Megagamers Unite for Sanford Children’s Hospital

Gamers from around the Midwest raised money for the Sanford Children's Hospital Extra Life Program

FARGO, N.D. – War and Chaos are raising money for charity. Gamers from across the Midwest gathered at the West Acres Mall to play Sickle: A Megagame.

They aren’t just having fun; they are raising money for a good cause.

This past weekend, gamers from as far away as Chicago came to Fargo to play in a once–in–a–lifetime event, a megagame called Sickle.

It is best described as Model UN meets Risk meets political thriller.

Peter Nixon created the game, and while he intended to guide players into the game with a story line, the players had something else in mind.

“We hid a bunch of Easter eggs in the game, kind of like little plot threads that players can grab and run with, and as it turns out, we didn’t need them, the players were running with their own plot threads.” said Peter Nixon.

The moderation team for events like this one call themselves Control, but as Peter, and the rest of the moderation staff shortly found out, they control nothing.

“The players were king!” Peter said.

Brian Valenzuela grew up playing tabletop role-playing games with his brother, and was particularly interested in Sickle.

For him, it was a chance to try something new, develop useful skills, and to be an innovator as the team’s scientist.

“I’m using my creativity, I can design anything that I want, that our great khan, the leader, wants, and I can be innovative in that.” Brian said.

Jed Limke has hosted megagames in the past, and plans to continue to host more in Fargo. His two goals in hosting Sickle: To raise money for charity, and for everyone participating to go home with a story to tell.

“One thing about a megagame is that people will talk about this for a very long time. I still get into conversations about things that happened in these games years later.” Jed said.

One thing is for certain:

“I’m having fun, I kind of wish I was playing this one, I think if we do this one again, I definitely want to play!” said Thomas Ambrosio, a moderator for the event.

People had a blast.

The event raised $750 for the Sanford Children’s Hospital Extra–Life Program.