The newest installment in the Gears of War franchise, developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios, will take another look into the fictional world of Sera and crew as they battle their reptilian enemies, the Locust Horde. This time, however, the fate of one of the characters will be decided by the fans -- for charity.
The video game series is known for featuring a family of sidekick characters, each of whom meets their end in the first two parts of the now-trilogy. The newest member, Clayton Carmine, may have a chance at living in Gears of War 3 if the fans decide he should. Beginning July 29, gamers can purchase either a "Save Carmine" or "Carmine Must Die" virtual T-shirt for their XBox Live online avatar through the XBox Live Marketplace and a matching cloth one for themselves at this week's Comic-Con in San Diego, and all proceeds from both sales will go to the Child's Play charity. Gladiator-style, each purchase will constitute one thumbs-up or thumbs-down vote for Carmine's survival, respectively.
Child's Play was initiated in 2003 as a 'gamers' charity,' cultivating a community of video game enthusiasts with a passion for hospital outreach. Since then, they have collected more than 5 million dollars in donations of toys, games, books, cash for the benefit of hospitalized children both nationally and globally. They partner with almost 70 different hospitals around the world, enabling gamers to purchase items from their nearest hospital's wish list and have them sent directly to the children during the holiday season. Gamers can even sell their old consoles on eBay and donate the proceeds to Child's Play through eBay's Giving Works website.