The publisher and developers of the psychological first-person adventure game The Town of Light, Wired Productions and LKA.it are teaming up with the phenomenal mental health charity Take This. The charity aims at mental health within the gaming community, and provides information on many disorders, and aid to those who live with anything from post-traumatic stress disorder to depression. Take This is partnered with major companies such as GameStop, IGN, PAX, and E3, and is sponsored by Ubisoft, EA Games, Bethesda, and many others. They bring awareness to mental health issues in order to fight the social stigma behind them, provide help and advice, make it easier to attend events such as PAX with their much loved “AFK Room” for anyone with mental or emotional disorders to unwind and get away from the crowd, and support games that portray mental health or help people to relax and cope.
“It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.” – takethis.org
As of today, August 16, until September 6, just after the end of PAX West 2017, it has been announced that all copies of The Town of Light sold on any platform will have 25% of the proceeds donated to help Take This with their amazing charity.
“Take This advocates for mental health awareness and provides “safe places” at conventions and expositions, so anyone, especially those suffering from mental health emotional issues, can find peace and regain calm nearby the often hectic show floor. Online, Take This offers a multitude of educational resources for those directly affected as well as their families, friends, and coworkers. Proceeds from The Town of Light will directly improve Take This’ ability to offer these life-saving programs and resources.” – UberStrategist Inc.
The Town of Light is a popular first-person game that explores psychological issues. It is historical in nature, recreating a real institution from early 20th century Italy. You play as 16 year old Renee, who is locked up in the hospital for reasons she does not understand. As you explore the world and make choices through her eyes, the developers promise that you will be blown away by the way the story plays out. I have not yet played The Town of Light but it is certainly at the top of my list now, and this is the perfect time to buy it since it helps Take This with their work in killing the social stigmas behind mental illness.
reality, starts the conversation,” said Leo Zullo, Managing Director, Wired Productions, “Our duty is
around mental health, but also to ensure that those who feel alone know that they are not, and are
given the help they often desperately need. This promotion, alongside our extended campaign for
awareness, form only a small part of a much greater picture, but we hope they will touch many
lives.”
I personally have spent years fighting with PTSD, general anxiety disorder, panic, and depression, as well as physical disability and illness. Take This is very important to me, and I can guarantee I will need to make my way to their AFK Room at some point during my time covering PAX West 2017 in Seattle. I have no shame in admitting this, because I know that I am not alone, not just in the world, but in the gaming community and industry as a whole as I struggle with my differences from others. If anyone gets anything out of the upcoming projects I am doing on mental and physical issues and being a gamer, working in media, or simply attending events, I hope that it is that we are not disabled, only different.
The work of Take This and developers and publishers like Wired Productions and LKA.it using real mental issues in gaming to shed light on what some of us go through, and why we love video games so much, is simply incredible. It helps with research to understand the various mental health issues in the world so that more people can be treated, and it aids in reducing the problems with social stigma that some of us deal with from those who do not have to suffer through these health issues. Take This is out there to show how very real mental health problems are and to educate everyone on how to approach mental illness, cope with it, and help friends and family in need.
If you are looking to purchase a game soon, please download The Town of Light between now and September 6, and help Take This save lives, and make gaming and events fun for everyone.
You can always donate at anytime to Take This here- http://www.takethis.org/donate/
