Right now, you can tune in and watch people playing the worst video game ever created, all for a good cause! A group of comedians, gamers, and volunteers will gather to play Desert Bus, the “Worst Game Ever Created.” And they’ll be doing it for the children. Desert Bus, created by Penn and Teller, is a “verisimulator”—a tongue-in-cheek parody that attempts to approximate the real-life situation of driving a coach bus as closely as possible, including the associated tedium.
Players are asked to drive from Tucson, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada, a feat that takes 8 hours of real time. Although the road is perfectly straight and there are no turns or scenery to amuse the player, the game requires constant attention or the bus will crash. Upon arriving in Las Vegas the player is awarded one point, and is given the option to make an identical return trip. This game, live-streamed online along with singing and dancing breaks, live auctions, celebrity callins, and more, makes up Desert Bus for Hope, the world’s most successful online charity fundraiser.
Now in its ninth year, the yearly event has raised more than $2.4 million for Child’s Play, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of children in hospitals through the donation of toys and games. The more Desert Bus for Hope viewers donate to Child’s Play, the longer the Desert Bus volunteers must play the mind-numbing game, and the more sleep-deprived they become as the 24-hour-a-day fundraiser goes on. Last year’s marathon lasted 6 days and 14 hours and raised more than $643,000.
All of the money raised from The Desert Bus For Hope goes to Child’s Play, which is a registered charity dedicated to improving the lives of children undergoing treatment in the hospital with toys and games. The charity supports a network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. Last year, the group kept playing Desert Bus for over 160 hours! Right now, you can tune in and enjoy the 2015 livestream! Let’s hope they can raise over $700,000 this year for Child’s Play! To learn more about Desert Bus For Hope, go to: http://desertbus.org/
Follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/DesertBus and on Twitter @DesertBus
If you want to play Desert Bus go to: http://desertbus-game.org/index.php
