This holiday season, Save the Children is set to debut its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a live‑streamed event titled Save Point. The concept, which blends interactive play with charitable giving, emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s connection with the global gaming community, according to senior fundraising manager Fiona Baxter, who spoke with GamesIndustry.biz.
Baxter explains that Save Point was "born from a wider desire to engage more with the gaming community." She emphasizes that the event offers a dual‑track approach: it opens doors for partnerships with established creators and also invites individual gamers to contribute in a way that feels natural to them. "Not everyone can run a marathon, so an event like this is a lot more accessible and allows us to showcase what a different type of supporter can do," she says. By leveraging the interactive nature of video games and the reach of live streaming platforms, the charity hopes to attract donors who might not otherwise participate in traditional fundraising activities.
To give the event a strong launchpad, Save the Children has teamed up with popular online content creator and streamer TheKapFantastic. The influencer, who previously raised more than £5,000 for the charity earlier in the year, will serve as a host and ambassador for Save Point, helping to rally his audience around the cause. Baxter notes that the partnership is just the beginning of a longer‑term strategy to cultivate relationships with gamers and streamers beyond the two‑day window of the event. "It would be incredible to reach more people in this community with information about the work we do and why it's important," Baxter says.
She adds that a key measure of success will be the emergence of a new cohort of supporters who, after experiencing Save Point, might choose to "game for us again" in future campaigns. The charity is also counting on the event to generate valuable insights. "There are also a lot of learning opportunities in this event.
This is our first time doing this type of fundraiser, so the feedback we get will be invaluable and help us shape bigger and better gaming events year‑on‑year," she explains. Baxter praises gamers and streamers as "unsung heroes of fundraising," pointing out that the gaming world is "setting a new, innovative standard" for how charitable causes can be championed. She highlights the shared values that unite gamers: a love of storytelling, imagination, and the escape into new virtual realms.
By channeling that passion toward tangible, real‑world impact, the charity hopes to demonstrate the power of the gaming community to drive lasting change. Save Point is a centerpiece of Save the Children’s broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, which is slated to launch in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift public focus from material gifts to essential supplies that children in crisis need during the festive season—items such as nutritious food, vital medicines, warm clothing, and safe shelter.
Baxter underscores the stark contrast between typical holiday expectations and the urgent needs of millions of children: "Absolutely anything you could think of can be delivered right to your door at the tap of a screen, but for millions of children this Christmas, it’s not toys or treats they’re waiting for – it's the deliveries that will save lives and protect childhoods." The Save Point event will run over two days, from December 5 to December 6, 2026. Participants can join by registering their interest through the dedicated Save Point portal, where they will receive guidance on setting up a fundraising livestream, choosing a game to play, and promoting their stream to maximize donations. The charity encourages both seasoned streamers and newcomers to get involved, noting that even modest viewership can translate into meaningful contributions when combined with the audience’s willingness to donate. In addition to live gameplay, the event will feature special segments such as developer interviews, behind‑the‑scenes looks at game design, and interactive challenges that allow viewers to directly influence in‑game actions through micro‑donations.
These elements are designed to keep audiences engaged and to illustrate how digital interaction can be harnessed for humanitarian aid. Beyond the immediate fundraising goal, Save Point aims to build a lasting bridge between the nonprofit sector and the gaming ecosystem.
By documenting the event’s outcomes, gathering participant feedback, and analyzing donation patterns, Save the Children plans to refine its approach for future gaming‑centric campaigns. The organization envisions a series of annual or semi‑annual events that grow in scale, attract higher‑profile partners, and ultimately create a sustainable pipeline of support from the gaming community. Overall, Save Point represents a bold experiment in modern philanthropy—one that blends entertainment, technology, and compassion.
As Baxter puts it, the initiative is about turning a shared love of play into a force for real‑world, lasting change. By inviting gamers to donate their time, skills, and audiences, Save the Children hopes to demonstrate that the power of play can extend far beyond the screen, delivering hope and essential resources to children who need them most during the holiday season. Those interested in taking part can sign up via the official Save Point registration page, where they will also find resources on how to set up a successful fundraising stream, tips for engaging viewers, and details on how the raised funds will be allocated to support children’s essential needs this Christmas.