First, the Child's Play charity has been going on for several years now. Did the organizers have any idea that the charity would be so successful in gaining donations?

I don't think any of us had any idea what Child's Play would turn into. The first year was really conceived as a simple toy drive for our local children's hospital, and it wasn't until all was wrapped up and we were looking at a quarter of a million dollars in donations that we knew this was momentum we had to preserve.

How involved are the Penny Arcade team in the organization of the charity?

Gabe and Tycho follow the charity very closely, and MC the annual charity dinner auction every year, so they are very involved. I work year round as the charity coordinator, and all of the Penny Arcade employees donate their time during the Child's Play season to help maintain and promote the charity.

Can you give us an idea on how many children's hospitals benefit from Child's Play?

We're operating this year with about 60 partner hospitals, and we also support some smaller facilities with grants.

What are the reactions like from the hospitals and children who receive the donations?

The hospitals are always incredibly grateful for the support they receive from Child's Play, and we've also heard many thank you's from families directly affected. We have some of these letters on our website that help illustrate the impact that Child's Play has for hospitals and for patients.

Last year Child's Play raised $1.3 million but this year the economy may affect the amount raised. Do you see Child's Play matching or going over that amount this year?

We're not sure how we'll be affected. We're a young non-profit, and our generation hasn't really been through these times. So far, we haven't seen much of a downturn in donations, but it's hard to predict how things will progress. Our goals are the same as last year, we're hoping to raise $750,000 in donations. One thing we do know for sure is that the need for our partner hospitals is greater than before.

The annual Child's Play auction is being held on Dec. 9. What can you tell us about it?

The dinner auction is always an incredibly fun and successful event. We will once again be at the Washington State Convention Center for a formal evening of dinner, drinks, a silent auction and a live auction hosted by Gabe and Tycho themselves. It's always an unforgettable experience. Tickets are on sale until Dec. 5th, available on our website.

What are some of the more unique items and products that will be put up for auction this year?

Some intriguing items we have announced for this year are:

- A microwave from Harmonix
- A Halo 3 Master Chief helmet signed by Bungie, Rooster Teeth and Penny Arcade staff
- A bronze-cast World of Warcraft statue of an orc and wolf mount, given exclusively to Blizzard Entertainment employees
- A mint-condition, limited edition Black Dreamcast autographed by former Sega President Peter Moore
- "The Sultan", a luxury heirloom furniture gaming table from www.geekchichq.com.

What other activities will the Child's Play charity take part in this year?

The dinner auction is the only event we stage personally, but there are numerous community-run fundraisers taking place. Our Event Calendar on the website is filled with activities staged on Child's Play's behalf, including Funde Razor, Cthulupalooza, Chicago for Child's Play, Pinkapalooza II and Desert Bus for Hope 2.

Finally is there anything else you wish to say about Child's Play 2008?

Just a big thank you! Child's Play isn't anything but a conduit for gaming culture to do something really positive. We appreciate that we have the opportunity to be a voice for gamers everywhere.