This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a live‑streamed event dubbed "Save Point." The concept emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s connection with the worldwide gaming community, according to senior fundraising manager Fiona Baxter, who spoke to GamesIndustry.biz about the project. Baxter explains that Save Point is designed to bridge the gap between traditional charitable activities and the digital playground where millions of gamers spend their leisure time.
"Not everyone can commit to a marathon or a long‑distance bike ride, but a gaming marathon is far more accessible for a lot of people," she says. "By creating an event that lives online, we can invite both established partners and individual supporters to take part, showcase what a different type of donor can achieve, and ultimately broaden our reach." The charity has teamed up with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who earlier this year helped raise more than £5,000 for Save the Children through a separate campaign. Baxter emphasizes that the partnership with TheKapFantastic is just the beginning of a longer‑term strategy to cultivate relationships with gamers, influencers, and streaming personalities even after the two‑day event concludes.
"Our hope is that the event will serve as a gateway to a larger audience within the gaming world, allowing us to share the story of our work and why it matters," she adds. "If, after the livestream, we have a new cohort of gamers who want to keep supporting us because of the experience they had, we’ll consider the event a massive success." Because this is Save the Children’s first foray into a gaming‑centric fundraiser, Baxter points out that the event will also generate a wealth of learning opportunities. "The feedback we receive will be priceless," she notes.
"It will help us refine the format, scale up future events, and perhaps even set a template for other charities looking to tap into the gaming space." Baxter describes gamers and streamers as the "unsung heroes of fundraising," highlighting how the gaming community is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support. She elaborates on the cultural traits that make gamers uniquely positioned to drive social impact: "There is a shared love of narrative, imagination, and the thrill of escaping into new worlds.
When we channel that passion into real‑world change, we demonstrate just how powerful the gaming community can be." Save Point is part of the broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, which launches in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift public attention from the usual festive gifts to the essential supplies that many children around the globe will be waiting for this Christmas—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter.
Baxter underscores the stark contrast: "Anything you can order with a click can be delivered to your door, but for millions of children this season, it isn’t toys they need—it’s life‑saving deliveries." The event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026. During those 48 hours, participating gamers will stream their gameplay, interact with viewers, and encourage donations that go directly toward the delivery of critical aid to children in need. Viewers will be able to follow a live donation tracker, see the impact of their contributions in real time, and hear stories from beneficiaries, creating an immersive and emotionally resonant experience.
To join the initiative, interested participants can sign up via a dedicated registration page. Once registered, they will receive a toolkit that includes guidelines for setting up a fundraising livestream, tips on engaging audiences, and branding assets to help promote the cause. The toolkit also offers suggestions for integrating charitable messaging into gameplay commentary, ensuring that the fundraising narrative remains authentic and compelling.
Beyond the immediate fundraising goal, Save Point aims to lay the groundwork for an ongoing partnership between the charity and the gaming ecosystem. Baxter envisions a future where seasonal gaming marathons become a staple in the nonprofit sector, complementing traditional events like runs, walks, and galas. "We see a world where gamers regularly rally around causes they care about, turning play into purpose," she says. The event also presents an opportunity for brands and game developers to get involved.
Sponsorship packages are being offered that allow companies to showcase their commitment to social responsibility while reaching a highly engaged, tech‑savvy audience. Potential collaborations could include in‑game items whose purchase triggers a donation, exclusive streaming overlays, or co‑hosted charity tournaments. In summary, Save Point represents a bold experiment that merges the excitement of live gaming with the urgency of humanitarian aid. By leveraging the passion, creativity, and community spirit of gamers, Save the Children hopes to deliver essential supplies to children who need them most, while simultaneously forging lasting connections with a new generation of supporters.
The organization invites anyone with an internet connection, a love for games, and a desire to make a difference to sign up, stream, and help turn virtual victories into real‑world relief.