Last year, Microsoft hosted a Special Olympics Xbox Virtual Gaming Event, which saw adults and children with intellectual disabilities competing in Forza Motorsport 7. As a result, ESPN has awarded the company with the Corporate Community Impact Award at the 2021 Sports Humanitarian Awards.

In a tweet from ESPN, it was revealed to be awarded "for their work to bring[ing] Special Olympics athletes virtually together during the COVID-19 pandemic". Xbox also thanked all the participants who made this possible.

In an Xbox Wire post from last year which outlined the event, it was said eleven US states were represented, with over 35 athletes involved. Fans, families and friends were encouraged to jump into the stream in an attempt to "help combat isolation" during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This wasn't the first time Microsoft and the Special Olympics teamed up, as the partnership has been going on for some time. An in-person event was hosted back in 2018, which bought the two companies together for the first-ever Xbox gaming tournament at the Special Olympic Games. It's wonderful to see Xbox doing so much to bolster communities and work at bringing this fantastic event to light even in the darkest of times.

Did you catch the Special Olympics Xbox Virtual Gaming Event last year? Let us know in the comments below.

[source youtube.com]