Game Against Kate Upton… For a Good Cause

As gamers, we live for that moment of triumph: edging an opponent in a close online match, scoring the winning goal, passing the competition seconds from the finish line. But how much better would that feel if your win also helped to save lives? Gamers will get a chance to find out June 1st, when the first-ever (RED)RUSH Games tournament kicks off, and they can join in the fight against AIDS by doing what comes naturally: competing to win.

“Gaming is a passion for millions of people around the world, and (RED) is going to tap into that passion to get people focused and engaged in our efforts to help deliver an AIDS Free Generation by 2015,” said Deborah Dugan, (RED) CEO.  “We’re giving gamers an incredibly fun way to compete in a world-class tournament while doing good at the same time."

Not only will gamers get the opportunity to help (RED)RUSH TO ZERO (going on June 1-10) build on the staggering $190 million the organization has already raised, but participants will have the opportunity to win prizes, including tickets to the upcoming MTV Movie Awards  and the opportunity to game against celebrities like Kate Upton, Jorge Garcia, Michelle Rodriguez and Kris Allen.

IGN is the official media sponsor of the (RED)RUSH Games, and will be bringing you full coverage of the event from E3, where the tournament will have a huge presence. The (RED)RUSH Games are being powered by STiKS GAMING, a new platform that allows gamers to register their Gamer IDs, sign up for teams, and game for charity to "battle for a better world."

“(RED) is one of the most respected, and innovative causes in the world, and we are honored to launch the STiKSGAMING platform with The (RED)RUSH Games,” stated STiKS GAMING partner Brett Claywell.  “We are excited to unite gamers in support of a global cause, and look forward to building a strong community in an effort to better the world while having some fun.”

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We’re giving gamers an incredibly fun way to compete in a world-class tournament while doing good at the same time. --Deborah Dugan. (RED) CEO

Gamers can get involved immediately in the (RED)RUSH Games effort by visiting STIKSGAMING.com. The tournament will pit two teams against one another: TEAM INSPI(RED) and TEAM POWE(RED). After signing up on STIKSGAMING.com, gamers will get to choose which team they'd like to represent, and after making a small donation (as little as $10 USD), they will get to select a platform (PS3 or Xbox 360), and choose from a variety of games to compete in. Games in the tournament include EA Sports FIFA Soccer 12, EA Sports NHL 12, 2K Sports' NBA 2K12, KINECT SPORTS Season 2, and Forza Motorsport 4.

STiKS GAMING partner Michael Wasserman explains. "Once you make the donation and enter the system, that $10 is turned into a certain amount of points… As you accumulate points, you can then use those points to have the opportunity to play against your favorite celebrity who is part of the campaign."

After playing in a match against another (RED)RUSH gamer, wins and losses will be recorded on the STiKS GAMING website, each player's accomplishments will count toward the team score, and their donations will count toward the team's efforts to raise money for the cause.

"We narrowed the issue from just AIDS in general to one Millennium Goal which is quantifiable," said Dugan. The virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is the ultimate goal, and will be instrumental in halting the spread of HIV/AIDS by the target date of 2015.

During E3, the (RED)RUSH Games will be in full swing, and celebrities will be in attendance to play their games against each other and online against contest winners. Show goers will get the opportunity to visit the (RED)RUSH booth on the E3 floor and get a taste of the Games live. The booth will feature huge video screens to capture the celebrity gaming action, a live DJ and private gaming rooms.

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We are excited to unite gamers in support of a global cause --Brett Claywell, STiKS GAMING partner

"The booth is designed for two main purposes. It's designed to give celebrities the opportunity to play from our booth against donors around the world, and for us to put on big exhibitions to create awareness at E3, with a huge jumbotron screen where people can watch celebrities battle each other," said Wasserman.

In addition to those already mentioned, celebrities involved include Wayne Brady,  Chingy , Samantha Ronson, Michael B. Jordan, Scott Porter, Ryan Cabrera, DJ Colleen Shannon, Aldis Hodge, Al Shearer, Kerli, Brian White, Cobi Jones, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, iLuminate, Chad "Madd Chadd" Smith and Fatal1ty. And the list keeps growing. "Every day, we're getting more and more people in," said Dugan.

Gamers can track who will be at E3 gaming at various times. Donors to (RED) who register through the STIKSGAMING.com site can have the opportunity to play celebrities two ways: by gaining points or by entering into a sweepstakes where they will enter a code to play a particular celebrity.

Players who participate will have a stake in a global effort to halt the spread of HIV. Once the goal is met, Dugan says, "There's culturally a victory lap at the end. You can actually check a box and say, 'We did this.' All these gamers came together for the first time in such a huge way, and we'd like to do it every year."

Stay tuned to IGN throughout E3 for updates on the (RED)RUSH Games, including celebrity gaming interviews and more.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/game-against-kate-upton-for-a-good-cause