We can use gaming for good, to lead a movement against suicide. Be part of it. Any way you like…

Help raise money for our life-saving services by challenging the gang to a pay-to-enter Fifa tournament. Come together with your mates with a walk and talk in your favourite multi-player game. Share CALM’s message in your community with a shout out while you stream. Whatever you choose we’d love to have you #GamingForCALM.

Keep reading for more great content on how gaming can help keep you connected. Join us and play against living miserably.

While we’re in lockdown, why not play for CALM. Have fun and chill out? Tick. Raise money and save lives? TICK. 

Get inspiration in our Gamer’s Guide to fundraising HERE.

Set up your fundraising page on Just Giving HERE. 

CALM up your socials and streams with our gamer’s pack HERE.

Check out our streams HERE.

Make it official and tell us your plans using the form below 👇

“I will keep fighting, pushing and spreading the word that it is ok to talk about your feelings. We all have them.“

Andy’s own journey with mental health started after multiple deployments to Afghanistan and the resultant PTSD. He has played Warhammer for years and finds multiple games over a weekend really tough, and mentally very tiring. So when planning a stream for CALM he thought “what would I not want to do? I would not want to play for 2 days, f&*$ that.” Instantly he knew he had his idea. Check out a summary of Andy’s top tips for gaming for CALM after his 40 Hours of Warhammer:

Top Tip 1) Come up with an idea that you would give money to, don’t kid yourself. Make it a real challenge. After all, saving lives makes it worthwhile. 

Top Tip 2) Give your event a name and a face. Make it catchy and memorable. Make events pages, make a logo, use #’s; they work. Get them out there.

Top Tip 3) Plan what you want, set solid goals that you can use to mark your success; fund-raising targets, interviews, page shares, people following a stream. 

Top Tip 4) Make it safe and accessible. This is key, people love interaction with events, they also want to know their money is going direct to the charity you are supporting. Just Giving will be your best friend. 

Top Tip 5) Be clear on WHY you are doing the event. “Just because” is not good enough. Be relatable and make sure the reason you give is understood by you and the people donating. Always link back to your why.

Top Tip 6) Local media: ring them up, email them, tag them in your event. Spread the word any way you can. That way you will also be able to shout about CALM and their work and helpline.

Top Tip 7) Accept help, from any and all sources. A lot goes into an event! There are a lot of people who care about you and if you are OK, even if you haven’t met them. We are stronger and better together. 

Read a bit more about Andy’s personal experience of his top tips HERE in our Gamers Guide to fundraising for CALM.

Through our work with our mates over at UKIE, we know it’s important now more than ever that we retain connections with others and keep in touch with our pals. Games provide a perfect opportunity to do just that – not only through the obvious route of playing them with friends, but also through their rich communities and online fanbases.

Don’t just take it from us. Jamie Drew from BROverwatch knows how effective gaming can be as a channel of conversation: “I’ve been trying to get my friends to play this with me for almost a year and a few months ago it worked. I finally dragged JP, Duncan, and Carl down to my level, the playing-at-3am level, and a funny thing happened: we started talking.

“We’re all in that weird, liminal period of our lives, feeling stuck in careers and relationships, feeling hard-done by the state of the world right now, feeling kind of alone. At some point the group chat moved from tactical movements in a “Protect The Payload” session towards a more frank and open place in the real world.”

That’s the good stuff. So why not try getting on a game with some pals and seeing where the chat takes you? Even James Buckley is getting in on the action.

Thankfully, all major platforms have an online component where you can add friends, talk to them via messages or voice chat, and set up groups without even having to start up a game. How good is that? To play games online with other people, players will have to subscribe to their respective online services below.

• PlayStation 4: Playstation Network. In order to play online multiplayer, players will need to purchase Playstation  Plus. Find great social games for PS4 (online)  and PS4 (local multiplayer)
• Xbox One: Xbox Live. In order to play online multiplayer, players will need to purchase Xbox Live Gold. Find great social games for Xbox One (online) and Xbox One (local multiplayer)
• Nintendo Switch: Nintendo Online Nintendo Switch. In order to play online multiplayer, players will need to purchase access to Nintendo Online. Find great social games for Nintendo.
• Find great social games for PC (online) and for PC (co-operative)
• Find great social games for Android games
• Find great social games for iOS games

Most online multiplayer games also have social components to them, meaning you and your crew can chat and create ‘lobbies’ of private games. Here are some examples:

• Fortnite (PS4, PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobile) Free to play.
• Overwatch (PS4, PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (PC, PS4, Xbox)
• Fifa (PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox)
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch)
• Apex: Legends (PS4, PC, Xbox) free to play. Notable for having a ‘ping’ system where players can non-verbally mark the map to communicate to their team without needed a mic. 

Perhaps you don’t have a console and you just want to watch live broadcasts of people playing games. Well, who could blame you? Video game streaming is great and is a really popular way of bringing a community together around a game. Most channels and streams will usually have a chat feature so that you can talk to others live and, best of all, these platforms are free to access. 

The main video streaming platforms showing off games content are:

• Twitch.tv check out CALM’s Twitch channel HERE
• YouTube Gaming
• Mixer
• Facebook gaming

Outside of streaming and other in game chat, you could set up a Discord chat with friends. It’s a free to use audio and text app, allowing users to set up their own servers and organise big voice group chats in there. It’s the perfect way to co-ordinate your in game chat, but can also be the perfect place to chat directly with mates once you’ve popped the controller down.

Steam is an online store for PC games, however also has a vibrant community which users can add friends and message through.

Here’s some good news: connecting with others via a game doesn’t always rely on an online component. Loads of people will be isolating with family or flatmates, and there are plenty of offline games to keep spirits up without needing an online connection.

• Rocket League (PC, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch) 
• Overcooked 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch)
• Smash Bros Ultimate (Nintendo Switch) 
• Jackbox Party Pack (PC, Mobile) 
• And any board games you have to hand!

As with anything in life, moderation is important. Games can be a hugely positive way to spend some time during this strange period and to connect with your friends. 

But, let’s be honest, you don’t want to come out the other side of this with a sub-50 daily step count and a galaxy of crumbs nestled into your jumper. 

Take breaks every hour for at least five minutes (ideally ten). Make sure to break up your sessions with other hobbies, like reading, watching the telly or whatever else keeps you busy. If you’re setting up games for your family, remember to use your console’s family settings to manage or limit things like play time. 

Finally, remember to eat well, sleep, and exercise where possible in line with the latest government advice.

Get more great advice from our mates over at UKIE and Ask About Games.

You legend, thank you for being part of CALM’s Gaming community. You’ve joined Ukie, First Touch Games, Fifa, @Bateson87, Nintendo and many more in supporting CALM through gaming. Immense.

All done and dusted with your fundraising? Pay it into us, and don’t forget to tell us what you did so we can thank you properly. If you’ve been using JustGiving, or something similar, then don’t worry – it gets sent through to us automatically.

Thanks for supporting us and being part of #TeamCALM.

We’re all on lockdown and that can be a really strange thing to come to terms with.

Remember that CALM is here for you no matter who you are or what you’re going through. Our free and anonymous helpline and webchat are open every day, as normal, from 5pm-midnight. If you need support, find more info here.