This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused and livestream‑driven fundraiser, an initiative dubbed Save Point. The event, scheduled for the 5th and 6th of December 2026, aims to merge the enthusiasm of the gaming community with the urgent need for child‑focused aid during the festive period. Fiona Baxter, the organisation’s senior fundraising manager, shared with GamesIndustry.biz that the concept for Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the charity’s connection with gamers.
"Save Point was born out of a wider desire to engage more with the gaming community," she explained. "We wanted an avenue that would resonate with both partners and individual supporters who might not be able to take part in traditional challenges like marathons.
Gaming offers a more inclusive platform where anyone with a console or a PC can contribute in a meaningful way." Baxter highlighted that the event is designed to be accessible: "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." By leveraging livestream technology, participants can broadcast their gameplay, interact with viewers in real time, and encourage donations directly through integrated fundraising tools. The charity has teamed up with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously raised over £5,000 for Save the Children earlier in the year.
This partnership illustrates the potential of influencer‑driven philanthropy, where a single channel can mobilise a substantial audience toward a common cause. Baxter expressed optimism about cultivating long‑term relationships with gamers and streamers beyond the immediate event.
"It would be incredible to reach more people in this community with information about the work we do and why it’s important," she said. "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 first‑time venture for the charity, Baxter anticipates a steep learning curve.
"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 noted. The insights gathered—from donation mechanics to viewer engagement strategies—will inform future campaigns, potentially expanding into e‑sports tournaments, charity raids in massively multiplayer online games, and collaborative in‑game events with developers. Describing gamers and streamers as "unsung heroes of fundraising," Baxter underscored the transformative role the gaming sector is playing in the charitable landscape.
She observed that the community is "setting a new, innovative standard" for how causes can be supported. "There is an understanding among 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 forms a key component of Save the Children’s broader campaign, "The One Delivery That Matters," which launches in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift public attention from traditional holiday gifts to essential deliveries that children in crisis actually need—food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter emphasized this point, stating, "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’s structure is straightforward: participants register their interest via the Save Point sign‑up page, receive guidance on setting up a fundraising livestream, and then stream their gameplay over the two‑day window.
Viewers can donate directly through integrated platforms such as Twitch’s charity fundraiser tools, YouTube’s Super Chat, or third‑party services like Tiltify. In addition to monetary contributions, the charity encourages participants to share informational overlays, highlighting stories of children who benefit from the deliveries, thereby educating audiences while they watch.
Beyond the immediate financial goals, Save Point aims to foster a sense of community among gamers who may not have previously considered charitable giving. By providing a low‑barrier entry point—simply turning on a console and streaming— the event taps into the massive, globally dispersed gaming audience, estimated at over 3 billion people worldwide.
This demographic is young, digitally native, and often passionate about social issues, making it a fertile ground for sustained advocacy. Looking ahead, Baxter hinted at possible expansions: collaborations with game developers to embed charitable micro‑transactions within new releases, charity‑focused in‑game events that reward players with exclusive skins or items, and even the creation of a dedicated Save the Children gaming hub where players can track collective fundraising milestones in real time. In summary, Save Point represents a pioneering effort by Save the Children to harness the power of interactive entertainment for humanitarian impact.
By marrying the excitement of gaming with the urgency of child‑focused aid, the charity hopes to inspire a new generation of donors, demonstrate the versatility of modern fundraising, and ultimately deliver life‑saving resources to children who need them most this Christmas. If you’re interested in taking part, you can register your interest through the official Save Point page and receive all the necessary information to set up your own fundraising livestream.