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, scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026. The concept emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s connection with the vibrant gaming community, a sector that has shown remarkable enthusiasm for charitable causes in recent years.
Fiona Baxter, the charity’s senior fundraising manager, told GamesIndustry.biz that Save Point was "born from a wider desire to engage more with the gaming community." She emphasized that the event is designed to be inclusive and accessible, offering an alternative to traditional physical challenges such as marathon running. "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," Baxter explained. By leveraging the interactive nature of video games and the reach of live streaming platforms, Save Point aims to attract both established gaming influencers and everyday players who wish to contribute to a good cause without needing to train for a long‑distance race.
A central partnership for the event is with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who has previously raised over £5,000 for Save the Children earlier in the year. This collaboration signals the charity’s intention to build lasting relationships with content creators who can mobilise their audiences for social impact.
Baxter noted that the organization hopes the partnership will extend beyond the single event, stating, "It would be incredible to reach more people in this community with information about the work we do and why it's important. I will consider it a huge success if we walk away from this event with a new crew of supporters who might want to game for us again because of their experience with us." Because Save Point is a novel fundraising format for the charity, Baxter highlighted the learning potential inherent in the experiment. "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 said. The data gathered—from viewer engagement metrics to donation patterns—will inform future campaigns, allowing Save the Children to refine its approach and maximize the impact of subsequent gaming‑centric initiatives.
Baxter also praised gamers and streamers as "unsung heroes of fundraising," pointing out that the gaming world is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support. She described the community as one bound by a shared love of storytelling, imagination, and escapism through play. "There is an understanding between game‑lovers that we are a group of people who love stories, imagination and escaping to new worlds through the power of play. By turning our love of gaming into a force for real‑world, lasting change, we're demonstrating just how powerful and impactful the gaming community can be," she added.
Save Point is part of the broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, which launches in November 2026. This campaign seeks to shift public attention from the commercial frenzy of Christmas gifting to the urgent needs of children worldwide who are awaiting essential supplies—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter—rather than toys.
Baxter illustrated the contrast poignantly: "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 event structure is straightforward yet flexible. Participants can sign up as individual streamers, join a team of gamers, or simply donate while watching others play.
The platform will feature a mix of popular titles, from competitive esports titles to cooperative adventure games, allowing a wide range of audiences to engage. Throughout the two‑day window, streamers will host live commentary, share stories from the field, and provide real‑time updates on fundraising milestones, creating an immersive experience that blends entertainment with education.
To join Save Point, interested individuals can register via the official Save the Children website. Upon registration, they will receive a toolkit containing guidelines for setting up a fundraising livestream, tips on promoting the event across social media, and suggested donation incentives such as custom in‑game skins or shout‑outs from high‑profile creators. The charity also plans to offer matching donation windows, where corporate partners will double contributions made within specific time slots, further amplifying the impact.
Beyond the immediate financial goal, Save Point aims to cultivate a lasting community of gaming‑oriented philanthropists. By exposing players to the tangible outcomes of their contributions—such as stories of children receiving life‑saving medical treatment or warm clothing during a harsh winter—the event hopes to inspire ongoing advocacy and future participation in similar campaigns.
In summary, Save Point represents a pioneering step for Save the Children, merging the dynamic world of gaming with humanitarian fundraising. Through strategic partnerships, inclusive event design, and a clear focus on learning and growth, the charity seeks not only to raise critical funds for children in need this Christmas but also to establish a replicable model for future collaborations with the gaming sector. The initiative underscores the powerful potential of digital play to drive real‑world change, inviting gamers everywhere to turn their passion into a force for good.