video games - GameChanger Charity

Vote GameChanger for Target Circle

gamechdev — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 21:11:54 +0000

From January 1st to March 31st, GameChanger Charity will be a participant in Target Circle. During the three month duration, you can use Target Circle points earned for each Target visit to support a non-profit of your choice. There are five total nonprofits participating alongside GameChanger. A share of the total prize fund will be awarded to all of the nonprofits. The amount each organization receives will depend on the amount of votes they recieve.

If you shop at Target, here is how you can support GameChanger

Open your Target app
Tap on “Circle”
Select “Vote for nonprofits”
Add your votes to GameChanger Charity

About Target Circle

Using Target Circle, shoppers can earn 1% in Target Circle earnings rewards each time they make an eligible purchase at Target, in-store and online. Shoppers can save on items, claim earnings for discounts, and keep track of the amount of money they’ve saved/earned using the program. Alongside these many benefits, Target Circle members can earn votes to support a nonprofit in their community. Shoppers can earn one vote on every eligible purchase. Sign up and learn more at www.target.com/circle.

The post Vote GameChanger for Target Circle first appeared on GameChanger Charity.

I, Hope – A Game with Purpose

gamechdev — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 21:50:55 +0000

GameChanger’s I, Hope invited to take part in Twitch Prime’s first-ever Indie Amplifier with a chance of winning up to $100,000!

Long-time visitors may remember Amazon’s massive $500,000 #SubsForKids campaign at Twitchcon 2016 which helped drive a tremendous amount of awareness to our cause among Twitch streamers. This February, Amazon invited GameChanger Charity to participate in their first ever Indie Amplifier program which gives Amazon and Twitch users the opportunity to choose the games they want to support with over $100,000 in prize money.

Until March 11th, Prime members can vote for one of eight games that they want to receive at the end of the month with the winner being chosen on the eve of the Game Developers Conference. You can also catch the game being played by Twitch streamers such as DizzyKitten (Sunday 2/25 at 7pm PST), GiantWaffle and Bacon_Donut will be also be streaming the game over on Twitch (2/28 at 1pm PST)

For those who’ve just been introduced to GameChanger Charity from this Twitch event, thank you so much for visiting the our site and for checking out what I, Hope is all about. Over the next two weeks, We would absolutely appreciate your vote and your efforts to spread the word about this game and the mission of GameChanger Charity: https://www.amazon.com/l/17592296011/

About the Game
I, Hope is a 3D platforming game that follows Hope, a young girl whose life is turned upside down when a mysterious monster named Cancer falls from sky and lands on her island home. The gameplay centers around discovering unique abilities entrenched within magical floating islands in order to solve puzzles and defeat enemies.I, Hope was developed by Kenny Roy who donated the game to GameChanger Charity’s mission of benefiting children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. “When we think of video games, our minds go to epic battles, fantasy worlds, crazy races and mind-boggling adventures,” says Kenny. “Creating a game is about hitting the perfect balance between pure-amusement and lifting player’s spirits.” Kenny’s mission for I, Hope was to make a game that kids can play while receiving cancer treatments; something to distract them, but at the same time, put them back in control of their battle.

“I, Hope is engaging for all, yet for survivors and children who are currently battling cancer, the game is truly empowering.”

An outpouring of support
I, Hope was discovered early by the ID@Xbox team who helped champion the development of the project for more than 18 months. Microsoft offered Kenny support throughout the development process and their ID@Xbox team worked tirelessly to test, certify, and make sure this game became an Xbox One console exclusive. Microsoft also awarded I, Hope with their ID@Xbox Gaming For Everyone Award at last year’s Game Development Conference in San Francisco saying, “I, Hope is the best of what a game can be because it is inspiring, challenging and fun.”

