fundraising Archives

AppWizard

November 18, 2025

Legendary game designer, programmer, Space Invaders champion, and LGBTQ trailblazer Rebecca Heineman has died

Rebecca Heineman, a pioneering figure in the gaming industry, passed away at the age of 62 following a recent cancer diagnosis. She was the first officially recognized U.S. champion of a video game, winning a national Space Invaders tournament in 1980. Over her career, she contributed to 67 games and was known for her programming skills, including porting titles like Wolfenstein 3D and Baldur's Gate. Heineman publicly embraced her identity as a transgender woman and was an advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion and diversity in technology. She faced an aggressive cancer diagnosis in early 2024, prompting her to seek support through GoFundMe for treatment costs. After her passing, tributes from the gaming community highlighted her contributions to foundational games and her kindness towards others.

AppWizard

October 19, 2025

PC Gamer is joining Dames 4 Games for its spooky Halloween monster mash, Ghouls 4 Games, which includes a showcase, Steam event, and fundraising streams

PC Gamer is collaborating with Dames 4 Games, Twitch, and Steam to honor women and femme-led studios this Halloween through a series of events. Dames 4 Games is a non-profit organization focused on promoting women and femme-led studios in gaming, offering digital showcases, charity streams, and mentorship programs. The Ghouls 4 Games initiative will feature three events from October 24 to November 7, celebrating creativity and collaboration in gaming. Additional details are available on Dames 4 Games' official website.

AppWizard

October 5, 2025

YouTuber reaches Minecraft’s legendary Far Lands after 14-plus-year journey

YouTuber KurtJMac has completed a journey from spawn to the Far Lands in Minecraft, which he began in March 2011 using Minecraft Beta 1.7.3. This quest, part of his series "Far Lands or Bust," has raised approximately [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: YouTuber KurtJMac has triumphantly concluded one of the most ambitious quests in the gaming world: a trek from spawn to the elusive Far Lands in Minecraft. This remarkable journey, which began over a decade ago, has captivated fans and gamers alike through his ongoing series, Far Lands or Bust. The Journey Begins In March 2011, Kurt embarked on this monumental challenge using Minecraft Beta 1.7.3. What started as a personal goal quickly evolved into a larger mission, transforming into a fundraising initiative that has raised approximately 0,000 for various charitable organizations over the years. A Decade of Dedication Throughout the journey, Kurt meticulously documented every step on his YouTube channel, with the inaugural video of the series uploaded 14 years ago. His commitment to this quest not only showcases his passion for gaming but also highlights the potential for gaming communities to unite for a greater cause. A Unique Achievement Completing this journey on foot, without the aid of cheats or shortcuts, is a rare accomplishment, with only a handful of players believed to have reached the Far Lands in this manner. Kurt's perseverance and dedication to the challenge have solidified his place in the annals of gaming history. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, KurtJMac's journey serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of exploration and community within the Minecraft universe." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"],000 for various charities. He documented the journey on his YouTube channel, with the first video uploaded 14 years ago. Kurt completed the trek on foot without cheats or shortcuts, making him one of the few players to achieve this.

AppWizard

October 5, 2025

14 years after he began, streamer makes Minecraft history as he completes marathon walk to the edge of the world

Kurt 'Kurtjmac' Mac completed his journey known as 'Far Lands or Bust' on October 4, 2025, after starting on March 28, 2011. He aimed to reach the Far Lands in Minecraft, which occurs 12,550,821 blocks from the spawn point due to a terrain generation glitch. Mac played on the beta 1.7.3 build of the game, as the Far Lands feature was removed in modern versions. Throughout his journey, he raised funds for charities such as Child's Play, Direct Relief, PAWS, and the Equal Justice Initiative. Upon reaching the Far Lands, he placed a sign commemorating the event.

AppWizard

July 18, 2025

Crypto Messaging App Ephemera Bags $20M Series B at $300M Valuation

Ephemera, a blockchain-based messaging platform, secured million in a Series B funding round, co-led by Union Square Ventures, A16z Crypto, and Lightspeed Faction, achieving a valuation of 0 million. The round included participation from Coinbase, Sound Ventures, and actor Ashton Kutcher. The funding was structured as equity with token warrants, and Fred Wilson from Union Square Ventures joined Ephemera’s board. The platform is developed by the creators of XMTP, a decentralized messaging network utilizing IETF-standard Messaging Layer Security, which is trusted by companies like Mozilla, Google, Wire, and Cisco. XMTP aims to allow users to transfer conversations between different messaging apps, addressing concerns about centralization and user ownership of messages.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

Summer Games Done Quick 2025 raised $2.4m

This year's Summer Games Done Quick charity speedrunning event raised ,436,614 for Doctors Without Borders from July 6th to 13th, attracting over 2,600 attendees at the Hilton Minneapolis in Minnesota. The event featured popular games such as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Balatro, Super Mario Maker 2, Blue Prince, Mario Kart World, and Beat Saber. Although the total raised is slightly below the .5 million raised in 2024, Games Done Quick has raised over million for various charitable organizations since its inception. Founder Mike Uyama stepped down in August 2024, passing leadership to operations head Matt Merkle.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

Streaming platform Noice is closing down

Finnish live-streaming platform Noice is set to close, as announced by CEO Tuomas Rinta in a LinkedIn post. The decision follows difficulties in attracting additional investment despite a successful fundraising effort in 2023. Rinta noted that the team had been aware of the challenging fundraising environment and had hoped for a better outcome. He acknowledged the emotional impact of the closure on employees and expressed a desire for them to eventually take pride in their accomplishments.

AppWizard

March 28, 2025

Report: Discord is preparing to go public

Discord is reportedly planning to launch its initial public offering (IPO) as early as this year, according to a Bloomberg report. The company has partnered with Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase for guidance in this process. In 2021, Discord was involved in acquisition talks with Microsoft and aimed for a billion-dollar valuation during a fundraising round. In 2022, there was speculation about a potential direct listing instead of a traditional IPO. CEO Jason Citron indicated that Discord would "probably go public" at some point, reflecting confidence in the company's future.

AppWizard

March 13, 2025

Skype is dying, but this niche messaging app once bought by Skype just integrated with Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft has integrated a new Copilot feature into GroupMe, allowing users to interact with AI for generating responses and enhancing group chat communication. Users can summon Copilot with a long press on messages, enabling functionalities such as brainstorming ideas, curating playlists, and simplifying complex concepts. GroupMe, acquired by Microsoft after its launch in 2010, has become popular among students due to its user-friendly features. The 2024 update represents a significant overhaul, emphasizing adaptability and user engagement. Future enhancements may include AI that understands group dynamics for more interactive experiences.

TrendTechie

December 21, 2024

Оказывается, «Сталкер 2» нельзя будет скачать даже с торрентов: почему обойти запрет не удастся

Gamers have been warned that "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl" may soon be classified as prohibited content. Developers have removed the Russian voiceover, banned sales in Russia and Belarus, and are fundraising for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, leading to the blocking of the game's websites by Roskomnadzor for spreading extremist information. A major piracy platform has advised users not to expect a repack of the game due to concerns it may be classified as extremist, which could result in legal consequences for distributing it. The government can track users who purchase or distribute prohibited content, making it easier to identify sources and downloaders. The situation poses legal risks for sellers, piracy services, streamers, reviewers, and guide authors. Potential bans on purchases could be interpreted as financing terrorism due to the game's association with an organization labeled as extremist in Russia. If illegal content is found in the game, the implications would be more severe.