Canada’s largest independent video game studio, Behaviour Interactive, has revealed that the community of players behind its hit game, Dead by Daylight has raised more than $1.5 million for mental health research centres.
The player-raised funds will go directly towards the Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation (BBRF), a mental health research funding leader for the last 35 years. The money raised will finance mental health research and grants in a number of fields in 16 centres across Canada, USA and internationally.
A couple of those research centres include the University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, University of Guelph, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and SickKids Research Institute. The donations will help with advancements and breakthroughs in scientific research in areas such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
“We are pleased to mark this milestone this year, as it coincides with Behaviour’s 30th
anniversary. Whether it’s critical funding towards research through the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation or ensuring our team members have access to the information and resources they need, Behaviour is committed to assisting those living with mental health challenges, however we can,” Behaviour CEO and executive producer, Rémi Racine said in a press release.
Donations were raised through The Charity Case Collection, a Dead by Daylight in-game purchase that comes with 26 cosmetic items for player’s favourite characters. The collection has been staple since 2018 leading the Dead by Daylight community (which has almost a million Canadian players) to becoming one of BBRF’s top donors. The community has supported mental health research grants at universities in Canada, the U.S. and in 35 other countries.
“We’re proud to partner with Behaviour Interactive, whose international community is so strong – evident through the extraordinary donations we’ve received. Through the ongoing support of community builders like Behaviour, we continue to fund scientists who are working to develop new treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for psychiatric illness,” President & CEO of BBRF President and CEO, Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D said in a press release.
Dead by Daylight developer has already reached a record $1 million in corporate donations within the Montreal community. This achievement lines up with the game studio’s focus on mental health awareness and its employee wellness mandate.
