutting their grass.Instead of straight up helping them,i go out and sell some items to hire a guy to cut their lawn,then steal all the positive press from it.

Make no mistake,it is a GOOD thing,just the way they go about helping is more like SELFISH reasons,like i said they could simply help out with some of those millions.
Examples of famous athletes who have straight up donated money out of their pocket have been MANY.This is getting the gamer to fund it while stealing the positive press.

Before someone naive says "well they don't have to do it"no kidding but like i said,they are ONLY doing it for selfish reasons otherwise they wouldn't be asking the gamer to fund it and stealing the press for THEIR money.

SBFord

This isn't Blizzard, @Wizardry -- this is BUNGIE with their own foundation.

knightaudit

Good move to Bungie .. May have to get one or two

frostymug

Wizardry said:

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.



This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.



This is like me saying,i really want to help out the elderly couple next door by cutting their grass.Instead of straight up helping them,i go out and sell some items to hire a guy to cut their lawn,then steal all the positive press from it.



Make no mistake,it is a GOOD thing,just the way they go about helping is more like SELFISH reasons,like i said they could simply help out with some of those millions.

Examples of famous athletes who have straight up donated money out of their pocket have been MANY.This is getting the gamer to fund it while stealing the positive press.



Before someone naive says "well they don't have to do it"no kidding but like i said,they are ONLY doing it for selfish reasons otherwise they wouldn't be asking the gamer to fund it and stealing the press for THEIR money.

It's easy to spend other people's money.

What exactly is selfish about giving away 100% of the proceeds? Bastards pocketing that 0%...

nomadie

So, a billion dollar company who could give out money wants others to do it for them? Why not just find another donation place and send your own money that way? Seems like they just want publicity.

frostymug

nomadie said:

So, a billion dollar company who could give out money wants others to do it for them? Why not just find another donation place and send your own money that way? Seems like they just want publicity.

Everybody spending other people's money.

They aren't a billion dollar company. They are a 501(c)(3), as in non-profit, organization that has set up a way for people (who likely would not have donated otherwise) to get something in return for making a donation to an emergency relief effort for something that is normally entirely out of the realm of their organization. People still can send their own money some other way if they choose. Nowhere does it state you are obligated to donate solely through them. As a 501(c)(3) they generally can't just give money wherever they want. Their foundation has stated goals that most donations must go towards.

I've spent most of the last week helping people move things to higher ground, wading around helping people who weren't on higher ground, pulling boats and floats loaded with people and animals. Watching the news and seeing neighborhoods I know very well get covered in water, people I know very well get forced to evacuate and still not be able to go home. My closet and pantry are empty from donating whatever I could. I'm working on getting the required insurance and bonding to be able to get in and help with the remediation and rebuilding that is going to go on for years. The flooding isn't even over yet. Yet, somehow I have managed to not be upset, disappointed, or even skeptical about this. Anything helps right now. If a NON-PROFIT gets a little publicity from selling pixels to a handful of gaming nerds it doesn't bother me or anyone else anywhere near here in the least. Believe that.

Did you know: A portion of all sales from their online shop goes to their non-profit organization?

Maybe they just haven't been seeking publicity enough...

Azaron_Nightblade

Publicity stunt or not, I bet they're still doing more to help people than the whiner sitting behind his desk, running his mouth

I thinks it's an admirable initiative. Good on you, Bungie!

sayuu

Wizardry said:

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.

This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.

This is like me saying,i really want to help out the elderly couple next door by cutting their grass.Instead of straight up helping them,i go out and sell some items to hire a guy to cut their lawn,then steal all the positive press from it.

Make no mistake,it is a GOOD thing,just the way they go about helping is more like SELFISH reasons,like i said they could simply help out with some of those millions.
Examples of famous athletes who have straight up donated money out of their pocket have been MANY.This is getting the gamer to fund it while stealing the positive press.

Before someone naive says "well they don't have to do it"no kidding but like i said,they are ONLY doing it for selfish reasons otherwise they wouldn't be asking the gamer to fund it and stealing the press for THEIR money.

maybe stop drinking so much haterade and go google the Bungie Foundation and see how much more money than you they've given to various charities over the years. . . 

gorro187

notice he made 1 comment about the wrong company and doesn't reply.

