Videogame charity hits target

A videogame publisher which was set up to raise money for charity has generated more than $100,000 (£62,000).

OneBigGame announced today that it has been able to donate 96 per cent of that total to two charities, Save the Children and Starlight Children Foundation.

The non-profitmaking company was set up by entrepreneur and former PR manager Martin de Ronde who has described the publisher as "Live Aid for games".

Its initial aim is to release 15 casual titles, the majority of which will be web-based Flash games.

Others are being made available on consoles or the iPhone and they include the Xbox Live Arcade game, Chime.

Revolution Software director Charles Cecil is set to release a game called Minesweeper Adventure and legendary developer David Perry is creating a tablet racing game.

The majority of the profits in 2010 were generated by Chime, developed by UK-based Zoe Mode.

De Ronde said: “We are very happy to announce these first positive results from what we feel is a unique and new way of raising funds for charity.

“Through games created by famous game developers and development studios, we can now help children in need, which we think is a fantastic mechanism."

This month OneBigGame released the rhythm title WINtA, written in Japan by Masaya Matsuura, the creator of PaRappa The Rappa.

Available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, it is a free download with separate tracks from a variety of artists available as in-app purchases generating funds for charity.

Douglas Rouse, corporate partnerships director at Save the Children said: "This is an innovative new way of raising funds for charity and the partnership introduces our vital and lifesaving work to a whole new audience of gamers."

Jenny Isaacson, VP of Brand Marketing and Communications at Starlight, added: “It's great to see the game industry not only provide entertainment for the general public but also for the seriously ill children and families Starlight serves."