Milestone partnership has supported more than 16,000 conversations with people in mental health crisis since 2021
Crisis Text Line and Gears of War Celebrate Five Year Partnership
New York, Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Crisis Text Line, a global nonprofit that provides free, 24/7, confidential mental health support in English and Spanish, has marked Year Five of Never Fight Alone, its ongoing partnership with The Coalition, developer of the Xbox Game Studios’ Gears of War franchise. Since launching in 2021, the campaign has grown into Crisis Text Line’s longest-running partnership within the gaming industry, reflecting a shared, sustained commitment to suicide prevention, connection and mental health awareness.
Marking the milestone, Crisis Text Line is introducing a new custom keyword, GEARS. Individuals seeking support can text GEARS to 741741 to be connected with a live, trained volunteer Crisis Counselor, giving the Gears of War community a simple, direct way into Crisis Text Line’s support network. The announcement comes on World Suicide Prevention Day and precedes the October launch of Gears of War: E-Day, with additional details on the partnership’s next chapter to follow.
“This long-standing partnership has shown us how a powerful message from the gaming community can become something much bigger – a reminder of the importance of connection, belonging, and mental health,” said Dena Trujillo, CEO at Crisis Text Line. “Gaming communities are built on showing up for one another. You find your brotherhood, work together, and have each other’s backs. It can remind people that they’re part of a community, that they matter, and that they don’t have to face difficult moments alone.”
Over the past five years, Never Fight Alone has helped facilitate more than 16,000 conversations with people in crisis, underscoring the reach and impact of meeting people where they already are.
“Gears of War has always been an experience best played together with someone who always has your back and throughout our 20 years, that spirit of loyalty, connection and friendship has carried us and our community through some of the darkest of times,” said Nicole Fawcette, Studio Brand Director, The Coalition. “Preventing suicide by creating a community where no one fights alone matters to us and our players, and we are grateful to be able to continue supporting Crisis Text Line in their valuable work for the fifth year.”
This will be Gears of War’s fifth year donating 1% of all net revenue from its games and merchandise to Crisis Text Line. This year’s campaign artwork comes from longtime Gears of War: E-Day collaborator Luke Preece, an illustrator best known for his work with metal acts including Metallica, Sleep Token and Ozzy Osbourne, as well as science-fiction franchises such as Aliens. Preece’s designs appear on a 2026 T-shirt and hoodie available through the Xbox Game Studios Shop, as well as new in-game items arriving at launch.
Fans who want to share in their support of the Never Fight Alone campaign can do so in a few ways:
- We encourage you to take a moment today to reach out to friends and family. A simple text, DM, in-game chat or phone call can mean the world, showing someone that they are seen, valued, and not alone.
- If you need support, text GEARS to 741741 to reach a live Crisis Text Line volunteer Crisis Counselor (free, confidential, 24/7). You can also save this number in your phone so you have it as a contact whenever you might need it.
Crisis Text Line’s research on boys’ and men’s mental health highlights both the urgent need for connection and the important role communities can play in supporting well-being. Men die by suicide at nearly four times the rate of women, while isolation and loneliness become more prevalent as men age – even as reliance on friends and social connection as coping strategies tends to decline. At the same time, Crisis Text Line’s data insights show that conversations mentioning video games and gaming as a coping strategy have steadily increased over time. Partnerships like Never Fight Alone put Crisis Text Line’s support directly inside a community already built around teamwork and connection.
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About Crisis Text Line
Crisis Text Line is a global mental health organization dedicated to supporting people in their most difficult moments. The nonprofit focuses on both crisis intervention and prevention, providing free, 24/7, confidential support in English and Spanish through a text-based platform that meets people where they are. We pair human connection with scalable technology, research, and partnerships to strengthen mental health systems and drive lasting change. Since its launch in 2013, Crisis Text Line has supported over 12 million conversations in the United States and more than 17 million globally together with our affiliates in Canada, the UK and Ireland. Crisis Text Line’s 125,000 trained volunteer Crisis Counselors bring texters from a hot moment to a cool calm by empowering each texter to use their own strengths and coping strategies. In 2025, Crisis Text Line expanded its global reach by joining forces with Aquí Estoy, a nonprofit organization serving people in need across 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, Spain, and the Caribbean.To be connected to a live, trained, nonjudgmental volunteer Crisis Counselor, text HELLO to 741741 or 443-SUPPORT in WhatsApp or text HOLA to 741741 or 442-AYUDAME in WhatsApp for Spanish or connect with us via web chat. Visit Crisis Text Line on Linkedin, Instagram and Facebook. Additional information, including how to become a volunteer or how to support Crisis Text Line through donations or partnerships, is available at www.crisistextline.org.
About Gears of War
With more than 40 million copies sold, Gears of War is one of gaming’s richest and most acclaimed sagas, developed by The Coalition, a first-party flagship studio for Xbox Game Studios. Now marking its 20th anniversary, the series has been critically acclaimed for redefining the third-person and co-operative shooter genre and has one of gaming’s most passionate fanbases. The next chapter, Gears of War: E-Day, releases October 6, 2026, taking players back to the brutal origins of the Locust War and the beginning of the brotherhood between Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago. For more information on Never Fight Alone and our donation, please visit gearsofwar.com/en-us/neverfightalone/.
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- Crisis Text Line and Gears of War Celebrate Five Year Partnership
CONTACT: Vanessa Showalter Crisis Text Line 949-748-0542 vshowalter@crisistextline.org
