Gaming charity SpecialEffect has been hosting yearly fundraising events in the games industry with One Special Day since 2015, supporting inclusion for gamers with physical challenges all over the world.
The SpecialEffect team comprises occupational therapists and games specialists who create hundreds of personalised controllers every year to help make gaming more accessible to thousands of disabled gamers – even expanding into eye-gaze technology and telepresent robots.
One Special Day 2023 is now over, having taken place in early October as a time for the games industry to come together and raise funds for disabled gamers. Now, SpecialEffect has revealed just how much the event raised: an impressive £500,000.
Supporting those in need
More than 90 games industry partners united to raise this half-million sum, with donations across the One Special Day weekend deriving from mobile and PC game sales, in addition to a number of company-driven fundraisers.
In the lead-up to the event, SpecialEffect founder and CEO Dr Mick Donegan said: “We are seeing an ever-increasing demand for our services, which are all provided without charge. The support the event receives from the games industry is absolutely vital in making sure we can continue to reach every disabled person that needs our help.”
Now with £500,000 raised, these funds will naturally go towards the award-winning charity’s modus operandi of supporting disabled gamers in playing video games to the best of their abilities, and thereby improving their quality of life. People of all ages are supported and personalised assessments are conducted to determine the best equipment modifications possible.
“We’re simply blown away by such an astonishing level of support from our friends in the games industry and community, especially at such a difficult time for many companies,” Donegan stated today.
“Demand for our support continues to grow, and this amazing total will be a cornerstone in enabling us to bring the magic of gaming to thousands of people with physical disabilities, and to help developers all over the world to make their games more accessible to all.”
Visit the SpecialEffect site for more information on the support available, and the ways in which you can support too!
