Who knew buying games could benefit the planet?
Itch.io is basically a co-op marketplace for indie developers to share their work, share assets and directly communicate with gamers. It’s also a platform that allows for the simple creation of game jams, giving budding developers a chance to create games with other creators.
In the past, itch.io has hosted bundles to go towards various causes, such as the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality and the Indie Bundle for Palestinian Aid. This time around, Plant Based Gaming has teamed up with Future Friends Games to create the World Land Trust Bundle, a collection of 60+ indie games from different creators to go towards the World Land Trust and combat climate change.
The World Land Trust is an international conservation trust that works with partners across the globe to save, protect and restore critically threatened habitats for wildlife. For just a minimum spend of US$5, gamers can get access to 60+ indie games worth around $450 normally, while also doing their part for environmental restoration and protection. Pretty neat, right?
Plant Based Gaming, the organisers of the bundle, is a community-led project that showcases video games of all sizes that have a focus on nature, conservation and education. In a similar vein to Wholesome Games, their goal is to boost awareness of indie games and creators while also shining a light on the topic of nature conservation and appreciation in video games.
I got my grubby mitts on the bundle and some of my top picks from the bundle have to be miniNATURA, What Comes After, Dap, plant daddy, Un Pas Fragile, ART SQOOL, Old Man’s Journey, and Boo! Greedy Kid (think a pixel version of That Really Boils My Piss). A few of these games I’ve played in the past (Old Man’s Journey was a title I played on the Switch and it made me cry), but getting to experience a lot of these for the first time was magical. It’s a great deal and a great bundle, and there’s a little something for everybody in this bundle.
As of writing, the bundle has raised over US$30,000 for the trust, knocking their original goal of US$10,000 right out of the park. If you’d like to check it out for yourself, their itch.io page will be available until December 10.
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