The game has since been nominated for several other awards but the highest praise one can ask for is seeing the look of the kids that get their hands on with the game. GameChanger Charity has brought this game into Mott Children’s Hospital last year where their team marveled at the [game’s ability to], “give those who feel powerless a sense of strength, control, and mastery.” Jim Carol, Founder of GameChanger Charity, summed it up best after he was able to watch a full play though of I, Hope by saying, “This is a great game that also delivers a powerful, meaningful message to kids struggling in hospitals around the world.”

Gaming with a greater purpose
I, Hope is currently for sale on Steam and on Twitch with the Xbox One console-exclusive version coming shortly thereafter. All proceeds from the sale of I, Hope go to GameChanger Charity’s mission of spreading hope and love to children staying in hospitals.

Published by ++Good Games

The team at ++Good Games (pronounced Double Plus Good Games) has worked alongside GameChanger Charity since 2013 and has joined GameChanger on hospital tours, trade shows, and at events like our Games and Music Festival. ++Good Games celebrates the greatest games, people, and experiences the games industry has to offer and have agreed to help GameChanger Charity bring this game to market with additional development and marketing support. Check them out over at their site and be sure to follow them on Twitter at @doubleplusgames.

Stay tuned to this page and to all of our social media profiles like Twitter and Facebook for ways to purchase I, Hope, support GameChanger Charity simply by getting this great game, and more awesome details as the release date approaches!

The post I, Hope – A Game with Purpose first appeared on GameChanger Charity.

Gamers Give Back Goes to Canada!

gamechdev — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 21:12:52 +0000

“Your generosity and variety of items, for the wide range of ages as well as gifts for our play and teen lounge programs, were so well received. Staff were blown away by your true understanding and appreciation for the work we do and were humbled by your words.” – Chantal LeBlanc, IWK

September 2017 has been another busy one for the GameChanger Team! This month, while on our Gamers Give Back Tour, we visited our lovely friends to the north in Canada. Each healthcare facility we visited was innovative in their approach to healthcare, showed special attention in caring for their very special young patients, and were all ears when it came to pushing forward with new ideas.

One of the items we take along with us to our GGB tour stops is the “Therapeutic Video Game Recommendation Guide” that our partner Child’s Play Charity has created. We bring copies along with us as reference for games that can help with a variety of symptoms. Erick (@eribek on Twitter), one of our friends from Childs Play who is frequently with us on visits, is always more than happy to go over the guide with staff after gifts have been distributed on a visit.

Below are some highlights from the Gamers Give Back Tour stops including thank you notes and pictures from our visits.

“I just want to thank you so much for the visit! The team was awesome and the gifts were much appreciated by all the kids! Lunch was very good and we had a good chat! We will definitely speak again for future plans” – Jean Pascal, Shriners Hospital, Montreal

Following our visit to Shriners Hospital, Montreal, Don Johnson, CEO here at GameChanger, attached us to an email:

“I will tell you that Shriner’s of Montreal was a real inspiration and highlight…you and the team at Shriner’s are truly “GameChanger’s”!! We are humbled to have had the opportunity to get to know you and your entire team!” – DJ

Thank you for having us!

Next, we stopped at IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Not only was the hospital gorgeous, it’s also worth to note that the sights in Nova Scotia are breathtaking and worth a visit to see for yourself!

We were greeted kindly by Chantal LeBlanc and her team of Child Life professionals and handed out many gifts throughout the wings of the children’s hospital. Once we finished up and said our goodbyes we received this pleasant thank you note that warmed our hearts:

“I just wanted to send a quick note of appreciation for the motivating group lunch we just had. I don’t think that GameChanger realizes the impact their visit had. I truly feel their timing was perfect. It was so inspiring to have such passionate people meet with us and have a true understanding and appreciation for Child Life. Hearing them speak validated what we do and why. To know there are people like that out there advocating for us, our patients and our families is so refreshing. I feel recharged having a group get together and it was very thoughtful for them to treat us to lunch, that was a nice bonus.” – Chantal LeBlanc, IWK

Thanks Chantal! We love what you all do for the kids as well!!

