NHS healthcare workers are doing the toughest job in the world right now --- prevent the Covid-19 virus from spreading and nurse back the infected back to health. With one of the highest number of cases and deaths in the world, they are holding the fort well whilst facing a shortage of PPEs and preventing the health care system from collapsing. The appreciation shown by the British people to the NHS is very much in show in giving them priority in groceries, discounts at shops, and of course the weekly clapping by a grateful nation.

Now, they when they want to blow off some steam after work but can't go to the pub given the social distancing and lockdown measures in place, they can get free video games courtesy of the UK gaming industry. The initiative is called “Games for Carers” and it is the brainchild of games journalist Chris Scullion and supported by Keymailer and Ukie (UK interactive entertainment) which is the trade association for the UK games industry.

The gaming companies involved have contributed over 85,000 games to download covering various types of gaming devices from consoles, to mobile devices, to desktop computers. Dr. Jo Twist, CEO of Ukie said, “The UK games industry has been proud to play its part in conveying these vital public health messages during this national emergency. Now our community has united again to say thank you to the truly extraordinary people who make up the NHS frontline team.

Games companies of all sizes and players everywhere recognise their exceptional dedication and hope this initiative goes some way to help them to understand how respected and valued they are.”

The UK government welcomes the initiative with Digital and Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage saying, "We have worked closely with games companies to help keep people safe and I am delighted the sector is continuing to support the NHS in such an innovative way."

To avail of the free game, all the NHS healthcare worker has to do is go to the “Gamers for Carers” website, enter the name and NHS email address. Upon confirmation of their details, they are then emailed with instructions on how to download a game.

As to the participating companies here is the full list:

101XP, 1939 Games, 4MB Interactive, Absolutely Games, Activision, Apache, ASA Studio, Auroch Digital, Bare Knuckle Development, Beast Inc, Bedtime Digital Games, Bethesda, Born Ready Games, Bossa Studios, Brainbox, Bungie, CCP, Coatsink, Codemasters, Curve Digital, Deep Silver, Devolver Digital, Double Fine Productions, Dovetail Games, Electronic Arts, Evil Twin Artworks, Excalibur, FitXR, Flying Interactive, Greenlight Games, Hi-Rez, Huey Games, Indie Champions, Introversion Software, Irregular Corp, Jagex Games Studios, Japster’s Cavern, Junkfish Limited, Koch Media, Konami, Kupo Games, Marvelous Europe, Maximum Games, Media Molecule, Milestone, Mode 7, Modus Games, nDreams, NerdyBGird Studios, Niffler, , Numskull Games, Outright Games, Payload Studios, Phantom Compass, Placeholder Gameworks, Playsport, PQube, QCF Design, Quack Quack Games, Quantum Soup Studios, Raiser Games, Rare, Renegade Sector Games, Reverie World Studios Inc, Revolution Software, Ripstone, Roll7, Salix Games, SEGA, SFB Games, Spilt Milk Studios, Sports Interactive, State of PlayTeam 17, Team Cats & Bears, The Game Creators, The Pixel Mine, The Yogcast, THQ Nordic, tinyBuild Games, ToastieLabs, Wired Productions, Wizards of the Coast LLC, Wreck Tanghle Games, Xbox Game Studios and ZA/UM.