Three roblox characters stand smiling surrounded by games props and sprites with buildings in the background. Image from Solarpunk Simulator, Comic Relief US's original Roblox game

Kids Relief

Gaming Is Good for the World

Gaming helps us develop essential skills and makes us feel like we're part of a critical mission to change the world. So creating a Roblox game was the perfect way for us to kick off Kids Relief.

March 22, 2023

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Gaming helps us develop essential skills and makes us feel like we're part of a critical mission to change the world. So creating a Roblox game was the perfect way for us to kick off Kids Relief.

There are more than three billion people playing online games as you read this. And this is great news! Seriously.

Gamers say playing games helps them relax, think critically, and connect with friends and family. But did you know gaming can help solve real-world problems like poverty and climate change?

Researcher (and game designer) Jane McGonigal, Ph.D. is convinced that gaming can save the world. In a TED talk viewed more than a million times, she said that if we all played games online, we could make the world a better place.

According to Dr. McGonigal, playing games can help us develop essential skills, including urgent optimism (the belief that we can overcome challenges), blissful productivity (feeling happy while working hard), and building solid relationships with others. Plus, playing games makes us feel like we're part of a critical mission to change the world.

This is one of the many reasons Comic Relief US has created Kids Relief and joined the world of online gaming with the launch of Solarpunk Simulator, our original Roblox game. Kids Relief is about empowering kids to make a difference and join our mission to help people around the world break out of poverty.

As one of the first-ever nonprofits to build a world on Roblox, we believe Solarpunk Simulator represents a new frontier in gaming for good. The game is set in a solarpunk fantasy world where players must work together with visitors from another galaxy to build a spaceship so they can all go on an epic adventure.

At Comic Relief US, we know that gaming is so much more than just having fun with friends — it encourages cooperation and success and can energize, inspire and unite players in a shared mission. We believe the experiences learned by successfully tackling virtual challenges will give kids the confidence to solve any problems they encounter throughout their lives and empower them to reach for their boldest dreams.

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Empowerment

Red Nose Day in School is a free educational program designed to teach young students about the impacts of poverty on children, foster empathy building, and celebrate acts of kindness in the classroom and beyond. This year-round program includes lesson plans, routines and videos to help students practice core reading and writing skills while also helping them realize their power to make a difference for others. Learn more.