In a nutshell: Candy Crush, the digital equivalent of crack cocaine, has some good news for players who just can't step away from the colorful puzzler. All this week, developer King will be giving away free and unlimited lives to the mobile title and several of its other games.
Those who've played Candy Crush will know how it works: once you run out of lives, there's the frustration of waiting until the timer runs out before being able to play again---unless you hand over some cash.
Seven of King's games will offer unlimited lives from now until April 5. As noted by The Verge, they are: Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Candy Crush Jelly Saga, Candy Crush Friends Saga, Farm Heroes Saga, Bubble Witch 3 Saga, and Pet Rescue Saga.
The move is part of a partnership between the game industry and the World Health Organization (WHO) called #PlayApartTogether. The campaign encourages gamers to follow the WHO's health guidelines to fight Covid-19, including physical distancing, hand hygiene, and other actions.
"By bringing special events, exclusives, activities, rewards and inspiration to some of the most popular games in the world, #PlayApartTogether encourages users to adopt best practices for the sake of their own health and that of their families and communities," states the press release.
With so many people stuck indoors, we've seen Steam's concurrent user record broken multiple times, and it's likely that mobile games will have seen a similar increase in players. Using this uptick to promote a Covid-19 self-protection message can only be a good thing, and shows how games--- which have been demonized in the past, even by the WHO---can be a force for good.
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