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Fall Guys developer creates a bidding war for charity

Brands and influencers are bidding for a chance to have their own custom skin added to Fall Guys, with over £300,000 being raised so far for gaming disability charity Special Effect.

Fall Guys has enjoyed wild success since its launch early last month.

It’s been purchased over 2 million times on Steam and has been downloaded by 8 million PlayStation Plus members. Much like other big multiplayer titles before it, such as Rocket League and Fortnite, Fall Guys has become the next viral hit. YouTubers, Twitch streamers, and every company under the sign is wanting a piece of the pie.

Mediatonic has decided to put all of this recent buzz to good use and is now challenging brands to bid for a chance to have a custom skin implemented into the game. Companies such as KFC, Walmart, and GE Esports have all been sending in their own designs and some have been more discerning than others. Colonel Sanders as an anthropomorphic bean is somewhat unnerving, for example, and this creepy fan art entry will probably give you nightmares.

17 AMAZING Fall Guys Skins We Want to See in the Game - FanButton

It’s not all just for online clout. All the money raised during the bidding war will be donated to Special Effects, a charity that helps those with disabilities to play video games easily using specially made controllers, innovative technology, and expert therapists. It’s already helped a ton of gamers to play their favourite titles – check out this one with a girl called Ceyda who has cerebral palsy and can now finally play Disney Infinity thanks to a custom made peripheral.

The Twitter bidding initiative has secured over £300,000 in donations with no sign of slowing down. Everyone from Ninja to the Sidemen has gotten involved, bringing more awareness to Special Effect and to accessibility options in video games, a topic that often ends up overlooked in the industry.

Mediatonic has said that it will continue the bidding war for another two weeks to see how high the money pot gets. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw the numbers climb into seven figures digits, especially if big gaming corporations such as Rockstar or EA get involved.

For now we’ll have to watch with interest, and I’ve no doubt we’ll all still be playing Fall Guys for the foreseeable future. I’ve already clocked a healthy ten hours or so in pursuit of those ever elusive crowns and the game is still skyrocketing in popularity. Either way, Special Effect will be getting a hefty cheque in two weeks’ time, and more UK gamers will be able to jump in and get involved than ever before. That’s what really matters.

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