Why World Of Warcraft’s Charity Pet Program Is So Great

The past year has been incredibly difficult for many people. Being unable to socialize in-person due to the COVID-19 pandemic has lead many to seek out companionship within the virtual world. MMORPGs have become a lifeline for those in quarantine. Those tight-knit communities are also looking for ways to give back. The World of Warcraft Charity Pet Drive has been a great feel-good story – for the most part.

Recently, Activision Blizzard introduced a charitable giving initiative for World of Warcraft. As a reward for meeting certain donation totals, cosmetic pets would be made available to players. These rewards are (at the time of this writing) available for free for all players, not just those that participated in the charity drive. The WoW Charity Pet Drive has appeared to be a huge success for all parties involved.

For World of Warcraft players, the program is nothing but a good thing. Even those who did not contribute to the charity fund (or who were unable to) are benefiting from the community’s generosity. The new WoW pets are absolutely adorable – and are a departure from the game’s usual pet system. Daisy the Sloth can piggyback on a player, replacing their cloak, and allowing them to summon another pet to run alongside them. This opening up of possibilities for player expression and fashion follows a positive trend for WoW. According to a leak, eyeglasses may be added to World of Warcraft soon. Adding more ways for players to distinguish themselves from others is a great idea, and Daisy is a wonderful little accessory.

WoW’s Charity Drive & Free Pets Explained

The program benefits Doctors Without Borders, a worthy charity that provide medical care to people around the globe. It’s also beneficial for Activision Blizzard in the wake of a difficult period for the company, which has made a series of perceived missteps lately, including controversial hires like Brian Bulatao and inequitable compensation accusations. So, perhaps this charity program is a way to tip those scales a bit and restore some goodwill among its fanbase.

To date, Doctors Without Borders has received a donation of over $1 million from WoW‘s charity initiative. Players raised money for a good cause and were given some fantastic pets, like Daisy the Sloth and Bananas the Ape, in return, and Activision Blizzard was able to get some good press out of the donation drive. So, the World of Warcraft Charity Pet Program should be considered a big success.