After several months of planning, GameBlast24 is almost here.

Every February, hundreds of gamers from across the UK come together on Twitch to take part in extended gaming sessions. Their aim is to raise funds and awareness for SpecialEffect, to help the charity continue its work to bring the joy of gaming to even more people.

SpecialEffect transforms the lives of individuals with physical challenges through the innovative use of technology. At the core of their mission is their work to optimise inclusion, enjoyment and quality of life by helping people to control video games to the best of their abilities. This not only brings families and friends together but has a profoundly positive impact on confidence too.

I’ve been involved with the charity since meeting the team at the EGX expo in September 2013. As well as volunteering on their stand at events across the country, Pete and I have taken part in their annual GameBlast marathon since it began the following year. It’s the perfect way to do what we love as gamers and have a beneficial impact on others at the same time.

In my update post in December, we asked everyone to help us decide on the games to play during our 24-hour stream on Twitch from 08:00 on Saturday, 24 February 2024. The period will be split into eight sections so we can focus on something from a different genre during each of them. The format has worked out well for us in the past as it means no title outstays its welcome and there’s something on the schedule for everyone. And as has become tradition over the years, we kick off with a platformer and wrap up with a multiplayer.

Thank you to everyone who voted in the polls over the past month! These were closed on Friday evening and the line-up can now be revealed. We’ve ended up with a nice, varied schedule and there are a few highlights that we’re really looking forward to. Pete is obviously very excited that Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 won in the action category as he hasn’t had the chance to play it in a while, and I’ll be solving the next crime during another murder-mystery jigsaw puzzle – no doubt with the help of Zelda, our cat.

GameBlast24 schedule

Date	Time	Genre	Game
Saturday, 24 February 2024	08:00	Stream start	AI Dungeon
	09:00	Platformer	Tinykin
	11:00	Something different	The Art of Murder jigsaw puzzle
	14:00	Retro	Tomb Raider
	17:00	FMV	Dark Nights with Poe and Munro
	20:00	Adventure	DREDGE
	23:00	Action	Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Sunday, 25 February 2024	02:00	Horror	Dead Space
	05:00	Multiplayer	Sea of Thieves
	08:00	Stream end	Placid Plastic Duck Simulator

All donations received through our JustGiving page go to SpecialEffect and allow the team to continue their fantastic work. At the time of writing, our kind supporters have raised over 80% of our £2,500 target which is amazing! Not only will this money be used to create custom gaming setups for people with physical disabilities, it also makes a global impact by funding innovations such as the EyeMine software and enabling the charity to provide freely-available game accessibility advice.

There’s still time to sign up to GameBlast24 if you’d like to participate yourself. Head over to the SpecialEffect website to find out more about the charity and follow the official GameBlast Twitter account to receive regular updates about the event. It’s time to help everybody get back in the game.