PR Newswire
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
