Phasmophobia's Ghost Hunts for Hearts raises over $230,000 for charity
Over 500 streamers joined Kinetic Games' week-long drive for the American Heart Association, doubling 2025. Log in by November 15 for the animated badge.
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Phasmophobia streamers and players raised more than $230,000 for the American Heart Association during this year's Ghost Hunts for Hearts. Kinetic Games announced the final total on November 6, saying it is double the community's 2025 result.
The drive ran for a week around Halloween, from October 26 to November 2, and more than 500 streamers signed up. Kinetic and the charity's streaming arm, Heart Liive, say that is the biggest turnout Heart Liive has ever had for a creator fundraiser.
What's confirmed
The total. Kinetic Games' press release puts the 2026 figure at more than $230,000, up from more than $100,000 in 2025. Eurogamer converts that to around £173,000.
The goal and the reward. Kinetic set a community target of $200,000 at the start of the event. Passing it unlocked an animated version of the event's Advocate ID Card and Badge for every Phasmophobia player, not just those who watched a stream. In a social post quoted by Eurogamer and PC Gamer, the studio told players to log in before November 15 to claim it.
How it worked. Streamers who fundraised could hand their viewers the event-exclusive Advocate ID Card and Badge as a Twitch Drop during any Phasmophobia stream that week. The items are cosmetic and do not affect a hunt.
Who said what. Tom Dent, lead social media and player experience manager at Kinetic, said the community "never fails to amaze us". Hayli Baez, senior national lead for Heart Liive, thanked Kinetic and every creator, viewer and player who took part.
Background
Phasmophobia came out in Early Access in September 2020 and blew up on Twitch almost immediately. Its pitch is simple: up to four players walk into a haunted house with ghost-hunting gear, gather evidence, and try to name the ghost before it kills someone. It is on PC, PS5, PS VR2 and Xbox Series X|S, with a Switch 2 version announced but not dated.
This is the second Ghost Hunts for Hearts. The 2026 year has otherwise been bumpy for Kinetic. Eurogamer notes the studio apologised after its Player Character Update "missed the mark", and the 1.0 release has slipped into 2027. PC Gamer reports Kinetic also previewed a move to Unity 6, a map rework and new in-game warnings ahead of that launch. Kinetic has started a publishing label too, Kinetic Publishing, whose first game, Contact Protocol, is due in spring 2027.
My take: the best kind of Twitch Drop
Most Twitch Drops are marketing. You leave a stream muted in another tab for two hours so a cosmetic lands in your account. This one I actually like, because the drop pointed back at the fundraiser and the shared unlock gave everyone a reason to care whether the target was hit.
It also fits the game. Phasmophobia has always been a streamer's game first. The fun is half the screaming and half the chat yelling "it's a Banshee". Charity streams for horror games are not new. Games Done Quick has raised millions with speedruns for years. But it is rarer to see a single studio build the incentive into its own game and get 500-plus creators to sign up in a week.
Doubling the total while the studio is getting grief over updates says a lot about how loyal this community is. I'd love to see Kinetic keep the event yearly and publish the exact final number once donations settle, so the next drive has a clear bar to beat.
What we don't know yet
- The exact final figure. Kinetic has only said "more than $230,000".
- Next year. Kinetic has not confirmed a third Ghost Hunts for Hearts.
- What the money funds. The release does not say which American Heart Association programmes the donations go to.
Quick facts
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Event | Ghost Hunts for Hearts 2026 |
| Dates | October 26 to November 2, 2026 |
| Raised | More than $230,000 (about £173,000) |
| 2025 total | More than $100,000 |
| Target | $200,000 |
| Streamers | 500+, a Heart Liive record |
| Reward | Animated Advocate ID Card and Badge for all players |
| Claim by | November 15, 2026 |
FAQ
How much did Phasmophobia raise for charity?
More than $230,000 for the American Heart Association, according to Kinetic Games. That is double the $100,000-plus raised in 2025.
How do I get the animated Advocate badge in Phasmophobia?
Log in to Phasmophobia before November 15, 2026. Kinetic says the animated Advocate ID Card and Badge set is available to all players because the $200,000 target was passed.
When did Ghost Hunts for Hearts run?
From October 26 to November 2, 2026. Streamers who fundraised could give viewers the Advocate ID Card and Badge as a Twitch Drop during that week.
When is Phasmophobia 1.0 coming out?
Kinetic Games has said the 1.0 release is now planned for 2027. It has not given an exact date, and the game is still in Early Access.
More: Dead by Daylight takes back DLC it gifted to streamer TheBurntPeanut.
Sources: Kinetic Games (press release via Games Press); Eurogamer; PC Gamer. Image: Kinetic Games official key art.
