The patient network, Long COVID Europe wanted to communicate the little-known Long COVID symptoms to a younger audience, who cannot be reached via traditional health information channels.

To reach them, Long COVID Europe decided to utilize the platforms that young people spend hours on – Twitch and YouTube.

By bringing Long COVID symptoms into gaming worlds, Long COVID Europe devised a unique way for younger generations to experience them, while watching their favourite gamers take on a whole new challenge.

Long COVID has now affected over 100 million people worldwide. It is a highly debilitating condition with a wide range of symptoms that target multiple organ systems. Unfortunately, knowledge about these symptoms is not as widespread as the condition itself, especially among younger generations.

Being able to recognize these symptoms early can help young people find the right doctors and care. But news about Long COVID rarely finds its way to them.

Long COVID Europe realised that the younger generations spend hours daily watching their favourite gaming streamers. They tune in not only for their wins, but also for their in-game losses and struggles.

Long COVID Europe created Long COVID Mode – real-world symptoms translated into the worlds of gaming. 20 common symptoms were coded into 3 popular games – Elden Ring, Minecraft, The Witcher 3 – to let people experience them through their main characters. Long COVID Mode was shared with influential gamers who broadcasted it to millions of people around the world.

Why did gamers want to play with a character weakened by Long COVID? Because it gave them a never-before-experienced level of difficulty to show their skill on. Gamers have a habit of replaying their games on higher difficulties. This phenomenon is called ‘Challenge Running’ in the gaming community and is one of the most-watched formats globally.

The games that were picked were not only popular for challenge running, but also came with varying PG Ratings. This meant that Long COVID Europe could reach out to kids aged 8 and above with Minecraft, casual gamers with The Witcher 3 and mature, hardcore gamers with Elden Ring.

With over 350 million copies sold between the three, these games also make for a giant global viewer base on YouTube and Twitch.

Long COVID Mode is created using game mods. Mods, short for modifications, are alterations made to existing games by fans who can code.

Long COVID Mode was coded by established modders and is based on the personal experiences of patients. It is created by altering in-game stats like health, hunger, memory, and more. The mods were developed pro-bono and delivered within 2 months.

They were launched on 12th May, International ME/CFS Awareness Day. This date is of significance because nearly half of Long COVID patients are estimated to suffer from ME/CFS (Myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome).

Long COVID Europe partnered with influential gamers to host charity streams on Twitch and YouTube from May-July. Their collective clout attracted the attention of the global media.

Long COVID Mode has also been played organically by many gamers post-launch. All 3 mods can still be downloaded for free on Long COVID Europe’s website.

Long COVID Mode was covered by the press in 46 countries in 11 different languages. While the gamers delivered a reach of 22 million, the 70+ press articles helped it achieve a total reach of 140 million with earned media coverage worth €35 million. On an average, each viewer spent 35 minutes watching gamers play Long COVID Mode. Long COVID Europe saw a 250% increase in donations on their website.

Long COVID Mode also helped existing patients who play games, like @pyfroAUS and @Flazzerty, show their viewers what they really feel like every day.

But most importantly, Long COVID Europe was able to vividly demonstrate the symptoms to a younger audience who otherwise would have never actively sought this information.