RexKushman

Wizardry said:

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.



This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.



This is like me saying,i really want to help out the elderly couple next door by cutting their grass.Instead of straight up helping them,i go out and sell some items to hire a guy to cut their lawn,then steal all the positive press from it.



Make no mistake,it is a GOOD thing,just the way they go about helping is more like SELFISH reasons,like i said they could simply help out with some of those millions.

Examples of famous athletes who have straight up donated money out of their pocket have been MANY.This is getting the gamer to fund it while stealing the positive press.



Before someone naive says "well they don't have to do it"no kidding but like i said,they are ONLY doing it for selfish reasons otherwise they wouldn't be asking the gamer to fund it and stealing the press for THEIR money.

As usual, you have no clue what you're talking about. You don't even have the right company.

Daranar

frostymug said:

Wizardry said:

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.





This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.





This is like me saying,i really want to help out the elderly couple next door by cutting their grass.Instead of straight up helping them,i go out and sell some items to hire a guy to cut their lawn,then steal all the positive press from it.





Make no mistake,it is a GOOD thing,just the way they go about helping is more like SELFISH reasons,like i said they could simply help out with some of those millions.


Examples of famous athletes who have straight up donated money out of their pocket have been MANY.This is getting the gamer to fund it while stealing the positive press.





Before someone naive says "well they don't have to do it"no kidding but like i said,they are ONLY doing it for selfish reasons otherwise they wouldn't be asking the gamer to fund it and stealing the press for THEIR money.

It's easy to spend other people's money.



What exactly is selfish about giving away 100% of the proceeds? Bastards pocketing that 0%...

In case you don't know how charity works in America, they are going to get a massive tax write off by giving profits to their own charity. This is a common ethically questionable practice in America. It would also be interesting to find out where they are making these pins, sometimes things like these are made by a subsidiary of companies so instead of it costing $1 for a pin, the sub charges it's parent company $5 for a pin and donates the remaining 10 instead of 14 and the subsidiary posts a huge quarter. Also note that for a digital good, bungie can easily be duducting their estimate 'per good' cost to make that in-game badge which who knows how much that is.

However, Seeing as you are buying a product from Bungie and then Bungie is giving the money to the Bungie Foundation, Bungie is getting a pretty tax write off for donating to a non-profit (Bungie Foundation) while you are purchasing a good from a for-profit company.

So asumming best ethical practices and they aren't skimming off that vague 'all profits' statement, your adjusted breakdown looks like this. Bungie is giving away 100% of the proceeds and pocketing up to 10% of the proceeds in tax deductions. While pocketing some of the 'costs'.

Anyway, in something like this, likely somewhere between 70-80% of your payment is going to the foundation because you still need to consider the transaction fees which could be as much as 3%, and then they will skim a small percentage off for their expenses (employees, overhead, and such) and then they will cut a check to Direct Relief. Now, props to Bungie for working with such a fiscally high rated charity that reports about 99.4% of donations going to their programs.

This is all before (as the quoted person suggested) the potential millions that Bungie may see in PR returns. If they want to give they should be giving as the quoted text suggests. Now that doesn't make this a BAD gesture, as long as people are informed and understanding that they are buying a pin for $15 dollars and hopefully $10 of that gets to Houston victims and the individual givers DO NOT get a tax deduction. If people are game with that and want that pin, then this is a great opportunity. If not, i'd encourage all you generous gamers to circumvent Bungie and give $15 to Direct Relief directly in which case only paypal will skim 1.4% off (charity rate).

TL;DR - not as GREAT as you think, if you REALLY want the pin, go through bungie, if not give directly to Direct Relief and make your $15 go farther.

timeraider

frostymug said:

Wizardry said:

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.





This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.





This is like me saying,i really want to help out the elderly couple next door by cutting their grass.Instead of straight up helping them,i go out and sell some items to hire a guy to cut their lawn,then steal all the positive press from it.





Make no mistake,it is a GOOD thing,just the way they go about helping is more like SELFISH reasons,like i said they could simply help out with some of those millions.


