Inspired by "The Remarkable Life
of Ibelin" documentary, Players Around the World Unite
to Honor Mats Steen and Drive Groundbreaking Research and
Vital Care
NEWPORT
BEACH, Calif., Feb. 5, 2025
/PRNewswire/ -- CureDuchenne, the leading nonprofit dedicated
to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, proudly
announces the overwhelming success of a recent charity partnership
with Blizzard Entertainment ® and
massively multiplayer online role-playing game, World of
Warcraft®. The campaign, inspired by the late
Mats Steen and the award-winning
Netflix documentary about his life, The Remarkable Life of
Ibelin, raised an impressive $2
million. It is the most significant contribution that
CureDuchenne has received from a corporation to date and will
support groundbreaking research and vital care programs for
individuals affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare
neuromuscular disease.
Mats, a Norwegian World of Warcraft player known in game
as Ibelin, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy as a
young boy and sadly, lost his battle with the disease at the young
age of 25. In the wake of his death, his family discovered what
they thought was a life lived in total isolation was in fact filled
with joy, laughter, friendship and love through Mats' adventures in
World of Warcraft. The game opened a world of community and
connection his family never knew existed and gave him a rich set of
friends and experiences that would not have been possible outside
of the game environment. Mats was a supportive friend and trusted
advisor who made a tremendous impact on the lives of all he
encountered in the game.
World of Warcraft players had the opportunity to build on
Mats' legacy and adopt a limited-edition pet fox, named Reven
("fox" in Norwegian), in World of Warcraft to accompany them
on their adventures while supporting CureDuchenne. All proceeds*
from The Reven Pack support CureDuchenne's mission to accelerate
research toward a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and improve
care for individuals worldwide living with the disease.
The global gaming community rallied behind the initiative,
making this one of the most successful fundraising collaborations
in World of Warcraft's history. The tribute to Mats Steen within the game not only honored his
legacy but also sparked worldwide awareness of Duchenne muscular
dystrophy, reinforcing the power of community, connection, and
storytelling in making a real-world impact.
"This campaign has been truly extraordinary—not only in the
critical funds raised for research, but in the awareness it has
generated for Duchenne muscular dystrophy," said Debra Miller, Founder and CEO of CureDuchenne.
"Through this partnership, thousands of families affected by
Duchenne have felt seen, heard, and supported in a way that is
truly remarkable. The World of Warcraft community has shown that
gaming can be a powerful force for good, and we are deeply grateful
to Blizzard, the Steen family, and to every player who joined us in
honoring Mats Steen and making a
real difference in the lives of those affected by Duchenne."
"Every day, I'm greatly humbled by the kindness of the World of
Warcraft community," said World of Warcraft executive
producer, Holly Longdale. "Your
generosity in supporting this year's charity pet program for
CureDuchenne will help enable their incredible work and honors the
deeply impactful life lived by Mats
Steen--the inspiration for this year's program. On behalf of
the WoW team, thank you to our players, the Steen family, and the
CureDuchenne team for bringing awareness to and supporting this
cause. We invite all to continue showing their support to
CureDuchenne where they can, and to continue to honor the legacy of
Ibelin both in-game and out with compassion and joy."
*Blizzard Entertainment donated 100% of the purchase price of
"The Reven Pack" digital bundle to CureDuchenne, less any
chargebacks, refunds, transaction fees, and Value Added Taxes
(VAT), or other similar taxes paid. These versions of items are
special editions available as part of this initiative only.
About CureDuchenne
CureDuchenne is the global nonprofit leader in research, patient
care, and innovation for improving and extending the lives of those
with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive neuromuscular
disease that affects about 300,000 individuals around the world.
CureDuchenne accelerates research toward a cure for Duchenne by
funding early-stage science with the goal of bringing
treatments to everyone affected by Duchenne, no matter where
they live, what language they speak or their financial
status. We also support families through education and
outreach and improve standards of care for individuals worldwide
with Duchenne, including those in underserved communities.
Visit www.cureduchenne.org to learn more.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®,
Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
(www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was
acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and
publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has
created some of the industry's most critically acclaimed and
genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record
that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard
Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world
with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation,
Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
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SOURCE CureDuchenne