Last but certainly not least, we made a stop at Janeway Children’s Hospital Foundation in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

“I just wanted to send a quick thank you to Terri and Jenine, for your assistance in the GameChanger & Child’s Play Charity event that took place today at the Janeway.

The event was amazing with Child Life staff along with Eric, Don and Darla from GameChanger & Child’s Play, able to visit and provide gifts to the Janeway patients, plus the opportunity for Child Life staff and the Give Back Tour representatives to meet and discuss the gaming ( both electronic and board games) needs of the hospital from both a diversional and therapeutic aspect.

We would like to thank both groups for including the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre in your Canadian east coast Gamers Give Back Tour. We look forward to continued collaboration with your group.

Also, thank you for the lunch it was a wonderful treat.” – Arlene Scott, JaneWay

As autumn the autumn temperatures start to cool down and set the stage for winter, we would like to give our sincere thanks to all of the hospitals we’ve visited for having us while on our Gamers Give Back Tour. We can only hope that the work we do brings happiness to these special kids who need it most. A million thanks to each and every Child Life team member out there helping kids through tough times!

Keep up with our Gamers Give Back Tour dates by following us on Twitter and signing up for our newsletter!

The post Gamers Give Back Goes to Canada! first appeared on GameChanger Charity.

GameChanger Day Celebrates Giving, Gaming for Children in Hospitals

gamechdev — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 17:17:56 +0000

GameChanger Day is a joyous occasion that represents all we hold dear as a charity. The mood is celebratory and the video games, VR, and toys are aplenty.

More often than not, when we visit hospitals, the patients we meet are going through mental and physical strain due to the nature of the treatments they’re receiving. At each and every stop, we do our best to bring a smile to the face of the children and families we meet by supplying a break from their time in the hospital.

While we strive to bring a bit of hope to every stop throughout the Gamers Give Back Tour, there are times we feel compelled to make an extra push to create a larger than life moment. On Wednesday August 23^rd, together with the good folks at Morgan Stanley Hospital in New York City, GameChanger Day was one of those moments.

Before the kids arrived in the game room, we set up an Xbox one with NBA 2K17, Minecraft, Halo 5, and LEGO Marvel Superheroes. We also had a PS4 with a Guitar Hero station ready to go so everyone could rock out as needed! Not long after we finished setting up, many different patients, along with their parents and siblings, arrived with pleasantly surprised looks on their faces. It was time to have some fun!

Nate, our resident VR expert, brought our virtual reality set up and shared new and exciting worlds with the children. The kids loved creating sculptures, characters and shapes using Medium. Faces across the room lit up when the kid’s realized they could create a sculpture in 3D and walk around with it. We also had the PS4 VR complete with a driving wheel and pedals with Driveclub ready to go along with Eagle Flight and Google Earth VR on our two Oculus Rift with Touch Controllers set-ups.

Sometimes, the raucous nature of a playroom at a hospital can be a bit intimidating for a child. It’s extremely important that we remain sensitive to the needs of the patients. In these cases, it’s the small things that count to make every child feel included. One of the boys we met was a bit shy and quietly mentioned to his mom that his favorite streamer had played Job Simulator in VR. We looked up the game and downloaded it on the spot. The mom and son duo, in which the young man used his right hand while his mom helped control with her left, played for 40 minutes and enjoyed every moment of it.

The hit of the showcase? A 4 Player version of Rocket League (think of it as soccer but with rocket-powered trucks) projected onto a jumbo screen! 4 kids at a time were at the helm clutching Xbox controllers while music from the awesome game soundtrack and sound effects emanated from a large state of the art speaker. The matches were epic to say the least and culminated in the last game of the day where the kids were on a 4-player team against 4 CPUs. The kids were down 4 points and came back in the last 90 seconds and won by a point!

A huge thanks to each and every team member on the Child Life staff at Morgan Stanley Hospital. We’re already in talks with their team on expanding our relationship to help build out their VR experience in the hospital and will be assisting with upgrading their teen lounge in the near future.

