Ghost of Tsushima Fans Raise Money to Help Repair Japan's Real-World Island

If there is one thing that has become obvious in recent months it's that the community surrounding Ghost of Tsushima is incredibly passionate. Not only did fans of the game make their voices heard a little over a month ago when it won the Player's Choice honor at The Game Awards, but now, some of those same players have helped to make a difference in the real-world.

A few months back in September 2020, a typhoon hit the real-life island of Tsushima in Japan causing massive damage to some of the structures on it. One of the most notable structures that was damaged was the Torii gate that stands at the front of one of the island's shrines. The destruction that was caused to the gate was so great that one of the priests at this shrine opened a crowdfunding campaign to help pay for the repairs that it would need. While the overall money that was needed to get this accomplished was fairly low, fans helped contribute in a much larger way.

As of today, over 2,000 people have now donated money to help get the gate repaired with the total amount being raised sitting above $260,000. The campaign originally was only looking to get funds in the neighborhood of $50,000 but fans seemed to have had much grander plans. At this point in time, the fundraising period has ended and the initial steps of reconstruction will begin within the coming months. The project aims to be finished later in the summer.

The priest who started this campaign, named Yuichi Hirayama, specifically noted that players of Ghost of Tsushima helped make this happen. "We have received a great deal of support from the players of the game Ghost of Tsushima set in Tsushima, and I feel that it is God's guidance," said Hirayama on the campaign's page.

If there's one thing that almost every player of Ghost of Tsushima can agree on, it's that the game looks gorgeous. As you might expect, the real-world island of Tsushima also looks just as breathtaking. If you don't believe me, just look at the images that Hirayama shared on the campaign's page. For the game to have had such an effect on people that they now want to ensure that the game's actual island remains this beautiful is honestly quite touching. Good on everyone who helped make this happen.

So how do you feel about this heartwarming story? Give me your thoughts down in the comments or shoot me a message on Twitter at @MooreMan12 if you'd like to talk more.

[H/T GamesRadar]