Streamer Support, Mental Health Gaming, Final Fantasy for Good, and the UVW: Good in Gaming Vol. 3

Welcome back to Good in Gaming! After a brief hiatus from this series, we're back with more stories about the kindness and goodness available in the gaming community, from streamers supporting their communities to mobile games that improve your mental health. Take a moment away from the constant crises and enjoy having something to smile about.

Pokopia Brings the Cozy Gaming World Together Again by Cat Webling

In an unexpected mirror to the release of 2020's smash hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Nintendo's release of Pokémon Pokopia seems to be exactly what the world needs right now. Full of adorable Pokémon, beautiful landscapes, fun challenges, and a fully customizable world, Pokémon Pokopia is an out-of-the-gate smash hit, even going so far as to drive sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 specifically to play the game!

The joy from this cozy game goes far beyond excellent sales numbers and solid mechanics; the cozy gaming community has absolutely latched onto the story and lore with a fervor that's impressive even for the most fandom-heavy communities. Fan art has exploded for a selection of the game's roster, from your player character, Ditto, to a Snorlax covered in moss and a Pikachu that's lost its ability to produce electricity. The community has absolutely fallen in love with their stories, and the background story of the environmental crises that forced humanity away from the Kanto region, drawing haunting parallels to the current state of our world.

Many players have taken the game as a delightful escape from reality, enjoying the sense of control it gives them in an unstable world. The community online in the r/Pokopia subreddit and on BlueSky, among others, have become incredibly welcoming places, giving out tips and tricks for new players. Builders who are making incredible cities and funny creations in the game are also shining with resounding praise. In a world where so much is dark and dangerous, it's lovely to see a community rallying behind a story of friendship, rebuilding, and social responsibility.

Professional Streamer Rashern Raises Money for the Trevor Project by Priya Sridhar

On February 27, 2025, professional Twitch gamer Rashern ran a 35-hour stream to raise funds for the Trevor Project. He also provided links to the nonprofit’s services in case viewers would need support. Although the initial goal was set at $500, Rashern ended up raising $1000 in donations during his stream. 

The Trevor Project is a nonprofit aimed at providing discreet support to LGBTQ+ children and adults, using trained counselors for suicide prevention and crisis intervention. It is named for a short film called Trevor, about the title character facing severe bullying for his queer identity and fascination with Diana Ross. Since its 1998 creation, the Trevor Project has provided services to more than 100,000 LGBTQ+ individuals. It has a toll-free hotline and the TrevorSpace social media site, while also offering 24/7 text and counseling services. 

Rashern chose to complete a 120-star run of Mario 64 during this stream, which ran for 35 hours, with occasional breaks for food or rest. His followers and viewers donated regularly, motivating Rashern to schedule similar events for 2025 onward. 

More streams followed; Rashern is particularly proud of his July 2025 run of Euro Truck Simulator 2, which ran for 36 hours. In addition to $6k in donations, the streamer's Discord became a safe space for LGBTQ individuals and fans to talk about their experiences. Rashern was happy to fade into the background; his intent was to have people come and learn about each other.

"The explanation for wanting that is because I am a 39-year-old straight man," Rashern says. "I am an ally. I can and do say many, many things about the Trevor Project, urge young people to contact them, but in the end, I don't have the experience to share, the connection of needing the Trevor Project myself.... I have no idea how to properly say that . . . Everyone who came in the second day did. They could speak on a level that I couldn't."

The Mobile Phone Game That Rewards Good Mental Health Practices by Matthew Lawrence

Finch is a self-care phone game that combines the classic elements of Tamagotchis with mindfulness practices and habit tracking to help improve the user’s mental health. When I was introduced to this app, I was skeptical of the idea of gamifying mental health, particularly since the app operates on a freemium model where certain aspects are locked behind a paywall. After using the app for quite some time, I was actually pleasantly surprised at how well the development team manages these aspects and would highly recommend giving this app a try.

The point of the app is to encourage the player to complete good mental health habits and to provide a tangible reward for those practices. As the player completes goals, their Finch will grow, gain energy, and collect rainbow stones. Growing a Finch gives them additional customization options, while gaining energy allows them to go on adventures. These adventures will lead to the player’s Finch discovering new things in the world around them, helping to develop its personality.

Rainbow stones act as the in-game currency and allow the player to purchase new clothes for their Finch, buy furniture for their nest, purchase dye for their feathers, or buy plane tickets to send them to different parts of the world. Rainbow stones are generously rewarded for completing goals and daily challenges, which I find a lot more fulfilling than grindy. Cosmetics, furniture, and plane tickets rotate daily, so there is always something for players to spend their rainbow stones on. 

The paid subscription ($10 a month or $50 a year) grants access to more cosmetic and furniture options in the shops. The premium version of the app, called Finch Plus, doubles the daily stock in the shops from six options to twelve and unlocks access to the premium rewards in Finch’s seasonal unlocks. That being said, these items are all still able to be unlocked in the free version; they are just randomized rather than providing a specific cosmetic or piece of furniture. 

