Fortnite makers and Red Cross create game to save lives instead of killing

The game was developed to highlight four core activities the ICRC is carrying out in its operations in more than 80 countries.

Players compete to heal civilians, rebuild essential infrastructure, remove mines and distribute aid as fast as possible.

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Power was streaming the Liferun game when it launched. He has more than 700,000 followers on streaming service Twitch and 12.3 million subscribers on YouTube.

"Before working with the ICRC, I wasn't entirely familiar with this committee of the Red Cross, so playing the game and working with the organisation has definitely given me a greater awareness about their work and I hope that it will raise awareness of the ICRC in a similar way for other people who play the game mode or are watching the event on the weekend," he said.

A survey of more than 16,000 Millennials from 16 countries, conducted by the ICRC last year, revealed a concerning lack of respect for the basic human values enshrined in international law.

Torture was deemed acceptable under some circumstances by 37 per cent of respondents - even after the UN convention banning torture was explained to them - and 15 per cent believed that commanders should do whatever it took to win, regardless of the civilian casualties caused.

Leonard Blazeby, Australia's head of mission for the ICRC, sees the game as a way to talk to young people who might become soldiers or join armed forces.

"The idea was to be able to reach out to gamers in this innovative way to have them know who we are and what we do," he said.

"Our role is to try and protect and assist people who are affected by the conflict, who shouldn't necessarily be.

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