This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a two‑day live event called Save Point. The concept emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s connection with the gaming world, a sector that has exploded in popularity and influence over the past decade. Fiona Baxter, the charity’s senior fundraising manager, told GamesIndustry.biz that the idea for Save Point was sparked by a desire to "engage more directly with the gaming community" and to create a platform where both brands and individual gamers could contribute to a cause they care about.
"Save Point gives us a way to reach gamers not just as partners but as personal supporters," Baxter explained. "Not everyone is able to run a marathon or climb a mountain for charity, but a gaming marathon is far more accessible. It allows us to showcase how a different kind of supporter can make a real impact." By leveraging the interactive nature of video games and the reach of live streaming, the charity hopes to tap into a demographic that is both tech‑savvy and passionate about storytelling, competition, and community.
The event will be anchored by a collaboration with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who has already demonstrated his fundraising chops by raising more than £5,000 for Save the Children earlier this year. His involvement underscores a growing trend: influencers using their platforms to drive charitable giving.
Baxter emphasized that the partnership is just the beginning. "We want to keep building relationships with gamers and streamers long after Save Point ends," she said. "If we can introduce more people in this space to the work we do and why it matters, we’ll have created a lasting pipeline of supporters who might choose to game for us again in the future." The charity views the event as a learning laboratory as well as a fundraiser. "This is our first foray into a gaming‑centric campaign, so the feedback we receive will be priceless," Baxter noted.
"It will help us refine and scale up future gaming events, making them bigger and more effective year after year." She described gamers and streamers as "the unsung heroes of fundraising," pointing out that the gaming arena is "setting a new, innovative standard" for how charitable causes can be championed. According to Baxter, the appeal of gaming lies in its inherent love of narrative, imagination, and immersive worlds. "There’s a shared understanding among gamers that we’re a community that thrives on stories and the power of play," she said.
"When we channel that enthusiasm into real‑world change, we demonstrate just how potent the gaming community can be when it rallies around a common purpose." Save Point is a key component of Save the Children’s broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, slated to launch in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift the focus of the festive season from material gifts to essential supplies for children in crisis. While many families anticipate toys and sweets, millions of youngsters around the globe are waiting for life‑saving deliveries—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter.
Baxter highlighted this stark contrast: "Anything you can order with a click can be delivered to your door, but for countless children this Christmas, it isn’t toys they need—it’s the basics that will preserve their health and protect their childhood." Save Point will run on December 5 and 6, 2026. Participants can sign up to host their own fundraising livestreams, with the charity providing guidance on how to set up donation links, promote the event, and engage viewers.
The aim is to create a ripple effect: each streamer brings their own audience into the fold, amplifying the message and the money raised. By the end of the two‑day period, Save the Children hopes to have not only generated significant funds for emergency deliveries but also cultivated a new cohort of gaming‑oriented advocates who will continue to champion the organization’s mission.
In addition to the live streams, the event will feature special in‑game challenges, exclusive digital rewards for donors, and collaborative play sessions where top streamers team up to tackle popular titles while encouraging viewers to contribute. These interactive elements are designed to keep audiences engaged and to translate entertainment into tangible support. The charity is also planning post‑event analytics to assess which strategies resonated most with the gaming community.
Insights will inform future initiatives, such as themed charity tournaments, developer‑backed charity bundles, and ongoing partnerships with e‑sports teams. Baxter believes that by listening to gamers’ feedback, Save the Children can continually improve its approach and ensure that each subsequent event builds on the successes of the last. Ultimately, Save Point represents a strategic pivot for Save the Children, positioning the organization at the intersection of philanthropy and digital culture. As the gaming industry continues to grow—projected to reach over $300 billion in global revenue within the next few years—the potential for charitable collaborations expands dramatically.
By embracing this momentum, Save the Children aims to harness the collective power of gamers, streamers, and their audiences to deliver critical aid to children who need it most during the holiday season and beyond. If you’re interested in taking part, you can register your interest through the Save Point sign‑up page. Once registered, you’ll receive detailed instructions on how to set up a fundraising livestream, tips for maximizing viewer engagement, and information on how your contributions will be allocated to support the essential deliveries that will make a difference for children worldwide this Christmas.