Examples of famous athletes who have straight up donated money out of their pocket have been MANY.This is getting the gamer to fund it while stealing the positive press.





Before someone naive says "well they don't have to do it"no kidding but like i said,they are ONLY doing it for selfish reasons otherwise they wouldn't be asking the gamer to fund it and stealing the press for THEIR money.

It's easy to spend other people's money.



What exactly is selfish about giving away 100% of the proceeds? Bastards pocketing that 0%...

Bungie pays 0, gets free advertisement and gamers still have to pay. No advantage for gamers (lets not count an ingame emblem as advantage), no advantage for the people in trouble (compared to .. you know.. simply giving the money to the organisation directly), free press for Bungie.
So technically the only one profiting from this is Bungie.

BeansnBread

Wizardry said:

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.

This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.

This is like me saying,i really want to help out the elderly couple next door by cutting their grass.Instead of straight up helping them,i go out and sell some items to hire a guy to cut their lawn,then steal all the positive press from it.

Make no mistake,it is a GOOD thing,just the way they go about helping is more like SELFISH reasons,like i said they could simply help out with some of those millions.
Examples of famous athletes who have straight up donated money out of their pocket have been MANY.This is getting the gamer to fund it while stealing the positive press.

Before someone naive says "well they don't have to do it"no kidding but like i said,they are ONLY doing it for selfish reasons otherwise they wouldn't be asking the gamer to fund it and stealing the press for THEIR money.

Normally I don't like you. This time I really don't like you.

lahnmir

Wizardry said:

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.

This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.

This is like me saying,i really want to help out the elderly couple next door by cutting their grass.Instead of straight up helping them,i go out and sell some items to hire a guy to cut their lawn,then steal all the positive press from it.

Make no mistake,it is a GOOD thing,just the way they go about helping is more like SELFISH reasons,like i said they could simply help out with some of those millions.
Examples of famous athletes who have straight up donated money out of their pocket have been MANY.This is getting the gamer to fund it while stealing the positive press.

Before someone naive says "well they don't have to do it"no kidding but like i said,they are ONLY doing it for selfish reasons otherwise they wouldn't be asking the gamer to fund it and stealing the press for THEIR money.

I think your post says more about you then it does about Bungie.

/Cheers,
Lahnmir

Xingbairong

Funny how so many people are bashing on @Wizardry just because they want to feel good about themselves thinking that they are taking the higher moral ground.
What he said is completely true. They aren't doing it because they genuinely care, but mostly for press as @Wizardry said and tax write offs as @Daranar mentioned.
I personally don't see a problem with that. They are doing good in the end even though they probably give 0 shits.

As for the people who said that @Wizardry has done less than Bungie... no shit sherlock... a company with a ton of people and publicity is doing more for charity than a single average person... I'd be shocked if it was the other way around.

Also a lot of people seem to be highly sympathetic with what's happening in the US, but I doubt they really are sympathetic with the suffering of others. If they were they wouldn't be sending money to the most powerful and rich nation in the world to help, but instead they would help people in their own country. For example I'm not from the US and if I do plan on donating I prefer to use it to people in need in my country.
Nothing against the US, but it's illogical for me to give my money to another country when there are people suffering in my very sight on the streets I walk.

I know that a lot of people will have hard time understanding what I just wrote and will not perceive the meaning of my words, so I'll tl;dr:
If you are a charitable person donate to people in need in your respective countries. The US have plenty of money to handle this horrible event.
Afterwards once the US handles everything and when people start showing up that haven't gotten any help from the US government that's when you should donate. Because yes I'm aware there will be people that wouldn't get any help and they would've lost everything... Those are the people that need help and not the US with cleaning the streets. Because pretty much all the donations that are being done now will go for supplies like food, water, clothes, blankets etc... which let's be fair the US is more than capable of shouldering themselves.

BeansnBread

Xingbairong said:

Also a lot of people seem to be highly sympathetic with what's happening in the US, but I doubt they really are sympathetic with the suffering of others. If they were they wouldn't be sending money to the most powerful and rich nation in the world to help, but instead they would help people in their own country. For example I'm not from the US and if I do plan on donating I prefer to use it to people in need in my country.
Nothing against the US, but it's illogical for me to give my money to another country when there are people suffering in my very sight on the streets I walk.

