A team of 20 players from Bell Media Edmonton started gaming in the early hours of November 3 and didn’t stop for 24 hours, raising nearly $6,000 for charity in the process.

Extra Life is a yearly event started in 2008. It raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network, an organization that the Stollery Children’s Hospital is a part of.

Bell Media Edmonton’s team, Pixel Pals, gamed from 5 a.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday (accommodating the Daylight Saving Time switch).

“You start off pretty groggy,” explained Luc Tremblay, Pixel Pals’ team captain. “But before you know it you’re 10 hours in, you have lunch, you’re powered back up, everything’s smooth sailing up until the final two hours… then it’s a real grind.”

Bell Media Edmonton has hosted an event in its building for three years now.

“It’s a charitable cause, and it’s fun for us, so it’s a win-win,” Tremblay said.

This year, the team raised $5,941, surpassing its $5,000 goal.

Pixel Pals Team Captain Luc Tremblay said he was “extremely proud” of his teammates, and “amazed and grateful” for the support from Bell Media management and sponsors Big J Arcade and Nitza’s Pizza.

“Everyone’s really been behind us and what we’re doing, and that feels incredible.”

While Bell Media Edmonton employees were gaming, so were thousands of people across the city and world.

Extra Life Edmonton raised $67,463 of its $75,000 goal, ranking 9th on the Extra Life leaderboard.

According to Extra Life, worldwide Game Day event raised a total of $2,329,166.