How Gaming Builds Community and Changes Lives, with Jarvs Tasker
In this heartfelt episode of "Saved by Gaming," ziggy sits down with Jarvs Tasker, Head of Communications at Happy Volcano, Lead Social Media Manager for Nothing Without Us, Women in Games ambassador, and Certified Accessibility Consultant. Jarvs shares their powerful journey from losing a beloved teaching career to disability, to finding new purpose and community through gaming.Discover how games like Death Stranding and Hades became lifelines, how building an online community transformed isolation into connection, and why accessibility in games matters more than ever. Jarvs also discusses breaking into the games industry as a disabled and neurodiverse person, the importance of advocacy, and practical advice for studios of all sizes.Whether you're a gamer, developer, or advocate, this episode is packed with inspiration, real talk, and actionable insights on making gaming more inclusive for everyone.Timestamps: (00:00) - Welcome & Introduction(00:58) - Meet Jarvs Tasker: Roles & Achievements(02:07) - Gaming Saved My Life: Jarvs' Story(03:47) - Losing a Career to Disability(05:31) - Finding Escape & Community in Gaming(07:45) - Building the PlayStation Access Community(10:30) - Death Stranding: A Game That Heals(13:00) - From Community Manager to Industry Pro(15:00) - Breaking Into Games with a Disability(18:00) - Accessibility Barriers in the Industry(21:00) - Becoming an Accessibility Consultant(24:00) - Accessibility for Indie Studios(27:00) - The Power of Simple Accessibility Features(30:00) - Celebrating Studios Doing Accessibility Right(33:00) - The "Get Good" Debate & Ableism in Games(36:00) - Community Stories: Friendship & Support(40:00) - Games That Helped: Sable, Hades, and More(43:00) - Who Should Share Their Saved by Gaming Story Next?(45:00) - Final Thoughts & FarewellSaved by Gaming PodcastSpotify https://bit.ly/3FITNq4Apple https://bit.ly/45GIA3QYoutube https://bit.ly/3I3Js90Discord https://bit.ly/43ZnCL7Jarvs TaskerBlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/jarvdusa.bsky.socialLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarvstasker ziggychrisTwitch https://www.twitch.tv/ziggychristoffYoutube http://youtube.com/ziggychrisTiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@ziggychrisBlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/ziggychris.bsky.socialMusic creditSong: Convex - 4U (feat. Jex Jordyn) [NCS Release]Music provided by NoCopyrightSoundsFree Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/4UWatch: http://youtu.be/dMnWZ8tAUkU
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Comedy, Community & Charity with Imran Yusuf
In this episode of "Saved by Gaming," host Ziggychris sits down with the multi-talented Imran Yusuf—stand-up comedian, former games industry pro, and passionate charity advocate. Imran shares his journey from childhood gaming obsession to a career in comedy, and how video games became a lifeline during tough times. Discover how Imran now pays it forward as a patron of Games Aid, using laughter and gaming to make a real-world impact.Episode Highlights & Time Stamps:(00:00) Welcome & Guest Intro(00:59) The Power of Gaming Community(02:38) Early Gaming Memories(04:33) Overcoming Challenges: School, Bullying, and Martial Arts(06:29) Breaking into the Games Industry(07:13) From Games to Comedy(10:57) Giving Back: Stand Up for Games Aid(17:59) Real-World Impact of Games Aid(20:11) Balancing Fun and Serious Causes(22:09) Prescribing Games for Tough Times(27:24) Nostalgia & The Future of Gaming Generations(31:08) One Game for Life?(34:31) Who’s Next? Inspiring Stories in Gaming(36:14) Closing Thoughts & Words of WisdomDue to technical issues, this interview was recorded in two parts and some visuals for the video version of the podcast were affected, but we’re happy to have salvaged the audio for you and used placeholders where necessary to ensure the conversation stays intact.🕹️ Games Aid: https://www.gamesaid.org/🎧 Saved By Gaming:Spotify Apple podcastsYoutube Discord 🎙️ ziggychris:TwitchYoutube BlueSky 👤 Imran Yusuf: Official Site TwitterBlueskyWhether you’re a lifelong gamer, a fan of stand-up, or just love a good story of overcoming adversity, this episode is for you. Don’t forget to check the links above for more on Imran, Games Aid, and how you can get involved!Music creditSong: Convex - 4U (feat. Jex Jordyn) [NCS Release]Music provided by NoCopyrightSoundsFree Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/4UWatch: http://youtu.be/dMnWZ8tAUkU
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Saved by Gaming: How Video Games and Community Changed My Life
Welcome to the very first episode of the Saved by Gaming podcast! Join your host, ziggychris, as he shares the deeply personal story behind the show’s name and mission. In this solo episode, Ziggy opens up about how gaming—and the friendships forged within online communities—helped him through some of life’s toughest moments.(00:27) Introduction: Meet ziggychris and the vision for Saved by Gaming(01:53) What is “Saved by Gaming”? The story behind the name(02:56) The power of gaming communities during tough times(06:26) How online friends became real-life support(09:07) The emotional impact of gaming and community(08:55) Looking ahead: What to expect from future episodesFrom late-night World of Warcraft raids to finding solace and support in unexpected places, discover how games can be so much more than a pastime. Whether you’re a lifelong gamer or just curious about the power of play, this episode sets the stage for a series exploring the emotional, social, and transformative impact of gaming.Links:🎧 Saved By Gaming:Spotify AppleYoutube Discord 🎙️ ziggychris:Twitch Youtube BlueSky 👤 Imran Yusuf: Official Site TwitterBlueskyMusic creditSong: Convex - 4U (feat. Jex Jordyn) [NCS Release]Music provided by NoCopyrightSoundsFree Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/4UWatch: http://youtu.be/dMnWZ8tAUkU
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Saved By Gaming Trailer
From comforting RPG's to the life changing power of adaptive controllers, games are breaking barriers.They're helping people cope with anxiety, find community and even recover from trauma. Each episode we speak to developers, content creators and gamers like you and me, to discover how each of us was saved by gaming. So whether you game to unwind, to connect, or overcome - this is the show for you.Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts and let's press start on this conversation.Subscribe on Youtube Find ziggychris live on Twitch Main Channel http://youtube.com/ziggychrisBlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/ziggychris.bsky.socialTiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@ziggychrisMusic creditSong: Convex - 4U (feat. Jex Jordyn) [NCS Release]Music provided by NoCopyrightSoundsFree Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/4UWatch: http://youtu.be/dMnWZ8tAUkU
With the power to bring people together or just help us escape the world, gaming is more than just a game.
From the comforting escape of a fantasy RPG to the life-changing power of adaptive controllers, games are breaking barriers. They’re helping people cope with anxiety, find community, and even recover from trauma.
Each episode we speak to developers, content creators and gamers like you and me, to discover how each of us was saved by gaming.
So whether you game to unwind, to connect, or to overcome—this is the show for you.
Let’s press start on this conversation!
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