Wargaming, developer and publisher of the leading naval battle simulator World of Warships, has shared additional details on its newest charity partnership as a part of its collaboration with King Features’ iconic character Popeye the Sailor Man. Taking place in June during World Ocean Month, the limited run of themed in-game content will benefit the marine conservation charity organization FORCE BLUE. Co-founded and led by actor and Recon Marine Veteran Rudy Reyes, FORCE BLUE unites the community of Special Operations veterans with the world of marine science and conservation for the betterment of both.
With a longstanding history of supporting veteran and historical non-profit organizations, this collaboration marks World of Warship’s entry into ocean conservation, as they work in partnership with Popeye the Sailor Man to support the charity FORCE BLUE.
In support of FORCE BLUE’s efforts, Wargaming will be donating $50,000 USD to the organization. In addition, 10% of the net revenue generated from the sale of Popeye items will also be shared in support of the charity following the conclusion of the campaign.
FORCE BLUE, which was founded in 2016, is a charity with a focus on resolving two issues, the deterioration of the planet’s marine ecosystems and the difficulties far too many military veterans face when their service ends and they no longer have a mission. FORCE BLUE has used this as an opportunity to bring highly qualified veterans from special forces under the instruction of renowned scientists and environmentalists. Through this training, these veterans are equipped to travel to different parts of the world, carrying out missions to preserve and restore marine biodiversity.
FORCE BLUE will also be joining World of Warships for a World Ocean Day Twitch live stream event on June 8th. As a part of the livestream, they’ll be joined by two key figures from the FORCE BLUE team; Rudy Reyes, actor, U.S Recon Marine veteran and the organization’s Co-founder, and Steve “Gonzo” Gonzalez, U.S. Navy SEAL Veteran and FORCE BLUE Special Projects & Events Director. The two will discuss the two-fold mission of the charity, providing insight into the vital importance of marine conservation, as well as how the charity’s operations work to support the mental health of veterans during and after their transition back to civilian life.
“FORCE BLUE is honoured to be partnering with World of Warships in support of World Ocean Month. I don’t think there’s a single veteran on our team who isn’t a fan of Popeye, and so to be working with the two of them, while championing our mission of preserving and restoring the world’s marine ecosystems is an incredible opportunity,” commented Jim Ritterhoff, Co-Founder and Executive Director at FORCE BLUE.
Live beginning June 1, the Popeye Charity Bundle includes two Commanders, Popeye and Bluto, equipped with unique voice overs, as well as two flags, and a unique camouflage for the Tier VII USS Colorado. In addition, throughout the month of June until July 1, World of Warships will also see a special “Save the Ocean” chain of missions equipped with weekly sprints and a free themed Container waiting at the end.
This follows the latest World of Warships content update, which launched on May 24th, bringing European destroyers in Early Access, the release of the Pan-American cruisers and Convoy battle mode to the game. World of Warships is the world’s leading free to play naval warfare game from developer and publisher Wargaming, where players battle against each other in the largest library of over 600 historically accurate war vessels from the 20th Century.