A BLIND gamer who went viral for playing video games using sound alone is hosting a fundraiser livestream for Cornwall’s sight loss charity.

Truro-based Dominic Hall, known as Dom, has racked up more than 2.5 million views on a TikTok video which showcases how he plays popular fighting game Mortal Kombat by using audio cues.

As part of his mission to emphasise the importance of accessibility in games, Dom’s fundraising livestream will take place tomorrow [Friday, February 13] from 5pm until 7pm on Twitch, a platform designed for gamers to interact with fellow enthusiasts.

At the age of three, Dom was diagnosed with a brain tumour in the central nerve cluster at the front of his brain. It destroyed the optic nerve in his right eye and damaged the left eye, leaving him with only 10 per cent vision.

He learned to play video games by experimenting with game genres, adapting set-ups, sitting close to televisions and having magnifiers attached to handheld consoles.

In 2022, Dom lost the remaining sight in his left eye, leaving him with no usable vision. But he continued with his video game hobby, sharing his experience and tips to showcase that people with sight loss can still do they things they love.

Dom has also worked for iSightCornwall, Cornwall’s sight loss charity, for 16 years as an assistive technology adviser, using his expertise and lived experience to showcase technology which can make life easier for people with sight loss - from making the text on a mobile phone bigger, right up to glasses that can read text and describe someone’s surroundings.

“I’ve been involved with iSightCornwall for many years, first as a volunteer and then as a member of staff,” said Dom. “It fills me with pride every time someone leaves an appointment able to do something they thought impossible after losing their sight.

“It’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about continuing to play video games and showcasing how I do it - firstly, to inspire other blind or partially-sighted people to give it a go, but also to highlight to video game developers and fans how important accessibility features are.”

The livestream will have new and improved features thanks to the Babcock International Group, who chose iSightCornwall as their charity partner for the Association for Project Management (APM)’s Challenge Award - an annual competition where teams have the opportunity to conceptualise, plan and deliver a project from start to finish. The Babcock team has helped to make the stream look more professional and boost audience members and engagement.

iSightCornwall celebrates its 170th anniversary this year, making it Cornwall’s oldest charity. It provides help and support to thousands of blind and partially-sighted people in the county through a wide variety of services including aids such as magnifiers or technology, social opportunities to combat isolation, help with staying in work or education, and emotional support.

“iSightCornwall is almost entirely funded by community and individual donations so we’re always looking for new ways to fundraise and engage with new people,” said chief executive Carole Theobald. “Streaming and fundraising online as part of a Gaming for Good campaign is a fresh and exciting way of spreading awareness of what we do and of raising vital funds.”

Every penny of the money raised during the livestream will be spent helping someone with sight loss in Cornwall. To join, visit www.twitch.tv/isightcornwall_dom.