American Cancer Society, Skillz, and Mobile Game Developers Unite to Fight Cancer
SAN FRANCISCO, June 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The American Cancer Society (ACS) and Skillz are launching a year-long partnership, featuring a series of charity eSports tournaments to support ACS in the fight against cancer. Skillz has proven to be a strong platform for philanthropic fundraising, activating nearly 27,000 new nonprofit donors in just 10 one-day charity eSports tournaments. Through this new partnership, mobile gamers worldwide can compete in games powered by the Skillz platform and donate proceeds to ACS. The first tournament runs June 29 to 30. Notable Skillz partners like Scotland’s Outplay Entertainment, the UK-based developer of Bubble Shooter League on iOS, will cross-promote content to support the initiative.
“Partnering with Skillz is a new and exciting way for the American Cancer Society to engage a wider and younger mobile-first audience,” said Sharon Byers, Chief Development, Marketing and Communications Officer of the American Cancer Society. “When the mobile gaming community rallies together, it can be an incredible force for good, flexing the power of modern technology to tackle persistent health challenges like cancer. We’re eager to kick off this new cutting-edge fundraising partnership with Skillz.”
Recognized as one of the 2019 CNBC Disruptor 50, Skillz is changing the way modern philanthropies engage with donors by making charity eSports tournaments available to anyone, anywhere with an iOS or Android device. Interested players can visit skillz.com and download Skillz-enabled games like Diamond Strike, Solitaire Cube, Strike Bowling, Bubble Shooter League, and Bubble Shooter Tournaments. Tournaments will be available in the live events section of the games, and Skillz will donate 100 percent of its revenue for every match played.
“Competitive gaming is rapidly emerging as one of the most effective modern fundraising tools,” said Andrew Paradise, CEO and founder of Skillz. “Today’s charity eSports tournaments are equivalent to last decade’s charity marathons or golf tournaments. Through the power of democratized casual gaming, Skillz and the American Cancer Society are collaborating to further the important mission of eradicating cancer.”
The American Cancer Society is the largest private nonprofit funder of cancer research in the United States. It is dedicated to fighting cancer from every angle, supporting cancer research and prevention, cancer screening and detection, access to care, and patient services. The organization has invested over $4.6 billion total in research.
“With 17 million new cases reported in 2018, cancer is now the second leading cause of death worldwide,” said Richard Hare, co-founder and President of Outplay Entertainment. “The Outplay family lost a dear colleague to cancer, which is why supporting the American Cancer Society and Skillz to battle this tragic disease is so personal for our team. We’re proud to support Skillz in harnessing the power of gaming for good, advocating for important global health efforts that transcend all borders.”
Based in Dundee, Outplay Entertainment was named Scotland’s fastest-growing technology company in the 2017 Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50 awards. Outplay Entertainment is also the largest independent mobile developer in the UK, which is home to over 37 million gamers and counting. The total global gaming audience is now 2.6 billion players strong, meaning this community can make a significant impact in the fight against cancer, which is responsible for one in every six deaths worldwide.
“In the U.S., nearly one out of every three people will have cancer during their lifetime, meaning almost everyone has been affected by cancer in some way – each of them with a unique experience and story,” said Allie Young, CEO of Axis Replay, a WeWork-style facility for eSports and gaming based in Atlanta that partners closely with ACS. “A few years ago, Axis Replay lost our co-founder to pancreatic cancer, and our facility and mission of advancing eSports are dedicated to his memory.”
About Skillz
Skillz is the leading mobile eSports platform, driving the future of entertainment by accelerating the convergence of sports, video games, media, and network effects. The company works with 13,000+ game developers, leveraging its patented technology to host over 800 million tournaments for 18 million mobile players worldwide. Skillz has earned recognition as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC’s Disruptor 50, Forbes’ Next Billion-Dollar Startups, Entrepreneur Magazine’s 100 Brilliant Companies, and the #1 fastest-growing company in America on the Inc. 5000. The company is based in San Francisco and Portland, and is backed by leading venture capitalists, media companies, and professional sports luminaries. Learn more about Skillz-enabled games and implementing mobile eSports competitions by visiting www.skillz.com or emailing launch@skillz.com. To run a fundraiser with Skillz, email bd@skillz.com.
About the American Cancer Society (ACS)
The American Cancer Society does not endorse any products or services. The ACS is a global grassroots force of 1.5 million volunteers dedicated to saving lives, celebrating lives, and leading the fight for a world without cancer. From breakthrough research, to free lodging near treatment, a 24/7/365 live helpline, free rides to treatment, and convening powerful activists to create awareness and impact, the ACS attacks cancer from every angle. For more information, visit www.cancer.org.
About Outplay Entertainment
Outplay Entertainment, along with its subsidiary studio, Eight Pixels Square, is the UK’s largest independent mobile game company, with multiple awards and over 150 million downloads across its portfolio of games. It is responsible for numerous critically acclaimed titles, such as Crafty Candy, Mystery Match, and Angry Birds POP! For additional information, visit www.outplay.com.
Press Contacts
Roxie Bostwick, Skillz: pr@skillz.com
Paul McGee, American Cancer Society: paul.mcgee@cancer.org
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