Gamers have been uniting behind the Child's Play banner to deliver toys, games, and books to children's hospitals around the world since 2003, and 2010 was far and away the charity's most successful year. This week, charity organizers said Child's Play donations totaled $2,294,317.53 through December 31, a figure that easily eclipses 2009's $1,780,870 giving.

　　The charity, which was spawned by notoriously profane Web comic and expo organizer Penny Arcade, has raised just shy of $9 million for more than 70 children's hospitals in countries that include the US, Canada, Australia, Egypt, and the United Kingdom. People can donate cash to Child's Play through PayPal, or they can peruse individual institutions' Amazon wish lists and send specific games and toys directly to the hospital.

　　$2.2 million is, oh, 8.8 million quarters. This year, the organization made gift giving easier for gamers with a new text-message campaign. Those interested in donating to Child's Play could do so by texting the word GAMERS to 50555, which would cause a $5 donation to be applied to their phone bill or prepaid account.

　　Penny Arcade creators Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins also host an annual charity dinner to raise money for the organization. Beyond individual donors, Child's Play attracts corporate sponsorship from companies ranging from Microsoft and Nintendo to Wizards of the Coast, Valve, and Google.