Gaming for Good: Everything You Need to Know About Humble Bundle
Video Games are expensive, so why not save a little money AND benefit some awesome charities with Humble Bundle?
Welcome, fellow gamers! Video games are one of the best pieces of entertainment out there. They’re interactive, enjoyable, and, in some cases, replayable over and over with different results. However, they are also rather expensive, sometimes prohibitively so.
Alongside the already high cost of games, you also have to factor in a console to play them on. I’m not here to jump into a console war debate (we can do that later if we get enough comments), but I will say a good PC is probably your best value. While PC games aren’t necessarily cheaper themselves, there are a lot more options for finding games, even those designed for consoles. Also… PC gamers have access to Humble Bundle.
If you’ve been in the gaming scene for any length of time, you’ve probably at least heard of Humble Bundle. But what is it exactly? And why should you give them both your attention and your money? Well, that’s what I’m here to answer. Here’s a rundown of the fabulous service, the wonderful work your money is helping to do, and why it might be worth waiting on your favorite title.
What is Humble Bundle?
Humble Bundle got its start back in 2010 as the brainchild of Jeff Rosen, the President of Wolfire Games. Rosen was inspired by the bundles and packages available to Steam users for a reduced price, and how those bundles spread quickly online through word of mouth. Hoping to showcase indie game developers like his own and benefit charities, he and his brother David launched the first Humble Indie Bundle with a “pay-what-you-want” system.
This initial launch also allowed users to dictate a portion of their purchase to go to the Child’s Play or Electronic Frontier Foundation charity. Child’s Play was a program that brought video games to children who had been hospitalized, and EFF was a pioneer in anti-DRM, both causes the Rosen brothers could get behind.
During the initial sale, the Rosen brothers and Wolfire ran the sale themselves internally, featuring several other Indie developers such as Unknown Worlds and Ron Carmel. However, when they released their second bundle in 2014, they spun the company out as a separate entity, and Humble Bundle was born.
Humble Bundle Today
In 2017, IGN acquired Humble Bundle but announced they had no plans to make changes to what was already working. Instead, they expanded the site to include a dedicated and permanent storefront. This provided a monthly subscription service for game discounts and a more rapid turnover of gaming bundles. Players can visit the digital storefront to browse available items, subscribe to the monthly club, or peruse the partnered charities.
To this day, Humble Bundle has raised over $240,000,000 for charities across the world. Though the Rosens are no longer at the helm, they are pleased with the direction the company has taken. It isn’t just video games anymore, either.
The digital storefront offers ebooks and helpful software as part of their bundles, like the Pathfinder Character Management Tool. The company has also branched into game production. Its name has been on several indie titles over the years, including the immensely popular Slay the Spire.
Is Humble Bundle Safe?
As with all digital marketplaces, Humble Bundle comes with the inherent risk of online piracy and theft. However, IGN and the Rosens put several safeguards in place to ensure the safety of their customers. Data is not shared, and personal information is never linked to any of the partnered organizations. You are as safe there as you are on any major online site. Nothing is without risk, but the likelihood of theft or fraud as a result of bundle purchases is extremely low.
How Does It Work?
Every few weeks, the site bundles together games that share either a similar theme or developer. These bundles are then released on the site as a “pay-what-you-want” option. This allows you to dictate what you want to pay for the games as well as how much goes to the chosen charity. Occasionally, the bundles will have a required minimum payment, but that usually only happens in the case of recent or chart-topping games.
Additionally, members of the monthly subscription club are given free games to keep for life. These range from indie gems like Hot Brass to popular titles like Disco Elysium. Members also receive a discount on all games bought through the digital storefront. The subscription pays for itself in only a few months.
What Kind of Games Can I Get?
Indie games are the bread and butter of Humble Bundle, but they are far from the only titles on offer. AAA publishers like 2k, THQNordic, and Capcom have partnered with Humble Bundle to offer top-tier games at a fraction of the price. So, if you’re in the market for a new game, wait a little while; you might see it on Humble Bundle. There’s nothing better than scoring an awesome new game and helping out a worthy charity.
Stop by the digital storefront and start playing today!
