This holiday season, Save the Children is set to debut its very first game‑centric and live‑stream fundraising experience, which it has christened "Save Point." The initiative is designed to merge the excitement of interactive entertainment with the mission‑driven world of charitable giving, offering a novel avenue for supporters to contribute while enjoying the games they love. Fiona Baxter, the charity’s senior fundraising manager, shared with GamesIndustry.biz that the concept for Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s connection with the gaming community. "Save Point was born out of a wider desire to engage more with the gaming community," she explained. "We wanted a format that would resonate with gamers, streamers, and their audiences, providing a platform that feels natural to them while advancing our humanitarian goals." Baxter emphasized that the event opens doors for a more inclusive form of participation.
"Not everyone can run a marathon or climb a mountain, but a gaming marathon is far more accessible to a diverse audience," she said. "Through Save Point we can attract individuals who might not be able to take part in traditional physical challenges, yet still want to make a tangible impact. It showcases how different types of supporters can rally behind a cause in ways that suit their strengths and interests." To anchor the event in the online world, Save the Children has teamed up with well‑known content creator and Twitch streamer TheKapFantastic.
The influencer has a proven track record of supporting the charity, having raised more than £5,000 earlier in the year through his own streams. This partnership not only brings a built‑in audience but also signals the charity’s commitment to authentic collaboration with creators who genuinely care about the mission. Looking beyond the immediate fundraiser, Baxter expressed a strong desire to cultivate lasting relationships with gamers and streamers. "It would be incredible to reach more people in this community with information about the work we do and why it matters," she said.
"I’ll consider the event a massive success if we walk away with a new crew of supporters who want to keep gaming for us because of the experience they had." She also highlighted the educational value of the pilot event. "There are a lot of learning opportunities embedded in this initiative. This is our first time doing this type of fundraiser, so the feedback we receive will be invaluable and will help us shape bigger and better gaming events year after year," Baxter noted. The insights gathered will inform everything from technical setup and donation mechanisms to audience engagement strategies and partnership models.
Baxter praised gamers and streamers as "the unsung heroes of fundraising," pointing out that the gaming sector is "setting a new, innovative standard" for charitable support. She elaborated on the cultural underpinnings that make gaming such a potent vehicle for change: "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 demonstrate just how powerful and impactful the gaming community can be." Save Point forms part of the broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, slated to launch in November 2026. This campaign aims to shift the public’s focus from material gifts to essential supplies that children in crisis need during the festive period.
Baxter underscored the stark contrast between typical holiday expectations and the harsh reality faced by millions of vulnerable youngsters: "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 campaign stresses that while many families anticipate presents, children in conflict zones, disaster‑struck regions, or extreme poverty are instead hoping for food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. By framing these necessities as "deliveries," the charity taps into the familiar language of e‑commerce and streaming, making the call to action intuitive for a digitally savvy audience. Save Point is scheduled to run over two days, from December 5 to December 6, 2026.
Participants can sign up by registering their interest through the provided link, which will also supply guidance on setting up a fundraising livestream, choosing the right platform, and promoting the event to maximize reach. The charity encourages both seasoned streamers and newcomers to join, offering resources such as donation overlays, chat scripts, and promotional graphics to streamline the process. In addition to live gaming sessions, the event will feature special guest appearances, charity auctions of gaming memorabilia, and collaborative multiplayer challenges where multiple streamers team up to hit fundraising milestones. Viewers will be able to donate directly through integrated platforms, with real‑time tallies displayed on-screen to foster a sense of collective achievement.
By blending entertainment with empathy, Save Point aspires to create a replicable model for future charitable initiatives within the gaming ecosystem. Baxter concluded with optimism: "If we can prove that a gaming marathon can generate significant support for children in need, we’ll have opened the door to countless other innovative fundraising formats.
The gaming community has the creativity, the reach, and the passion to make a real difference – and Save Point is just the beginning of that journey."