Video game conventions are usually all about playing games, spending time with friends, and getting to hear directly from creators. QuakeCon 2014, which will be held next weekend, will have all of that, but also something quite different. Bethesda announced today that it has partnered with the American Red Cross to hold an official blood drive at the show.

The blood drive is a promotional effort to hype the release of this October’s horror game The Evil Within–a game where blood is often lost. The blood drive itself is called The Good Within Blood Drive. If you decide to give blood at the event, you will receive an official The Evil Within “chill pack” to mark your donation.

The blood drive itself will take place at the QuakeCon 2014 event site–the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas–on Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19. The show itself runs from Thursday, July 17 through Sunday, July 20. Attendees who want to give blood can sign up to do so on-site. Of course, you’ll need to be at least 17 years old and meet the American Red Cross requirements for donating blood, which you can read at the organization’s website.

“QuakeCon has a great group of attendees who we think will want to help the community by donating blood,” Bethesda marketing executive Pete Hines said in a statement. “The American Red Cross is a terrific organization, and we’re thrilled to welcome them to QuakeCon.”

For its part, American Red Cross communications manager Jan Hale said the organization is happy that Bethesda approached the health group for the special, if not unexpected, promotion.

“The Red Cross is grateful for Bethesda Softworks’ invitation to host a blood drive during such a critical time,” Hale said. “The summer months are a particularly difficult period for blood collections and being a part of this event gives us more opportunities to help save lives.”

QuakeCon 2014 is free and open to the public. You can register to attend at the event’s website right now.

In addition to the Evil Within-inspired blood drive, QuakeCon 2014 is expected to bring news about the upcoming Doom game currently in development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. GameSpot will bring you all the news from the show as it happens.

The Evil Within launches October 21 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. Developed by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami and his studio Tango Gameworks, the title is described as a “back to basics” horror game.

Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @EddieMakuch
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