BLAST Premier pledges $12,5K donation to gaming charity SpecialEffect

Donation will go towards programmes and technology that help enhance the life of people with disabilities through the power of gaming

BLAST Premier has pledged $12,500 to SpecialEffect – a charity that utilises gaming and technology to enhance and improve the lives of people with disabilities.

The donation will help SpecialEffect continue its life-changing work and engage with more participants by developing and purchasing bespoke technology to help bring those living with disabilities closer to the world of gaming.

The worldwide Counter-Strike tournament organiser BLAST Premier started putting fines aside that were deducted from teams during the 2020 Fall Season and Global Final and pledged to give these to a charity of choice.

The United Kingdom-based charity harnesses the power of gaming by offering opportunities to those who might otherwise be unable to play due to their disability. Each person will have different requirements depending on their needs and abilities, SpecialEffect works closely with participants to create technology focussed around their capabilities.

Ranging from modified gaming controllers to eye-control systems, every system the charity recommends or loans is personalised. Sometimes that might mean using voice control, accessibility switches or a chin joystick and even in some cases they might physically customise a controller. There are hundreds of solutions in countless combinations, and SpecialEffect makes it their mission to find the right option for their participants.

Mark Saville, Communications Support at SpecialEffect, said: “This is an astonishing donation and we simply can’t thank the team at BLAST enough for such a wonderful and innovative gesture. It’s a donation that will help us bring the magic of gaming into many, many lives worldwide.

“We’re seeing so many benefits to levelling the gaming playing field. It gives the people we help an unparalleled opportunity to participate as an equal in astonishingly rich competitive gaming environments and social communities, resulting in inclusion, greater independence, self-esteem, confidence, achievement, an opportunity to demonstrate to others the best of themselves… the list goes on. It’s much more than simply having fun. As one gamer who we helped said: ‘thank you, for giving me my life back’.”

Andrew Haworth, Commissioner for BLAST Premier, said: “We’re delighted to be able to donate last season’s BLAST Premier Fall Season team fines towards such an important and worthy cause in the form of SpecialEffect’s life-changing work. We know first hand the good gaming and esports brings to millions of lives around the world, but not all of us are fortunate enough to be able to readily access it and that’s where their brilliant work comes in, by ensuring those with disabilities don’t miss out on the good gaming can bring to their lives.”