Nexon Raising Funds For Charity Through Mabinogi Item, Soundtrack Sales

Nexon America announced today a year-long effort to raise funds for the Starlight Children's Foundation through sales of the soundtrack and an in-game item for its popular free-to-play MMO Mabinogi. Half of the proceeds from the sale of the roughly $4 Starlight Scepter -- "a silver-colored, decorative wand with a rainbow glow effect" according to the company -- will go towards Starlight's efforts to help seriously ill children and their families. Nexon will also donate the entirety of the 35 cents it receives from iTunes sales of the 99-cent Mabinogi soundtrack to the organization for the next year. “Our partnership with Mabinogi will introduce Starlight to a community of thousands of video game players and offer them an easy opportunity to support our mission while enjoying game play,” Starlight VP of Brand Marketing and Communications Jenny Isaacson said in a statement. “We are very grateful to Nexon and Mabinogi fans for their support.” The fantasy-based Mabinogi boasts over a million registered users in North America, as well as successful versions in markets including Europe and Korea. An Xbox 360 version of the PC-only game was planned in 2007 but cancelled before release. “Our players have shown great heart and spirit, and I expect that they will embrace Starlight’s mission without hesitation,” Mabinogi producer Charles Park said in a statement. “It is important to our players, the game and to our company that we reach outside our business and support those in need. Starlight is a great cause, and we are humbled to be able to help.” Many social and MMO game-makers, including FarmVille creator Zynga and Free Realms maker Sony Online Entertainment raised millions of dollars altogether for relief organizations working in Haiti following the country's devastating earthquakes early this year.