It's been almost a month since Russia launched its invasion on its Ukrainian neighbor, stomping in at the behest of Russian President Vladmir Putin to lay siege to its lands.
Since the war started, Russia's forces have attempted to destroy entire cities, including Kharkiv, Mariupol, and the capital city, Kyiv. Their attacks have not only destroyed lives and homes, but they have also triggered economic consequences worldwide, from faltering supply chain issues to rising gas costs.
Naturally, many want to help Ukraine as the unrest continues. There are dozens of ways to donate directly, from giving money to charities to sending badly needed supplies such as food, clothing, and medicine.
President Biden on March 11 signed off on an emergency package that provided $13.6 billion to Ukraine. Elon Musk, Tesla's (TSLA) chief executive, has also been actively using his wealth to provide support, sending Starlink internet stations and Tesla Powerwalls to help Ukrainians stay connected to the outside world.
Other industries continue to up their support, including several major players in the videogame industry.
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Which Companies Are Donating to Ukraine?
Epic Games, the publisher behind the billion-dollar smash hit game "Fortnite," said this week that it had raised $36 million -- the most sizable donation within the gaming industry yet-- to support the war-torn country. It did so by donating all profits made by "Fortnite" between March 20 and April 3.
Epic managed to raise that money in a mere 48 hours, and there's likely a lot more to come -- especially since Xbox announced via Twitter on March 20 that it intended to do the same. Xbox said it would also double any donations users make to Unicef using their Microsoft Rewards points.
Epic and Microsoft are the most recent videogame publishers to offer their support, joining Electronic Arts (EA), Sony (SNE), Nintendo (NTDOY), Sega, and Bandai Namco. A long list of independent developers have also joined the charge, and it keeps growing by the day. Here are a few of the major players and the details on what they've done to send support to Ukraine.
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Sony Group
In a statement given to gamesindustry.biz on March 9, Sony Group confirmed that it had made a large financial donation to the Ukraine.
"To support humanitarian aid, Sony Group Corporation announced a US$2 million donation to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the international NGO, Save the Children, to support the victims of this tragedy," the statement reads.
Sony also clarified its stance by suspending all software and hardware shipments to Russia. PlayStation also said it would withhold the launch of its popular racing franchise "Gran Turismo 7" and shut down the Russian PlayStation store.
Humble Bundle
A California-based digital retailer known for its focus on donating to charity, Humble Bundle pitched in by creating a bundle of games, books, and software to raise funds for Ukraine. The company promised to donate 100% of proceeds to charities such as the International Rescue Committee and Direct Relief.
The company is selling the 123-item bundle for a minimum of $40 but allows buyers to pay whatever price they want above that threshold. At this writing, the bundle has earned more than $12 million and remains on sale through Friday.
Sega
Videogame company Sega made an announcement via its Twitter on March 4, saying that it had made a "meaningful donation" and was also matching staff donations for Ukraine-focused humanitarian causes.
Pokémon
Pokemon tweeted on March 3 that it sent a $200,000 donation to Global Giving, saying, "The growing crisis in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, which continues to cause the displacement of families and threaten the safety of children, is heartbreaking."
Bandai Namco
The Japanese videogame publisher behind the smash hit adventure game "Elden Ring" said on March 11 that it would donate 100 million yen ($852,000 U.S.) to Save the Children to support Ukraine.
