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.

The patient network, Long COVID Europe, needed to find a way to reach a younger audience and effectively communicate these complex symptoms to them.

Idea: 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.

Strategy: Gen Z spends about 12 hours/week watching games. This made gaming the preferred medium for Long COVID Europe. But it was a peculiar gamer habit that made Long COVID Mode more relevant for those watching it.

Gamers keep replaying their games on higher difficulties. This phenomenon is called Challenge Running and is one of the most-watched gaming formats globally.

By giving game characters Long COVID symptoms and thus creating a whole new difficulty for gamers to test their skill on, Long COVID Europe seamlessly integrated itself into their content. Their community appreciated this new challenge too.

The games selected were not only popular for challenge running, but also had varying PG Ratings. Long COVID Europe could reach kids aged 8+ with Minecraft, casual gamers with Witcher 3 and mature, hardcore gamers with Elden Ring.

With 350+ million copies sold collectively, these games also commanded giant fanbases on YouTube and Twitch.

Execution: Long COVID Mode was 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 real experiences of patients. It was created by altering in-game stats like health, hunger, memory, and more to mimic real-world symptoms. The mods were developed pro-bono, within 2 months. All 3 mods are free to download on Long COVID Europe’s website.

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

Results: 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 320% 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.