Hi PlayStation Nation! I’m extremely excited to announce PlayStation HEROES, a brand new initiative that will give PS4 owners the chance to play celebrities and professional athletes in the games of their choosing, with nearly all funds raised going to charity. This is not a one-time event – gamers will get the chance to challenge celebs every month.

Winners will play some of the biggest PS4 games with cultural icons from the sports and entertainment worlds, online via PlayStation Network and in person. Here’s how it works: PS4 owners will purchase and download digital themes and other items via an official PlayStation HEROES app, with each dollar spent providing you with a sweepstakes entry to win one of the celebrity gaming sessions. Ninety percent of the purchase price of those items will help aid some amazing charitable organizations including Make-A-Wish, The USO and The V Foundation for Cancer Research. To celebrate PlayStation HEROES and kick start our support for these incredible causes, we’re donating $100,000 to each charity.

The official PlayStation HEROES app for PS4, which will be available for download on February 24 (update: stay tuned for an updated release date) from PlayStation Store, will be your portal not just to purchase the digital content for entries, but also to find information on future celebrity participants, view videos of your fellow gamers playing celebs, and earn badges.

The first PlayStation HEROES event will feature legendary snowboarder Shaun White playing Bungie’s Destiny in mid-March. Starting today, you can pre-order the PlayStation HEROES app and gain early access to purchase dynamic themes, which serve as entries to win a chance to play Destiny with Shaun next month. You’ll be able to pick between a $1, $5, $10 or $15 theme, with each dollar spent counting as one sweepstakes entry. There will also be a special $20 bundle for all four themes that will count as 31 entries. Funds raised from entries to play with Shaun will benefit Make-A-Wish.

I can’t wait to watch PlayStation Nation take on Shaun White and other celebrities in some of the biggest games on PS4, all while lending a hand to benefit the great causes these charities fight for. We all believe in giving back to the community – and why not give back with the very thing we all love so much? Gaming! Stay tuned for more information on upcoming events and don’t forget to pre-order the app today so that you are ready for the app’s official launch on February 24. What celebrities, professional athletes and charities would you like to see take part in PlayStation HEROES? Let us know and we’ll start working on setting you all up for the play of a lifetime!