This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraiser, a two‑day event titled Save Point, scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026. The initiative blends video‑game play, live streaming, and charitable giving into a single, accessible experience that aims to attract a new wave of supporters from the digital entertainment world. Fiona Baxter, the organization’s senior fundraising manager, shared her enthusiasm with GamesIndustry.biz, noting that Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the charity’s connection with the gaming community.
"We wanted a platform where gamers, streamers, and their audiences could rally around a cause in a way that feels natural to them," Baxter explained. "Not everyone has the stamina or time to train for a marathon, but many people can log a few hours of gameplay or host a livestream, making participation far more inclusive." The event will be anchored by a partnership with popular online content creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously helped raise more than £5,000 for Save the Children earlier this year. Baxter highlighted that the collaboration is just the beginning of a longer‑term strategy to nurture relationships with influencers and gamers beyond the immediate fundraiser.
"Our goal is to keep the conversation going after Save Point ends," she said. "If we can introduce more people in the gaming sphere to the vital work we do and why it matters, we’ll have built a sustainable pipeline of supporters who might choose to game for us again in the future." Baxter emphasized that the success of Save Point will be measured not only by the funds raised but also by the insights gained. "Because this is our first foray into a gaming‑centric fundraiser, the feedback we collect will be priceless. It will help us refine the format, improve the experience for participants, and ultimately scale up to larger, more impactful events year after year," she noted.
She also praised gamers and streamers as the "unsung heroes of fundraising," pointing out that the gaming ecosystem is setting a "new, innovative standard" for charitable engagement. "Gamers are storytellers at heart. We love immersive narratives, imaginative worlds, and the sense of escape that games provide.
When we channel that passion into real‑world impact, we demonstrate just how powerful the community can be," Baxter said. Save Point forms part of the broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, which launches in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift public attention from traditional holiday gifts to the essential items that many children desperately need during the festive season—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter.
Baxter illustrated the contrast by saying, "In our everyday lives, we can order anything with a few taps on a screen, but for millions of children this Christmas, the deliveries they’re waiting for aren’t toys or sweets; they’re life‑saving supplies that protect their childhoods." The event will feature a series of live streams where participants can set up personal fundraising pages, engage with their audiences, and encourage donations in real time. Viewers will have the opportunity to contribute directly through integrated donation links, purchase virtual items whose proceeds go to the charity, or simply spread the word across social media platforms. By leveraging the interactive nature of streaming, Save Point aims to create a dynamic fundraising environment where every chat message, subscriber badge, and in‑game achievement can translate into tangible support for children in need.
In addition to the main streaming schedule, Save Point will host panel discussions with industry experts, game developers, and humanitarian workers. These sessions will explore topics such as the role of games in social change, best practices for charitable streaming, and stories from the field about how the donations are being used to deliver critical aid. The educational component is designed to deepen participants' understanding of the impact their contributions can have, fostering a sense of purpose that goes beyond entertainment. To join the event, interested individuals can register via the Save the Children website.
Once signed up, they will receive detailed instructions on setting up a fundraising livestream, tips for maximizing viewer engagement, and access to promotional assets like banners and overlays that align with the Save Point branding. The organization is also offering a toolkit for newcomers to streaming, ensuring that even those with limited technical experience can take part confidently.
Baxter concluded with a hopeful outlook: "If we walk away from Save Point with a new crew of gamers and streamers who feel inspired to keep supporting us, we’ll consider the event a massive success. The real victory will be the lasting relationships we build and the ongoing advocacy for children’s rights that will continue long after the final stream ends." Save Point represents a pioneering step for Save the Children, marrying the excitement of digital play with the urgency of humanitarian aid. By inviting the gaming community to rally around a cause that touches millions of vulnerable children, the charity hopes to demonstrate that compassion can be expressed in countless forms—including through the power of play.