We're hearing far too many sad and serious stories surrounding the coronavirus pandemic that one way or another is impacting people all over the world, but every now and then a feel-good story comes along and puts a smile on your face. This is one such story.
The UK video game industry has banded together for a new initiative called Games for Carers, a new service designed to put games and gaming subscription services into the hands of NHS key workers risking their lives on the front line of the ongoing battle against COVID-19, hopefully giving them and/or their families some respite during this challenging times.
"Our amazing NHS staff are working hard on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus, and it is brilliant to see the UK's video games industry uniting to say thank you through this campaign," Creative Industries Minister Caroline Dinenage said of the initiative. "We have worked closely with games companies to help keep people safe and I am delighted the sector is continuing to support the NHS in such an innovative way."
There are more than 85,00 games up for grabs from a wide range of developers (no favourites to highlight here, all of the companies are listed below in alphabetical), and all those eligible have to do is head to giveaways.keymailer.co/nhs and enter their NHS email address and take it from there.
The idea first started with games journalist Chris Scullion, who with the help of Ukie, Keymailer and the wider industry has been able to bring this incredible gesture to life. Well done to all involved, including this lot:
101XP, 1939 Games, 4MB Interactive, Absolutely Games, Activision, Apache, ASA Studio, Auroch Digital, Bare Knuckle Development, Beast Inc, Bedtime Digital Games, Bethesda, Born Ready Games, Bossa Studios, Brainbox, Bungie, CCP, Coatsink, Codemasters, Curve Digital, Deep Silver, Devolver Digital, Double Fine Productions, Dovetail Games, Electronic Arts, Evil Twin Artworks, Excalibur, FitXR, Flying Interactive, Greenlight Games, Hi-Rez, Huey Games, Indie Champions, Introversion Software, Irregular Corp, Jagex Games Studios, Japster's Cavern, Junkfish Limited, Koch Media, Konami, Kupo Games, Marvelous Europe, Maximum Games, Media Molecule, Milestone, Mode 7, Modus Games, nDreams, NerdyBGird Studios, Niffler, , Numskull Games, Outright Games, Payload Studios, Phantom Compass, Placeholder Gameworks, Playsport, PQube, QCF Design, Quack Quack Games, Quantum Soup Studios, Raiser Games, Rare, Renegade Sector Games, Reverie World Studios Inc, Revolution Software, Ripstone, Roll7, Salix Games, SEGA, SFB Games, Spilt Milk Studios, Sports Interactive, State of PlayTeam 17, Team Cats & Bears, The Game Creators, The Pixel Mine, The Yogcast, THQ Nordic, tinyBuild Games, ToastieLabs, Wired Productions, Wizards of the Coast LLC, Wreck Tanghle Games, Xbox Game Studios and ZA/UM.