During E3 2018, we had the privilege to partner with our friends at Xbox in support of Gamers Outreach programs. Since 2007, our team has been working to provide equipment, technology, and software to help kids cope with treatment inside hospitals. We exist to inspire and heal patients through interactive play.
Xbox and Microsoft’s gaming franchises have been a part of our identity since our founding, and presently, the majority of our GO Karts deployed in hospitals are equipped with Xbox consoles. Given our history with the brand (and as fans), it was incredibly surreal to have the opportunity to work with the Xbox team during one of the video game industry’s biggest events of the year.
Our E3 week kicked off on Sunday with the Xbox press conference. If you caught the broadcast, you may have noticed Phil Spencer was wearing a Gamers Outreach tee! Shortly after walking on stage, Phil announced all proceeds from Xbox FanFest would be donated to Gamers Outreach in support of helping us bring entertainment to hospitalized children. Through those ticket sales, Xbox fans generated $20,000 for Gamers Outreach programs!
In addition to FanFest ticket sales, Aaron Greenberg helped raise another $5,000 through an online campaign in memory of Xbox Addict. Those community donations will be helping us provide a GO Kart and assortment of games to a hospital in Xbox Addict’s hometown. All donors who contributed at least $70 to the campaign during E3 will also be receiving a commemorative Xbox Addict controller.
On Sunday evening, our founder Zach Wigal had the opportunity to talk about Gamers Outreach alongside Major Nelson in a theater of more than 500 Xbox fans. As of this blog post, Gamers Outreach is maintaining a presence in nearly 50 children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. We estimate our initiatives are capable of benefiting more than 400,000 children per year. What’s more: we expect to double our impact thanks to commitments to support over 800,000 children in 200 hospitals this year.
With all that growth, we’re going to need the help of the gaming community to deliver GO Karts and ensure hospitals are capable of maximizing the benefits games provide to patients! We invited our fellow Xbox fans to volunteer at their local hospitals as Gamers Outreach expands throughout 2018. If you filled out a volunteer application, be on the lookout in the coming months for an email from our team members!
On Monday, we organized a little mixer for our fellow gaming peeps visiting Los Angeles. It was wonderful to catch up with so many friends and make a few new ones! Thanks to everyone who joined us at the first ever Gamers Outreach prE3 mixer at PRANK bar in downtown LA! It’s definitely just the beginning of many more west coast events to come ;).
Of course, we had to wrap E3 the best way we know how – by delivering some GO Karts! With support from Xbox FanFest attendees, we delivered our very first Xbox One X GO Karts to Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA! Each GO Kart will provide hospitalized kids with access to entertainment for years into the future. Massive thanks to all the Xbox FanFest attendees for making this possible. This was just the first delivery supported by FanFest ticket sales of more to come!
We’re so grateful to team Xbox and the gaming community for coming together to make a difference for kids and families in hospitals. Everyone’s support has an impact. E3 is an incredible stage to raise awareness for the work being done in hospitals and all there is still to do. On behalf of our fellow gamers going through hospitalization, THANK YOU to Xbox for helping us build support for this cause and sharing your voice during E3 2018!
Until next year!