The gamer community raised $183,000 at the annual Child’s Play Gala and Auction.

The gamer community gathered to bid on rare and geektastic items to raise money to make the holidays brighter for kids in children hospitals across the globe. Items ranged from the Valve mega collection with a lifetime Steam code to a one day internship at Penny Arcade. Top items at the auction included the Omegaclaw from PAX 2010 and the Portal Gun that both went for more than $14,000.

The proceeds from the gala and auction add to donations already contributed by gamers around the world, many organizing their own events and fundraising activities in their own cities.

Desert Bus for Hope presented a check for $207,000 to Child’s Play at the event. In total, Child’s Play has raised more than $1.1 million this year.

"Every year we are blown away by the fantastic items and incredibly generous bids at the gala and auction," said Kristin Lindsay, Foundation Coordinator for Child’s Play. "Even more heart warming is the thousands of gamers that can’t attend the gala but organize their own local fundraising. It’s this grassroots community activity the accounts for the majority of Child’s Play donations."

Started in 2003, Child’s Play http://www.childsplaycharity.org, supported by the entire video game community, has raised more than $7 million dollars in toys, games and cash for hospitalized kids since its inception. In addition to hospitals in the U.S., gamers contributing to Child’s Play serve hospitals in the U.K, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Egypt.