Virtual Donors

Today on 13 August, International Day of Organ Donation, Belgium has turned one of gaming’s most common moments, losing a life, into a reminder that in the real world, you can give eight more.

The country’s new Virtual Donors campaign integrates organ donation directly into popular multiplayer games. In Minecraft, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Fortnite, players who register as real-world organ donors unlock a unique mod: when their character is eliminated, they gift eight extra lives to their teammates, reflecting the fact that one organ donor can save up to eight lives.

“Gamers lose lives all the time but only in pixels,” says Stephanie Keustermans, founder of non-profit Re-born to be Alive. “We wanted to turn that familiar moment into something that matters beyond the screen.”

A world-first for gaming and health campaigns
​It’s the first time organ donation has been woven into multiplayer gameplay. Players register via virtualdonors.org, then get access to the mod(s) to start saving lives both in-game and in real life.

Belgium already has an opt-out system for organ donation, but explicit registration remains crucial: families can still overrule the decision if it’s not officially recorded. Right now, 1,474 people in Belgium are waiting for a life-saving transplant.

Fortnite
Streamers lead the charge
​Popular Belgian streamers are showcasing the mod live, including Rigor (Pieter Ongena), whose father received a donor organ and lived five more years as a result.

“In games, you get extra lives for free. In life, someone has to give them to you,” says Rigor.

From Belgium to the world
​The Virtual Donors platform invites modders worldwide to create their own donor-themed mods for any game, spreading the message far beyond Belgium.

Sign up and download the Virtual Donor mods at www.virtualdonors.org