Couple who met on video game 10,000 miles apart get engaged at gaming convention and fundraise for visas to be together

A pair of gamers who met online while living more than 10,000 miles apart got engaged at a gaming convention and are now fundraising for visas to “unlock a lifetime of happiness” together.

Jacob Smith, 19, from Swadlincote, Derbyshire, met Kiara Williams, 22, from Tasmania, Australia, in January 2022 after “randomly” joining an Australian server on Roblox, an online gaming platform where users socialise in virtual worlds.

Kiara first noticed Jacob’s bright green avatar and found his voice “really nice”, with Jacob “instantly” feeling like he “loved her”.

The pair began talking every day despite the 11-hour time difference and became official at the end of 2023 after they declared their love during a video call.

Jacob and Kiara met in-person for the first time in Australia in March 2025 and Kiara has been staying with Jacob and his parents, Louise and Tina, in the UK since August 2026.

In October 2026, Jacob surprised Kiara with a proposal at a Warframe – an action game – convention in London, having secretly arranged with organisers to pop the question on stage during a raffle.

The couple are now planning an intimate Australian wedding for February 2027, where they hope to invite the developers of Warframe, and are fundraising £6,000 for visa applications and legal fees so they can live together in the UK or Australia permanently.

Jacob told PA Real Life: “I’m a bit antisocial and I don’t really talk to people because I get a bit nervous – in a random moment I just decided to join the game and be social for once.

“Kiara’s avatar came over, and we both just started laughing and talking together for hours that night.

“She just seemed so happy and it just felt so different, I instantly felt like I loved her.

“Getting the visas would basically unlock a lifetime of happiness for us and make everything so much easier.

“It would take away the time limit and being pulled apart.”

On January 19 2022, Jacob joined “a random” Roblox game at 2am and “somehow connected to an Australian server”.

Roblox is an online gaming platform where users can play, create and socialise in virtual worlds made by other players.

The game he joined is called Mic Up, a virtual “hang out” space where players can walk their avatars around and talk to other users through their headsets.

After hearing Kiara’s voice, he said he “felt really connected to her”.

Kiara added: “That year, everyone’s avatars looked quite similar but Jacob’s was more old school and standing out a lot, with a bright green outfit, so I thought he looked really unique and started talking to him.

“My avatar was a grunge aesthetic, with camouflage pants, and I sort of dress like that in real life.

“I remember thinking Jacob had a really nice voice and as we got more comfortable with each other I was like: ‘Wow, he’s hilarious too!’.

“I liked him so much even though we just met and couldn’t see each other.”

The pair “eventually” went to bed but started talking again the following morning, before starting to speak every day, quickly moving on to video calls.

Kiara said: “Jacob has a baby face and I thought it didn’t match up to his voice at first.”

“I thought ‘Oh my god, she’s so beautiful’,” Jacob added.

Kiara and Jacob said their online friends would often “tease” them, asking when they were “going to start dating”.

Over time, they both began to realise they had “a thing” for each other and made “so many fun memories” gaming together online.

The pair “became official” at the end of 2023, after they confessed their feelings on a video call.

Kiara said: “I was tired and exhausted and doing a little puppet show with my hands, and Jacob was laughing and said ‘You’re so funny, I love you so much’.

“I was like ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe you said it, I love you too’.”

Jacob added: “I knew she was the one because we’d be able to laugh about silly things and then have these deep chats about the universe, it all felt so natural.”

The couple said they managed the long-distance relationship “well”, despite the time difference “messing up” their sleep schedules.

Jacob said: “I think our loved ones were a bit sceptical at first, because of the distance, but when it became more serious and they realised it was a real person on the other side of the screen, they were happy.”

At the end of 2024, Jacob and his two mothers, Louise and Tina, booked flights to Australia to meet Kiara in person.

However, their flights were repeatedly cancelled before they were finally able to make the trip in March 2025.

They had planned to stay for a month, but conflict in the Middle East disrupted their travel plans, forcing Jacob and his family to fly home after just four days.

Kiara said: “I was freaking out but once we saw each other, the nerves went away straightaway.

“I thought I didn’t like showing affection but it felt different with him, we were holding hands and doing all the things I thought cringe couples did.”

During their time together, the pair walked along the beach at night and tried to “make the most” of being in each other’s company.

They were “devastated” when the trip was cut short but Jacob’s parents soon bought Kiara a plane ticket to stay with them for six months.

Kiara said: “It was just so kind of them, and I’ve been here since August last year.

“It’s amazing to just be with each other all the time.”

On October 2, the couple attended TennoVIP, an official in-person community event hosted by Digital Extremes, the developer of action game Warframe, in London.

Unbeknownst to Kiara, Jacob had contacted the organisers beforehand to arrange a proposal.

During a raffle, an organiser called Jacob’s number and invited him and Kiara onto the stage.

Jacob then got down on one knee, surrounded by “other members of the gaming community”.

Kiara added: “I loved it and I think we’re the first couple to get engaged at that specific event!

“Everyone applauded and cheered, it was so loud.”

The couple have begun planning their wedding for February 2027 in Australia and hope to invite Warframe developers, as a nod to their proposal.

Kiara said: “It would be so cool, a massive flex – and it shows how our love started through gaming.

“Our wedding is going to be intimate and on a budget and we’re trying to think of other ways to incorporate gaming into it.”

The couple are now fundraising via GoFundMe to help cover the cost of visas that would allow them to live together permanently, including a 309/100 Australian partner visa for Jacob and a UK family visa for Kiara.

This would allow them both to live in Australia or the UK in the future.

They estimate the applications, including legal fees, will cost at least £6,000.

Kiara said: “It would mean so much knowing we wouldn’t have to be long distance anymore.”

To donate to their fundraiser, visit: gofundme.com/f/long-distance-gamers-to-loveaustralia-to-uk.