It's illogical to give to relief if they aren't your streets? WTF? I'll mention Haiti again. You don't walk their streets and so they don't deserve sympathy and possible donations from people from other countries?

Disaster relief should have nothing to do with nationalism. People suffer no matter what nationality. Stop with the pretense that you actually care about people.

frostymug

Daranar said:

frostymug said:

In case you don't know how charity works in America, they are going to get a massive tax write off by giving profits to their own charity. This is a common ethically questionable practice in America. It would also be interesting to find out where they are making these pins, sometimes things like these are made by a subsidiary of companies so instead of it costing $1 for a pin, the sub charges it's parent company $5 for a pin and donates the remaining 10 instead of 14 and the subsidiary posts a huge quarter. Also note that for a digital good, bungie can easily be duducting their estimate 'per good' cost to make that in-game badge which who knows how much that is.

However, Seeing as you are buying a product from Bungie and then Bungie is giving the money to the Bungie Foundation, Bungie is getting a pretty tax write off for donating to a non-profit (Bungie Foundation) while you are purchasing a good from a for-profit company.

So asumming best ethical practices and they aren't skimming off that vague 'all profits' statement, your adjusted breakdown looks like this. Bungie is giving away 100% of the proceeds and pocketing up to 10% of the proceeds in tax deductions. While pocketing some of the 'costs'.

Anyway, in something like this, likely somewhere between 70-80% of your payment is going to the foundation because you still need to consider the transaction fees which could be as much as 3%, and then they will skim a small percentage off for their expenses (employees, overhead, and such) and then they will cut a check to Direct Relief. Now, props to Bungie for working with such a fiscally high rated charity that reports about 99.4% of donations going to their programs.

This is all before (as the quoted person suggested) the potential millions that Bungie may see in PR returns. If they want to give they should be giving as the quoted text suggests. Now that doesn't make this a BAD gesture, as long as people are informed and understanding that they are buying a pin for $15 dollars and hopefully $10 of that gets to Houston victims and the individual givers DO NOT get a tax deduction. If people are game with that and want that pin, then this is a great opportunity. If not, i'd encourage all you generous gamers to circumvent Bungie and give $15 to Direct Relief directly in which case only paypal will skim 1.4% off (charity rate).

TL;DR - not as GREAT as you think, if you REALLY want the pin, go through bungie, if not give directly to Direct Relief and make your $15 go farther.

I know exactly how charity and non-profits work in America. You're not offering some insight that hasn't been exposed ad infinitum with just about every charity out there

The bottom line is that if even only one dollar goes to help and it is coming from avenues that would otherwise not offer any money to help at all, it is still help.

I know the publicity is priceless. Word on the street is that all these people without homes, electricity, internet, PCs, or consoles were totally on the fence about Destiny 2 until they saw those 7 dollars rolling in. Now they are running through the flooded bayous to wait in line at the still closed Best Buy to get a copy. Priceless. Just like all the prayers and best wishes on Facebook made the water go down today. I thought it was an honest miracle until I remembered Zuckerberg was involved.

I gave time, effort, cash, clothes, food, and toilet paper. I circumvented Bungie, Direct Relief, and PayPal. I was in a position to do that. The people who are against it aren't generous gamers who are upset that the entire amount isn't going to relief. Nobody has made that argument at all. Most of them probably have zero intention of giving anything, pin or no. Just that Bungie the company isn't giving away their own money directly or that it is just a PR stunt. The Bungie Foundation aren't the only ones doing something like this. There are many, many examples.

TL;DR - Gamers just like to eat their own. 

Xingbairong

BeansnBread said:

Xingbairong said:

Also a lot of people seem to be highly sympathetic with what's happening in the US, but I doubt they really are sympathetic with the suffering of others. If they were they wouldn't be sending money to the most powerful and rich nation in the world to help, but instead they would help people in their own country. For example I'm not from the US and if I do plan on donating I prefer to use it to people in need in my country.

Nothing against the US, but it's illogical for me to give my money to another country when there are people suffering in my very sight on the streets I walk.