In all, I found Finch to be a fun way to track my habits and promote good mental health practices. The app is completely ad-free, and the way that the premium aspects are handled feels respectful to the user by not restricting access to helpful mental health tools behind a paywall. I believe that the development team behind Finch has done a fantastic job of providing a wonderful resource while not commodifying the promotion of good mental health.

The Final Fantasy V Four Job Fiesta Approaches by Nathan Kelly

This year marked the first time that I had played Final Fantasy V. For the majority of that play-through, I hated every second of it. Only towards the end did the incredible job system click into place, and I admitted a fondness for the black sheep of the series. In Final Fantasy V, you are given a veritable toolbox made up of jobs and items. Throughout your play-through, you have free rein to combine these tools in whatever way you desire. This winning game design has cemented Final Fantasy V as the favored spot of JRPG veterans looking to play in its sandbox, with no other game (except perhaps Bravely Default) coming close to its throne. Even as I make my way through Final Fantasy VI, I'm plotting my return to Final Fantasy V and how I intend to give it the time and respect that it demands. As I looked towards my next play-through, a name kept coming up: the Final Fantasy V Four Job Fiesta.

For fans of Final Fantasy V, this is not a new development. I am very behind the times. The Four Job Fiesta is first and foremost a challenge designed to spice up a session of Final Fantasy V by systematically randomizing the jobs (and in some cases items) that you are allowed to use. This was just a simple self-imposed challenge in the game, at least until Eric Koziol (aka RevenantKioku) organized this challenge into an annual festival (a fiesta, if you will) that continues to raise thousands of dollars for charities every year. All you need to join in on the fun is a copy of Final Fantasy V and a Google account.

How Does It Work?

As the event approaches and the time screen expires on the Four Job Fiesta Website, you just need to sign in to your Google account on the website, choose your flavor of randomization, and register for the event. When the event starts, your pal Gilgamesh will assign your classes, and when you beat Neo Exdeath (because of course you will, I believe in you), upload a photo or screenshot of you beating the game and become memorialized in the halls of www.fourjobfiesta.com as long as you finish by the end of summer.

Now you will notice that nowhere in there did any money get sent to any charity; That part is up to you. Will you count your deaths and donate $1.00 per total party death? Will you donate half now and promise to double it if you beat the final boss? The player is the primary target of this charity, and the challenge draws the crowd who are incentivised to donate. But don’t abstain from the fiesta because of the cost. You are encouraged to play even if you don’t donate anything, and some even find success in streaming their game so that others may donate to the cause as they watch. The general audience can also donate to raise the amount of Berserkers that are added to the random pool of jobs. This means that if you get a Berserker, your suffering is likely going to a good cause. Currently, that cause is the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, though the charity could change by the time of the event.

This year's Fiesta is a ways off, with pre-registration starting on June 1st. I bring this up now because it’s the perfect time to dust off those copies of Final Fantasy V, whether for the original PlayStation or Steam Deck, and familiarize yourself with the game a bit before the event. I also believe that this is a great opportunity to jump into Final Fantasy V for the first time. You are sure to come back wanting more by the end. Just remember to keep a wiki page open for those tough spots.

Is Final Fantasy V not your game? You can join the Four Job Fiesta Discord to see their other monthly events that also go to a good cause. On the 16th of each month, they choose a new game that typically contains a job/class system to play for the same cause as the Final Fantasy V event. Currently, they are playing Dragon Quest 3 (Three Type Teaparty) and Bravely Default 2 (2 Bravely 2 Default). Hope to see you on the roster come June!

At Game Developers Conference, Game-Workers Keep Unionization Hopes Alive by Leah Isobel

At last year’s GDC, the Communications Workers of America announced the formation of the United Videogame Workers-CWA Local 9433. The UVW is a direct-join organization that, according to organizers, is meant to provide a channel into activism and organizing for workers in a fragmented industry. In the intervening time between then and now, the industry has only continued to fragment; overall, layoffs are down, but stories like Rockstar UK’s alleged union-busting and the buyout of EA by the Saudi Arabian government (with help from Jared Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners) have created confusion, fear, and anger among industry workers.

At this year’s GDC, both Anna C. Webster, an organizer with the UVW, and Aurelia Augusta, the UVW’s president, acknowledged the challenges facing the organization and the negative climate within the industry. But they also discussed the initiatives the UVW is working on, like securing access to health insurance for freelancers, assisting with in-progress unionization campaigns, and their upcoming Game Workers’ Conference in May. They pointed to the recent news that the indie studio Heart Machine had unionized as evidence of the drive towards better conditions for industry workers, and Augusta said that the UVW’s membership had grown significantly in its first year. “There is a strong understanding that this is a movement that needs to exist, and exists to help us all, as game workers, get what we deserve,” Augusta said.

After the UVW hosted a panel discussion at the conference, the group led a march to the nearby Yerba Buena Gardens park, shouting slogans and earning cheers from passersby. Organizers hosted an impromptu rally at the park’s bandshell, which then evolved into a town hall as the organization shared the first draft of its proposed Game Workers’ Bill of Rights. Developers offered their feedback and support, helping to shape what the future of game labor will look like.

To learn more, read the full story at 48 Hills, and follow the UVW on Bluesky and Instagram.