League of Legends Pro Faker Donates Big Money For Coronavirus Prevention

Coronavirus is a major concern for the video game industry. Conventions are getting postponed, [...]

By Marc Deschamps

Coronavirus is a major concern for the video game industry. Conventions are getting postponed, consoles delayed, and events cancelled. As a whole, the video game industry could face a very difficult year, but it pales in comparison with the potential loss of life and overall difficulties the virus could cause for many. League of Legends pro Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok has committed to helping the cause, with a charitable donation of 30 million Korean won, which translates to around $25,000. That's not all, however. Faker's team, SK Telecom 1, will donate all of their streaming proceeds this week to various charities dedicated to stopping Coronavirus.

It's an incredibly generous donation on Faker's part. The virus is already starting to cause difficulties for the esports community, and it seems quite likely that it will continue to do so as the virus spreads. With the CDC advising caution for large gatherings, it's easy to see why so many events are seeing delays or outright cancellations. Donations like Faker's could go a long way towards helping those in need and getting things back to normalcy.

Faker was born and currently resides in South Korea, which has been hit particularly hard by the virus. As of this writing, the country has seen nearly 7,400 confirmed cases of Coronavirus, with 53 deaths. South Korea's top public health official believes that the country has passed the virus' worst, but time will tell.

As the popularity of streaming continues to grow, it's quite nice to see the streaming community making efforts to give back. Last month, Imane Anys, better known as the popular streamer Pokimane, donated $50,000 to the University of California, Irvine's esports program, which is the first college esports program in the country. Charitable contributions such as these can only help the perception of esports to grow and thrive, while also helping those in need. Hopefully, more streamers will continue to do so, in the future.

What do you think of Faker's charitable donation? Are you concerned about the impact Coronavirus will have on the video game industry? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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