SpecialEffect
SpecialEffect business and news from across the web.
Games for Change Announces 2026 Special Award WinnersGames for Change has announced the special award winners for its 2026 awards, recognizing significant contributions to social impact in gaming. Jenn Panattoni will receive the Vanguard Award, thatgamecompany the Industry Leadership Award, and SpecialEffect the Giving Award for their work in advancing social causes through games and technology.- Jingle Jam announces charity partners for 2026 and presents 2025 awardsThe annual charity event Jingle Jam has announced its eight charity partners for December 2026, including returning organizations like War Child UK and WWF, and new partners such as Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. The event also celebrated its 2025 achievements, raising over £3.5 million and presenting awards to key content creators and industry partners like The Spiffing Brit, Facepunch Studios, and Fireshine Games.
- TIGA GAMES INDUSTRY AWARDS 2026 OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS – CELEBRATING THE BEST IN UK GAMESTIGA, the trade association for the UK games industry, has opened nominations for the 2026 TIGA Games Industry Awards. The awards celebrate excellence in creativity, innovation, and business success across UK game developers, publishers, educators, and service providers. The ceremony will take place in London in November 2026, with categories including 'Games Awards' and 'Business of Games Awards', alongside special accolades for Outstanding Individual and Game of the Year.
"More charities than ever are looking at games": Meet Cause+Select, the platform linking the games industry to top charitiesCtrl+Impact founder Wayne Emanuel has launched Cause+Select, a platform designed to connect charities with the video games industry for mutually beneficial partnerships. The platform aims to streamline collaborations, offering charities a way to navigate the gaming space and for developers and publishers to find strategic charitable initiatives. Cause+Select is currently in beta and free for game companies, with charities paying a nominal fee.
XSOLLA BRINGS ACCESSIBILITY, SOCIAL IMPACT, AND ENTERTAINMENT IP LICENSING WITH XSOLLA AGENCY TO LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL 2026Xsolla is participating in the London Games Festival 2026 with initiatives focused on gaming accessibility, social impact, and entertainment IP licensing. The company is involved in a charity campaign with Stevenage FC and SpecialEffect to fund accessible gaming setups, will present at the inaugural Games for Change London Summit, and will highlight its Xsolla Agency services for IP licensing at Games Meets Music The B-Side.
XSOLLA AND STEVENAGE FC LAUNCH CHARITY CAMPAIGN WITH SPECIALEFFECT TO MAKE GAMING ACCESSIBLE FOR ALLXsolla and Stevenage FC have launched a charity campaign with SpecialEffect in the UK to make gaming accessible for all. Xsolla is donating 50 accessible gaming setups and a percentage of jersey sales to SpecialEffect, aiming to support disabled gamers and foster inclusion within the gaming community.
“Gaming gave me my life back”: why accessible video games are transforming disabled players’ livesDr. Mick Donegan, founder of SpecialEffect, discusses how accessible gaming technology is transforming the lives of disabled individuals by fostering social connection and independence. Companies like Xbox and PlayStation are increasingly adopting inclusive design, with SpecialEffect leading efforts in mobile accessibility and eye-tracking games.