Blizzard and Ukrainian-born actor Mila Kunis have teamed up to release a World of Warcraft "charity pet pack" benefiting Ukraine.
The limited-time bundle includes two pets matching the colors of the Ukrainian flag: Sunny (below), an adorable golden retriever, and Flurky (above), an enthusiastic-looking murloc holding a sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine. The pet pack costs $20 and will be available to both World of Warcraft and World of Warcraft Classic players until August 29. Players can also choose to donate an additional amount of their choosing at checkout, with all proceeds going to BlueCheck, a non-profit raising money to support on-the-ground assistance in Ukraine.
"The people of Ukraine are in desperate need and BlueCheck does incredible work in providing resources quickly to local vetted groups, including medical assistance, humanitarian aid, and everything in between," said Kunis. "The World of Warcraft community is the first gaming community I was ever a part of, with strangers who didn’t care who or what I was—I know how giving they can be, and what they can achieve when we work together. I’m proud to be making a difference to countless lives in Ukraine alongside them."
Russia declared war on Ukraine in February of 2022, at which time many video game studios rallied to support humanitarian efforts in the region. A year and a half later, it's encouraging to see a major studio add to those efforts as Ukraine continues a bloody fight for its independence. It's also a great way for players to get involved on a smaller scale simply by buying an adorable bundle of World of Warcraft pets and having their money go toward a good cause. Truly a win win.
In other news from Azeroth, MMO fans are lamenting the reintroduction of World of Warcraft's most hated item as a raid ring goes for $13,000 in gold.