Coronavirus: UK government targets gamers with ‘Stay at Home’ message

Games companies have teamed up with the government to insert coronavirus advice into their products

Video game players across the UK will be targeted with adverts reminding them to stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic.

Games including Candy Crush Saga, DiRT and Farm Heroes Saga will feature the “Stay Home, Save Lives” message to remind players of the importance of rigid social distancing.

The Government has teamed up with some of the nation’s leading games companies, including Activision Blizzard, to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Activision Blizzard has also donated more than 230 “digital posters” in London, to advertise public health messages.

According to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, approximately 37 million people in the UK play video games.

Humam Sakhnini, president of King Digital Entertainment, said that allowing the messages to feature on Activision Blizzard is “a small part” in helping to deliver “vital” information to the public.

​The Government is inviting any games company to contact them – at enquiriesculture.gov.uk – if they want to use in-game messaging in their products to help educate people about the pandemic.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “It is absolutely vital that we all follow the simple Government advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives. I’m delighted to see the UK’s brilliant video games industry stepping up to strongly reinforce this message to gamers across the UK.”

Additional reporting by Press Association