It's illogical to give to relief if they aren't your streets? WTF? I'll mention Haiti again. You don't walk their streets and so they don't deserve sympathy and possible donations from people from other countries?

Disaster relief should have nothing to do with nationalism. People suffer no matter what nationality. Stop with the pretense that you actually care about people.

You either didn't read what I wrote fully or you just couldn't comprehend what I said.

Also did you just compare Haiti to US? Are you suggesting that Haiti have the same $$$ as the US?
I clearly stated that US can handle the first part of disaster handling which is supplying food/water/blankets etc...
If you donate now the money will go exactly for that... once this is over there will be people who don't have any homes to go back to and who won't get anything from the country... those are the people that need help. That's when donating would actually matter for a country like the US.

It's beyond me how you could compare a 3rd world country with the most powerful country in the world and think that what you said made any sense whatsoever.
Stop with the pretense that you actually care about people is what I should be saying to you.

So you will donate now and save the US some money on water, food and blankets and once everything is over and there are people who have nothing left you will say... well I donated for their food early. I'm smart!

Nyghthowler

I really fucking love how a post started about providing aid to a natural disaster site has turned into mud slinging, name calling, and world political cynicism.
I have family that lived in Galveston when this happened. They are waiting to see if they have anything left to return to.
At least Bungie is doing something to try to help. After all, humanitarian aid doesn't come cheap....

beebop500

Nyghthowler said:

I really fucking love how a post started about providing aid to a natural disaster site has turned into mud slinging, name calling, and world political cynicism.
I have family that lived in Galveston when this happened. They are waiting to see if they have anything left to return to.
At least Bungie is doing something to try to help. After all, humanitarian aid doesn't come cheap....

I feel the same as you.  I was saddened to see how quickly this thread became full of personal attacks when the subject is such a serious one.

I am originally from just north of Galveston.  My mother still lives in the area.  Fortunately, she lives in an area that drains well and she did not suffer any damage, although she had water coming up her driveway at one point and was rather worried.  We have a very good family friend who lost everything - they had three feet of water in their house and posted pictures of their washer and dryer floating through their living room.  They had to float outside on an air mattress and be rescued by boat, and are now living with a sister.  They have flood insurance but are going to go months with no home, no clothes, and no vehicle.  My mother got off easy, which I am grateful to God for since she is almost 70.  Not everyone was so lucky.

I am tremendously appreciative of anyone who is helping the victims of that storm.  And if Bungie is getting the word out and trying to assist, then maybe, just maybe, all game companies are not the horrible evil empire many make them out to be.

And to those of you arguing with each other in a thread like this:  you need to (1) summon up some sympathy for others and (2) find a new fucking hobby.

Panther2103

Holy crap this thread turned into politics so fast. Why does it always have to turn into that with anything benefiting anyone. Who cares who invented democracy, who cares who helps who in a relief as long as someone is getting help. Just be a nice person and do what you feel like doing. Who needs to argue with people on a forum about why a country is better than other countries. 

SBFord

Fair warning, people. No further political discussion or the thread is closed. Please stick to the original topic without delving into international politics.

Thanks.

Sovrath

Wizardry said:

Blizzard ever so quick to get good media press,they have people paid to do just this.



This business has multiple millions..Billions,if they TRULY cared,just hand over some of the enormous wealth without creating hyped up press.Like seriously if someone cares,they do NOT go out and create some FOR SALE item to fund it.

Even if your hyper cynical view on life was true, what does it matter?

Money goes to a good cause.

Heck, if someone offered to give millions to a deserving cause if they could ridicule me in public I'd be there in a second. What do I care? People are helped.

Rosenborg

SBFord said:

Fair warning, people. No further political discussion or the thread is closed. Please stick to the original topic without delving into international politics.

Thanks.

Close the thread please.

lahnmir

Rosenborg said:

SBFord said:

Fair warning, people. No further political discussion or the thread is closed. Please stick to the original topic without delving into international politics.

Thanks.

Close the thread please.

Sorry, I missed the warning and will not go further into it.

OT, I think all money raised to help those in need is welcome, its one of the rare cases where results are more valuable then motivation. So hats off for Bungie, doing nothing would have been easier.

/Cheers,
Lahnmir

/Cheers,
Lahnmir