This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a two‑day event titled Save Point. The campaign, which will run from December 5 to December 6, 2026, blends live streaming, video‑game play‑throughs and community challenges to raise money and awareness for children in need during the festive period. Fiona Baxter, the organization’s senior fundraising manager, told GamesIndustry.biz that the concept for Save Point grew out of a broader ambition to deepen the charity’s connection with the gaming world. “We wanted a way to reach the gaming community that felt natural for them, not just a one‑off donation ask,” Baxter explained.
“Save Point gives us a platform to partner with creators and also invite individual gamers to take part, offering a more inclusive alternative to traditional endurance events like marathons.” Unlike a marathon, which demands a high level of physical stamina and preparation, a gaming marathon can be joined from a living room couch with a controller or keyboard. This accessibility, Baxter noted, opens the door for a wider spectrum of supporters: “Not everyone can run 26 miles, but almost anyone can press a button for an hour or two.
That makes the fundraiser far more approachable and showcases the diverse ways people can contribute.” The charity has teamed up with popular online content creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously helped raise over £5,000 for Save the Children earlier in the year. The partnership is intended to leverage the streamer’s existing audience and demonstrate the tangible impact that a single creator can have when they align with a cause. Baxter added that the organization hopes to continue nurturing relationships with gamers and streamers long after the event concludes, turning one‑off participants into a sustained network of advocates. “It would be amazing to reach more people in this community with information about the work we do and why it matters,” she said.
“If we finish the event with a new crew of supporters who want to keep gaming for us because of a positive experience, that will be a massive win.” Because Save Point is a brand‑new format for the charity, there is also a strong learning component built into the project. “This is our first time experimenting with a gaming‑centric fundraiser, so the feedback we collect will be priceless,” Baxter noted. “It will help us refine the model and scale up even bigger, more engaging gaming events in the years to come.” Baxter praised gamers and streamers as the “unsung heroes of fundraising,” emphasizing that the gaming sector is “setting a new, innovative standard” for charitable support.
She highlighted a cultural affinity among gamers for storytelling, imagination and immersive worlds, suggesting that these same passions can be harnessed for real‑world impact. “When we translate our love of play into a force for lasting change, we demonstrate just how powerful the gaming community can be,” she asserted.
Save Point is a key element of Save the Children’s broader campaign, “The One Delivery That Matters,” which launches in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift the public’s focus from traditional holiday gifts to essential supplies that children in crisis actually need—food, medicine, warm clothing and safe shelter.
Baxter underscored this shift by noting, “Anything you can order with a tap of a screen can be delivered to your door, but for millions of children this Christmas, it isn’t toys they’re waiting for—it’s life‑saving deliveries.” The event will feature a schedule of live streams where participants can set personal fundraising targets, compete in gaming challenges, and unlock donation milestones that trigger additional contributions from corporate sponsors. Viewers will be able to donate directly through integrated platforms, and the charity will match a portion of the funds raised during peak moments. To join Save Point, interested individuals can register via the official Save the Children website.
Upon signing up, they will receive a toolkit that includes guidance on setting up a livestream, tips for engaging audiences, and promotional assets to help spread the word. The toolkit also offers suggestions for integrating charitable messaging into gameplay commentary, ensuring that the cause remains front‑and‑center throughout the broadcast.
Beyond the immediate fundraising goals, Save Point aims to cultivate a lasting sense of community among participants. By fostering connections between gamers, streamers, and the charity’s staff, the event hopes to create a pipeline of ambassadors who will champion Save the Children’s mission in future digital spaces.
Baxter concluded with optimism: “We’re excited to see how this experiment reshapes our approach to fundraising and how the gaming world can continue to drive meaningful change for children around the globe.”