# Monotonous Gamer Telethons 'Desert Bus for Hope' Raises Money via Boring Game Marathons By Michael Hines | Published 2010-11-27 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/desert-bus-for-hope References: [asylum](http://www.asylum.com/2010/11/24/desert-bus-for-hope/) & [desertbus.org](http://desertbus.org/) If you think that all gamers are slackers and stoners, then you clearly haven't heard of 'Desert Bus for Hope.' The yearly telethon/gameathon raises money for the [video game industry charity](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/humble-games-showcase-2025) Child's Play. The comedy troupe Loading Ready Run plays Desert Bus as long as the [donations keep coming in](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiltify-personal). Playing a game for days on end may not sound too bad until you realize what Desert Bus is. The object of the game is to [drive a bus to a destination](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mario-kart-worlds)... for eight hours. Check out the pain that is Desert Bus for Hope above and be sure to read below to find out more about this awesome charity. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.9/10 - Popularity: 2% | Activity: 16% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/games) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Gamification for Charity:** Opportunity for game developers to create engaging and rewarding gaming experiences for charitable fundraising. - **Live Streaming for Fundraising:** Potential for live streaming platforms to facilitate real-time fundraising events for charities and non-profit organizations. - **Long-duration Gaming Challenges:** Demand for longer gameplay experiences that provide a unique challenge and attract donations for charitable causes. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Gaming Industry:** Innovation opportunities lie in developing games that leverage the power of gaming communities to support charitable initiatives. - **Streaming Platforms:** Platforms can explore features tailored to facilitate real-time fundraising events for charities and increase user engagement. - **Charitable Organizations:** Charitable organizations can embrace gamification and live streaming to attract donations in new and engaging ways. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Gamer-Targeted Donor Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-donors.md) - [Gamified Charity Events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/park-beyond.md) - [Bloody Promotional Game Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blood-for-a-pc.md) - [Charitable Farming Game Bundles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/down-on-the-farm.md) - [Do-Good Metaverse Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/comic-relief-us-and-nickelodeon.md) - [Charitable Esports Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/esports-for-good.md) - [Humanitarian Game Bundles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stand-with-ukraine.md) - [Pay-What-You-Want Gaming Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paywhatyouwant-gaming-platform.md) - [First-Person Television-Inspired Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/not-for-broadcast.md)