Like all of our efforts, none of this would be possible if not for the help of our amazing supporters who host the fundraisers that keep GameChanger Charity moving along. This past year, we had incredible efforts hosted by San Francisco Giants baseball star Hunter Pence and YouTube/Streamer star (and all around good guy) Markiplier. Portions of the funds raised from each of their efforts went toward making GameChanger Day a reality.

Engadget wrote a beautiful piece about the day. Check out this excerpt:

GameChanger takes just about anything that companies are willing to give, much of it being items that are just slightly too old for sale and are destined to be destroyed anyway. That includes tablets, gaming consoles, games and even marketing goods. Jim said GameChanger wasn’t allowed to bring tech on a recent trip to Cuba but was able to bring shirts and hats from gaming companies, which the children loved. “We’ll take anything that’s new, that’s excess material that can be repurposed that these families would love to have,” said Jim.

Click here to read the entire article.

Keep up with GameChanger Charity! Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all of our events and efforts!

The post GameChanger Day Celebrates Giving, Gaming for Children in Hospitals first appeared on GameChanger Charity.

Gamers Unite for The Crystal Dynamics 25th Anniversary

gamechdev — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 21:06:42 +0000

Recently, we teamed up with Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix, two software companies who have been incredibly helpful in backing our mission, to celebrate The Crystal Dynamics 25^th Anniversary.

When you think of a classic game, what comes to mind? Maybe its a first person shooting duel or a versus game, or maybe its something more than that. Maybe it’s a game that has become iconic in more ways than one. If that’s the case, there may be a solid chance that what got you into gaming was an adventure game along the lines of Tomb Raider.

Whether you played it as a kid when it first came out on a console or saw the blockbuster movies before you played it on a PC, the Tomb Raider universe and all the characters that inhabit it are unique and stand the test of time while being known the world over.

We had three different game bundles, all under 25.00, and added a 50.00 bundle that included some awesome GameChanger swag. All of the limited edition bundles were made available on Tiltify. The bundles were composed of steam key game codes that were emailed directly to the donor and included Legacy of Kain games, Pandemonium, Project Snowblind, and Tomb Raider games.

We also hosted a giveaway to give a little GameChanger Charity heave-ho to the overall effort. The giveaway helped to spread the word for us, Crystal Dynamics, and Square Enix and helped in gaining new followers for all three entities along with ultimately setting more eyes on the campaign.

To say the least, the response from around the world was warm and heartfelt. Below are a couple kind notes from people who purchased the bundles –

“Greetings from Romania!
I am a huge fan of video games and those in need sometimes make my heart melt, i can`t afford to donate much more than than this amount but i am sure that together we can put a smile on their faces, every cent making a difference in their lives !”

“I already have half of these games but giving to this charity is worth it! :)”

“This is an awesome charity and who knows when I’ll actually get around to playing these but I’m currently going to school to become a video game developer and would love to eventually be as good as the people who work at crystal dynamics, and keep up the awesome work you’re doing for this charity!!!”

Our Twitter page saw the effects of 250+ retweets and our reach on Facebook was seen by over 110,000 users! To name a few, online publications such as IGN, Videogamer, and Gamasutra, all helped out in a big way by picking up the press release and sharing the details about the anniversary sale with their base of readers.

When all was said and done, the campaign raised 30,202.00!

We would like thank each and every publication that picked up the press release and every person who donated and supported us in our efforts. It is truly through the kindness of others that we are able to achieve our vision for the children and staff at hospitals nationally and throughout the world.

We’re always gearing up for upcoming efforts to keep up with pushing our mission in the right direction. Stay up to date on all of our efforts, including fun gaming events and great deals on games, by following our Twitter or Facebook page!

The post Gamers Unite for The Crystal Dynamics 25th Anniversary first appeared on GameChanger Charity.