PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' hits 2 million in sales on Steam, charity drive set

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, an open-world, multiplayer, last-man-standing shooter, has officially sold more than 2 million copies on Steam, making it a monumental success considering its Early Access status. To celebrate, developer Bluehole Inc. is hosting a charity drive and will match all donations up to $100,000.

Designed by DayZ: BattleRoyale modder Brendan Greene (better known as PlayerUnknown), Battlegrounds has had an incredibly successful run since its release in early April. It’s become one of the most popular games on Steam, with more than 124,000 playing the game at its peak. It’s even more popular than its inspiration, H1Z1: King of the Hill, a game Greene consulted on.

“One of the main reasons we were able to hit this sales milestone is that we have a dedicated community who has helped us refine PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds,” said Gang-Seok Kim, CEO of Bluehole Inc. “We felt this invitational was a great way to give back, and are pleased to make this small contribution to the cause.”

The charity drive will feature 64 American and 64 European streamers battling it out in a series of competitions, all streamed through the official Battlegrounds stream. Although it’s not clear who will be taking part, we’re told that a full list of streamers will be coming soon, and it’s expected to include a number of recognizable names.

The stream will take place starting at 10 a.m. PT on Thursday, May 4, with the European streamers having three hours to gun each other down in various events. That will be followed by a second stream starting at 2 p.m. PT that will feature the North American gamers.

The charity Bluehole is sponsoring through this fundraising campaign is Gamers Outreach, which provides games and technology to children in hospitals. The campaign is now live, with one donation made so far, and many more expected.

Bluehole Inc. has pledged to match any donations up to $100,000, so gamers who donate can feel secure knowing that their money will go further than it might have otherwise.

“On behalf of our whole team, we’d like to extend our thanks to everyone involved with this effort,” said Zach Wigal, founder of Gamers Outreach. “Whether you’re a streamer, donor, or helping to spread the word, your support is truly appreciated.”