Guild Wars 2 Developer ArenaNet Honored As Extra Life's Partner Of The Year

mmorpg.com:

ArenaNet has been honored with the Extra Life Partner of the Year award from the beneficiary of the fundraising event, Children’s Miracle Network. This comes after successful fundraising and basing a new permanent NPC and story, based on April Arellano, a child representing the CMN as their “Champion”.

Extra Life and the Guild Wars 2 community have made a successful partnership for several years now, with fundraising goals and stretch goals often met for a total of $855,526 over the past six years. 

The decision to add April Arellano and a story for her as a permanent NPC in Guild Wars 2 came about after she was named the 2021 Champion for Children’s Miracle Network. As a child helped through affiliated children's hospitals, April has served as an advocate and traveled to bring attention to the charitable needs children’s hospitals have. As part of their 2022 Extra Life campaign, ANet unveiled the NPC based on April, who is voiced by Jennifer Hale. To make it through April’s story in game,the community donated towards stretch goals for additional hints. Ultimately,  the campaign last year raised $253,359. You can watch ArenaNet's acceptance at this year's ceremony below.

ArenaNet’s Rubi Bayer, Senior Content Marketing Strategist, said in a press release, «Ever since then we’ve had over 120 staff raise the bar every year with creative and ambitious fundraising both in and out of game. Whether it’s creating custom drawings for donors, letting donors name in game creatures, shaving their heads (and eyebrows!) live on stream, or creating an in game version of a Children’s Miracle Network patient as a special non-player character, everyone has an unmatched passion for the Extra Life cause. We’re proud to help Change Kids