This holiday season, Save the Children is set to debut its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a two‑day event titled Save Point. The campaign, which runs on December 5‑6 2026, merges the excitement of video games with the power of live streaming to rally support for children in need during the festive period. Fiona Baxter, the organisation’s senior fundraising manager, told GamesIndustry.biz that the concept for Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the charity’s connection with the gaming community.
“We wanted to create something that resonated with gamers and streamers, not just as a one‑off donation drive but as a genuine partnership,” she explained. “Many people can’t commit to a marathon or a long‑distance bike ride, but a gaming marathon is far more accessible, allowing a wider range of supporters to take part and see the impact they can make.” The event will be anchored by popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously raised over £5,000 for Save the Children earlier this year through a series of charity streams. His involvement underscores the growing trend of influencers leveraging their platforms for social good.
Baxter added that the charity hopes to nurture ongoing relationships with gamers and streamers beyond the immediate fundraiser. “If we can turn this into a lasting collaboration, we’ll have a new cohort of advocates who understand our mission and are eager to champion it in future gaming events,” she said. Baxter emphasised that the learning curve for Save Point is steep, but the insights gained will be invaluable. “This is our first foray into a gaming‑centric fundraiser, so every piece of feedback—from technical glitches to audience engagement tactics—will help us refine and scale up future events,” she noted.
The charity aims to use those lessons to organise larger, more sophisticated gaming campaigns year after year, positioning itself as a leader in the charitable gaming space. Describing gamers and streamers as the "unsung heroes of fundraising," Baxter highlighted how the gaming sector is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support.
She pointed out that many gamers share a love of narrative, imagination, and immersive worlds, and that this passion can be redirected toward tangible, real‑world outcomes. “When we channel that enthusiasm into a cause that saves lives, we demonstrate just how potent the gaming community can be when it rallies behind a shared purpose,” she said.
Save Point forms part of the broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, which launches in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift public attention from traditional holiday gifts to the essential items that children in crisis zones desperately need—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter illustrated the contrast with a vivid metaphor: "Anything you can order with a click can be delivered to your doorstep, but for millions of children this Christmas, the deliveries they’re waiting for aren’t toys or sweets—they’re life‑saving supplies that protect their childhoods." Participants in Save Point can sign up through a dedicated registration page, where they will receive guidance on setting up a fundraising livestream, selecting donation platforms, and promoting their streams across social media. The charity will provide promotional assets, such as overlay graphics and donation alerts, to help streamers maintain a professional look while keeping the focus on the cause.
During the two‑day window, streamers are encouraged to host marathon gaming sessions, compete in charity tournaments, or create themed challenges that tie back to the needs of children in emergency settings. Viewers can donate directly through integrated links, with all proceeds funneled to Save the Children’s emergency response programmes. The charity plans to showcase real‑time impact updates, illustrating how each contribution translates into meals, medical kits, or winter clothing for children in the field.
Beyond the immediate fundraising goal, Save Point aims to build a lasting community of gaming‑focused philanthropists. Baxter envisions a future where regular gaming events become a staple of the charity’s fundraising portfolio, complementing traditional methods like runs, galas, and direct appeals. "If we walk away from this event with a new crew of supporters who want to game for us again, we’ll have taken a significant step toward diversifying our donor base and reaching younger audiences," she remarked. The initiative also serves as a proof of concept for how digital entertainment can intersect with humanitarian work.
By leveraging the interactivity of live streams, Save the Children can engage audiences in real time, answer questions about their programmes, and demonstrate transparency in how funds are used. This level of engagement is difficult to achieve through static donation pages alone. In summary, Save Point represents a bold experiment that blends the thrill of gaming with the urgency of child-focused aid.
It offers an inclusive, low‑barrier way for individuals to contribute, while also opening the door for long‑term collaborations with the vibrant gaming ecosystem. As the event approaches, Save the Children invites gamers, streamers, and their audiences to join forces and turn virtual victories into real‑world relief for children who need it most this Christmas.