Advocacy Group Sets Goal to Collect 1 Million Signatures by End of 2020

AnyKey, an advocacy group founded by ESL and Intel that supports diversity, inclusion, and fairness in competitive gaming, today announced the relaunch of the “Good Luck, Have Fun” (GLHF) Pledge to help make gaming more inclusive for everyone. Along with this renewed pledge, AnyKey will activate an exclusive global chat Twitch badge for users to display on their accounts.

“There is increasing awareness around the cultural patterns of toxicity and harassment in gaming that disproportionately impact marginalized players,” said Morgan Romine, Director of Initiatives, AnyKey. “Many individuals wonder what they can do to help. The GLHF Pledge gives people a way to show their support for inclusion and helps to kick start conversations about how anyone can work to create change at the grassroots level.” 

With a goal to collect 1 million signatures by the end of 2020, the GLHF Pledge is aimed at creating a gaming ecosystem that welcomes everyone and includes all, regardless of their shape, size, color, gender, background, disability, or beliefs. By taking the GLHF Pledge, which is available in multiple languages, gamers promise to: 

• Be a good sport whether they win or lose
• Know that people online are real people and their words have real impact 
• Set a positive example with their behavior
• Speak up against discrimination, hate speech, harassment, and abuse
• Show integrity by honoring the rules, their opponents, and their teammates
• Stop, listen, and reassess if they’re told that their words or actions are harmful
• Respect others, even if their sincere opinions are different from their own 

“As a global leader in esports, we take our responsibility seriously to promote gaming communities that are welcoming of all and the GLHF Pledge renewal is an important tool to allow fans, players, and influencers a way to signal their support to eliminate toxicity in all forms,” said Yvette Martinez-Rea, CEO of North America, ESL. “There is so much positive power in the strength and passion of esports communities, and we believe, now, more than ever, is the time for us to stand together to move our industry forward towards a more inclusive future for competitors of all kinds.”

AnyKey will also introduce a new leaderboard function to highlight champions of diversity and inclusion in gaming. Upon signing the pledge, gamers will receive a unique referral code that they can share with others in their community to contribute to their position on the leaderboard. This will feature individuals that are committed to creating positive change and encouraging more people to take the pledge. Gamers, streamers, and professional esports athletes who take the pledge will also have the option to equip a global chat badge to show off on their Twitch accounts. By displaying the badge on Twitch, users will commit to upholding these principles and to being a positive and inclusive citizen in gaming spaces. 

“As a woman active in the esports community, I know that empathy among players will create a more supportive environment for everyone,” said Sue ‘Smix’ Lee, Strategic Account Manager Partnerships, Twitch. “With initiatives like the GLHF Pledge and Twitch badges, gamers are able to more easily build and identify safe spaces. And with the commitment to collect over 1 million signatures, the GLHF Pledge will have a meaningful and effective impact.”

Founded in 2015 through a partnership with ESL, the world’s largest esports company, and Intel, AnyKey leads the movement for greater diversity, inclusion, and fairness in gaming by increasing representation, improving participation, and fostering more positivity for all gamers. AnyKey initially launched the GLHF Pledge in 2017 and had more than 200,000 players show support for inclusion by pledging to be a good sport in competition — win or lose — to opponents and teammates alike. 

Gamers can take the GLHF Pledge at www.anykey.org/pledge. Attendees at ESL One New York will also have an opportunity to sign the pledge onsite during the event. To purchase tickets to ESL One New York, please visit https://www.esl-one.com/csgo/new-york/.