This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraiser, a two‑day event titled Save Point, which will run from December 5 to December 6, 2026. The initiative combines video‑game play, live streaming, and donation drives to tap into the enthusiasm of the online gaming community and channel that energy toward life‑saving aid for children in need.
Fiona Baxter, the charity’s senior fundraising manager, told GamesIndustry.biz that Save Point originated from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s relationship with gamers. "We wanted a way to connect with the gaming world that felt natural for both partners and individual supporters," she explained. "Not everyone can sign up for a marathon or a long‑distance bike ride, but a gaming marathon is far more inclusive, allowing a wider range of people to get involved and see the impact they can have." The event is being built around a partnership with popular online content creator and Twitch streamer TheKapFantastic, who earlier this year raised over £5,000 for Save the Children during a charity stream. Baxter emphasized that this collaboration is just the beginning of a longer‑term strategy to nurture relationships with gamers, streamers, and their audiences after Save Point concludes.
"If we can reach more members of this community with clear information about what we do and why it matters, we’ll have taken a big step forward," she said. "A true measure of success will be walking away with a fresh cohort of supporters who are eager to game for our cause again based on the experience they have with us." Because Save Point is a brand‑new format for the charity, Baxter highlighted the learning potential embedded in the event.
"This is our first foray into a gaming‑centric fundraiser, so the feedback we gather will be priceless. It will help us refine and scale up future gaming events, making them bigger and more effective year after year," she added. Baxter also praised gamers and streamers as "the unsung heroes of fundraising," noting that the gaming arena is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support.
She described the gaming community as a group united by a love of story, imagination, and escapism, and argued that turning that passion into real‑world impact showcases the sector’s power. "When we channel our love of play into tangible change, we demonstrate just how influential the gaming community can be," she said.
Save Point forms part of the larger "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, which launches in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift the focus of Christmas giving from toys and treats to essential supplies—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter—that millions of children will be waiting for during the holiday season. Baxter underscored the urgency: "Anything you can order online can be delivered with a tap of a screen, but for countless children this Christmas, the deliveries they need are not toys—they are life‑saving provisions that protect their childhoods." The structure of Save Point will blend competitive gaming, collaborative play, and interactive fundraising tools.
Participants can sign up as individual streamers or join as part of a team, setting personal fundraising targets and encouraging viewers to donate through integrated platforms such as Twitch’s charity‑fundraising extensions, YouTube’s Super Chat, and dedicated donation pages. Throughout the two‑day window, special challenges—like speed‑run marathons, in‑game charity quests, and viewer‑driven milestones—will keep the audience engaged and the donation flow steady.
In addition to the live streams, the event will feature educational segments where experts from Save the Children explain the impact of each contribution, sharing stories of children whose lives have been transformed by the supplies delivered during the holiday season. These narratives aim to deepen donor empathy and illustrate the direct link between a viewer’s donation and a child’s wellbeing. To join the cause, interested gamers can register their interest via the Save the Children website.
Upon registration, they will receive a toolkit containing guidelines for setting up a fundraising livestream, tips for engaging audiences, branding assets, and a schedule of key moments to highlight during the event. The charity will also provide technical support to ensure streams run smoothly and that donation tracking is transparent.
By marrying the immersive world of video games with the tangible need for essential deliveries, Save Point aspires to create a new model of charitable giving—one that is accessible, entertaining, and profoundly impactful. As Baxter summed up, "When we bring together the creativity and community spirit of gamers with the urgent needs of children worldwide, we’re not just playing games; we’re changing lives."