Gamers and Guardians, an esports charity competition, has been shortlisted for the ThinkLA 2025 Idea Awards in the “Best Cause Marketing Campaign” category. The project aims to create an inclusive online environment that brings Veterans together to foster community and resilience among the military worldwide.
Launched in November 2024 by August Interactive and WePlay Studios, Gamers and Guardians is an esports competition for military Veterans that aims to highlight the power of gaming in building community and fostering resilience among Veterans. The tournament leverages gaming as a tool to build community, promote mental well-being, and foster resilience among Veterans.
During the 4-hour stream on Twitch, military Veterans from all over the world could participate in the competition, playing various titles from popular shooters like Call of Duty: Warzone to family-friendly games like Party Animals and Fall Guys. The event finished with a show match featuring U.S. and Ukrainian veteran esports teams head-to-head in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
“Gamers and Guardians is more than a competition. At August Interactive, we believe in the power of play to connect, to heal, and to empower. Veterans around the world deserve more than gratitude; they deserve a community that understands their journey. This initiative was born out of love, out of loss, and out of the unwavering belief that gaming can build bridges where words sometimes fall short. Seeing Veterans laugh, compete, and stand shoulder to shoulder, even from opposite sides of the globe, reminds us why we do this work. We’re not just building games; we’re building belonging,” says Sarah Kneller, co-founder and chief experience officer at August Interactive.
Gamers and Guardians attracted 185,675 unique viewers and peaked at 9,115 viewers. All donations and subscriptions collected during the Gamers and Guardians stream were transferred to the event's prize pool and The Call of Duty Endowment and Warrior GMR Foundation and Gold Star Gamers for the needs of Veterans and Gold Star Families.
Currently, the second season of the Gamers and Guardians tournament is going on with livestreams every Thursday. Here you can find all the details and information to participate in the upcoming matches.
“Gamers and Guardians” is about hope, community, and healing through fun. Gaming is more than just entertainment. It is a feeling of belonging in times when you feel alone, an understanding of your input in teamwork when you might feel difficulties adapting to a new reality, and the support of the community that one needs when there is no one around. By building bridges through gaming, we want to give military personnel and veterans the attention and gratitude they deserve for their service,” comments Iryna Chuhai, chief marketing officer at WePlay Studios.
Each year, ThinkLA showcases innovative and results-driven campaigns to celebrate exceptional work in the industry. ThinkLA is a media, marketing, and advertising collective with a mission to connect, educate, and inspire the Southern California marketing community.