How Sony, PlayStation, and the SonyRumors Community Make a Difference

It is often said that you don’t know who your true friends are until times are hard. This axiom has never been more true for me than it has in the last two months. One of the greatest fears for any fan of tech and gadgets is that someone will one day come along and take them all. In late September, that fear came to life in a very real way when I came home to find that the house I share with a good friend had been burglarized. Both he, and I, were not present and were not physically harmed in the event, but the thief was very specific in his or her selection: the only items taken from our residence were our gaming devices.

One early model PlayStation 3, one launch model PlayStation Vita, and an Xbox 360 S that I had borrowed from my friend Justin for a series on the end of a console generation were the only items taken. No televisions, no computers, just the items that made it possible to pursue a path in video game journalism and criticism. This invasive act shattered the safety of my home, and despite assurances from friends and  family, discouraged my love of games for a time. It was a violation of our privacy, and of my dreams and aspirations. I knew not all was lost; these were just material objects, and could be replaced. But for the better part of two weeks, I didn’t think this path was going anywhere.

There’s something unique about the gaming community, however. You see it in events like Extra Life, in which two of our team members just participated; in the wake of gun violence when gamers – despite being misrepresented by non-games media – symbolically call an internet cease fire in games like Call of Duty and Battlefield; you see it at gatherings like Gamescom and Tokyo Games Show and Blizzcon and PAX. Gaming is a uniting force. It draws people together – whether literally in multiplayer matches, or through the communities formed around systems, developers, internet personalities, or the games we love. SonyRumors is one such community where people come to gather around a brand of product to which they are loyal, and end up finding like-minded fellows, and some really good friends if you’re lucky.

I’m grateful to be one of those lucky people. Just a few weeks after the unfortunate events at my home, a package arrived in the mail. Within, a letter. And underneath that letter, another box:

I count myself fortunate to be part of an amazing community of writers, editors, web designers, video producers, and talented individuals who make me proud to be a writer for this site. This is the type of community that gaming should engender, but is so often overlooked in favor of flashy headlines and provocative news bytes. I count myself fortunate to be among such generous and caring people.

Incredibly, it doesn’t stop there. Not only are PlayStation’s fans some really amazing people, but the folks at Sony Computer Entertainment go above and beyond the call as well. When some of the folks at PlayStation had heard what had happened, they took it upon themselves to help get me back on my gaming feet again:

Humbled isn’t quite the word to describe what the folks at PlayStation did; dumbfounded and awestruck are more like it. While this was the work of a select few employees at PlayStation, it’s indicative of a culture of generosity and care for the people who support their platform and love their games. While it isn’t exclusive to the PlayStation brand, my experience with this community has been nothing short of extraordinary, and it’s something that should be celebrated.

So what does this have to do with you, dear reader? Well, quite simply, the generosity displayed by my co-workers and PlayStation compatriots is one that now compels me to be as generous as I can in response to that which was bestowed upon me. In the 10 days between now and the launch of the PlayStation 4, SonyRumors and myself will be giving away the following items:

Retail Copies (PS3):

• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
• LittleBigPlanet Karting
• Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate
• Best of the PlayStation Network Vol. 1 (featuring When Viking Attack, Sound Shapes, Tokyo Jungle & Fat Princess)
• Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds

Retail Copies (Vita):

• Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation
• LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
• Jak & Daxter Collection
• Ragnarok Odyssey
• Smart As…

PSN Vouchers:

• Unit 13 (Vita)
• One year subscription to PlayStation Plus

Steam Vouchers:

• The Wolf Among Us, season pass
• FORCED, full game download

Over the next two weeks, we’ll be giving these games away to members of the SRN community. In order to be eligible for one of these prizes, you must do or follow these instructions: (1) follow @SonyRumors on Twitter & Instagram (and @JamesTSkywalker on Twitter & Instagram as well); (2) be a resident of the continental United States or Canada, and, if selected, provide a valid name and postal address – the vouchers for Unit 13 and PlayStation Plus are for North American PSN members; (3) leave a comment on this post, or any future post between now & the North American launch of the PlayStation 4 on Friday, November 15, 2013. Other terms and conditions may apply.

Discuss:

How have you seen the Sony or PlayStation community shine?