Blizzard Entertainment announced today that it raised over $12.7 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation from selling a special Pink Mercy skin for its hit online game, Overwatch.
The team-based shooter is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. According to Blizzard, this is the largest donation by a corporate sponsor in the history of the charity, which focuses on clinical and translational (turning the raw science into means to help people’s well being) research for breast cancer.
Blizzard sold the Pink Mercy skin for $15, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the charity. Most cosmetics in Overwatch are only available in loot crates. You buy a loot crate and then get four random items, including skins, sprays, voice lines, and more. Being able to immediately get a specific skin is an attractive rarity for Overwatch fans. Mercy, a healer in an angelic outfit, is one of the game’s more popular characters, and her theme is a good fit for the charity effort. The outfit was available from May 8 to May 21.
The charity drive also included sales of a $30 Pink Mercy shirt.
Blizzard often sells in-game items in its titles like World of Warcraft and Heroes of the Storm for charity, but this was the first effort to take place in Overwatch.