Games Done Quick (GDQ) is a twice-a-year video game speedrun charity event held in the United States. It was first started by the Speed Demos Archive and SpeedRunsLive communities. Since 2015, the event has been managed by Games Done Quick, LLC. These events have taken place since 2010 and have raised money for many charities.

The two main events organized by GDQ are Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) and Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ). AGDQ happens in early January each year and supports the Prevent Cancer Foundation. SGDQ usually takes place in late June or early July and helps fund Doctors Without Borders. Both events last for seven days. In addition to these events, GDQ hosts other broadcasts throughout the year, such as smaller charity marathons, special events for unique occasions, and regular GDQ Hotfix programming.

The events are shown live on Twitch and also broadcasted on YouTube starting with AGDQ 2026. Viewers can donate during the streams for rewards, such as choosing the name of a save file or main characters, asking runners to try harder challenges, or entering contests to win prizes. As of January 2026, more than $59.8 million has been raised through over a million individual donations.

Format

Speedrunners show their skills by completing video games as quickly as possible. They perform these runs in front of an audience and on Twitch, a platform for live streaming. Some runs are done in special ways, such as finishing every level of a game, playing without seeing the screen, or competing against other runners to finish first. Games played in events like Games Done Quick include both older and newer titles. During runs, runners or commentators often provide explanations, and announcers read messages from donors.

Popular runs often include using video game glitches and conversations between runners and commentators. These discussions may explain strategies or include jokes and friendly exchanges, especially during parts of the game that do not require much skill. Donors can send messages that include jokes known only to the speedrunning community or personal notes about their contributions. Because the events are broadcast live to many people, runners and commentators are encouraged to avoid using strong language or offensive actions.

When donating, supporters can choose how their money is used. Options include extra speedruns, demonstrations of special tricks or glitches, or in-game choices, such as naming a character.

History

Writer and speedrunner Eric Koziel notes two important events that came before Games Done Quick: the "Desert Bus for Hope" donation drive organized by LoadingReadyRun in November 2007, and a series of charity speedrun marathons hosted by TheSpeedGamers starting in March 2008.

In January 2010, users of the Speed Demos Archive website held a charity marathon during MAGFest 8. The event focused on 8-bit and 16-bit video games and was named "Classic Games Done Quick," inspired by the 1990s speedrunning project Quake Done Quick. Internet problems at the MAGFest hotel forced SDA administrator Mike Uyama to move the event to his mother’s home. Despite this, the marathon raised over $10,000 for CARE.

The first Awesome Games Done Quick marathon took place in January 2011. It lasted five days, included newer games like Halo and Portal, and raised more than $50,000 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. The first Summer Games Done Quick marathon happened in August 2011, raising $20,000 for the Organization for Autism Research. Both events have occurred every year since, raising much larger amounts over time.

In March 2011, a one-time marathon called Japan Relief Done Quick was held to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It raised over $25,000. Another one-time event, God of War Done Quick, took place on March 20, 2015, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the God of War franchise. It raised $3,500 for The AbleGamers Foundation.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Summer 2020 marathon, both 2021 marathons, and the Winter 2022 marathon were held online. In-person attendance returned for SGDQ 2022 with strict rules, including social distancing, masks, and vaccine requirements. Remote runners also participated. The Winter AGDQ 2023 event was planned to be in-person in Orlando, Florida, but was moved online due to controversies involving Florida’s laws on LGBTQ+ rights and vaccine mandates. This decision had financial costs for the organization. Mike Uyama, who had led GDQ for 13 years, announced he would step down in 2023 to focus on his health and help his successor. He later postponed his departure to assist during his successor’s illness.

In its early years, GDQ faced criticism for allowing casual bigotry among runners and commentators, and its Twitch chat was not well monitored. Founder Mike Uyama later admitted he had limited knowledge about LGBTQ+ issues and proper representation until 2012 or 2013. From 2016 to 2018, GDQ worked to address these problems. The organization adopted a strict rule against harassment and banned some individuals. It also expanded efforts to include underrepresented groups through satellite organizations and programs like Frame Fatales and Hotfix streams.

A cultural tradition at GDQ events involves donors who write messages during speedruns. These messages often end with the phrase "trans rights." Over time, in-person audiences have started shouting "trans rights" in unison during marathons, regardless of the time of day.

Speedrunning records have been set at GDQ marathons for games such as Super Mario Galaxy 2, Superman 64, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3.

List of marathons

This event, first named Classic Games Done Quick (CGDQ), happens every year in early January. It collects money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

It was started in 2011 as a partner event to AGDQ. This marathon usually takes place in late June or early July and raises money for Doctors Without Borders. Since 2015, the event has mostly been held in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.

Games Done Quick Express (GDQx) is a three-day event that happens at TwitchCon every year since 2018. No GDQx events took place in 2020 or 2021 because TwitchCon was canceled those years. There was also no GDQx event at the 2022 TwitchCon.

Frame Fatales is a week-long event that includes only women and non-binary participants. It began in 2019 as a four-day event and started raising money for the Malala Fund in 2020. By 2022, the event was held twice a year: once in February–March as Frost Fatales and once in August as Flame Fatales.

Controversies

As GDQ events have grown more popular, some controversies have happened. Players and commentators have been banned, and stream chat has sometimes been muted. GDQ advises attendees to avoid conversations that cause disagreement or are controversial, as well as to avoid harassing others. Some people have been banned for making inappropriate comments, though some critics say these bans may not always be fair.

In 2017, a commentator named PvtCinnamonBun was banned from future GDQ events after supposedly wearing a "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) hat on stream shortly after Donald Trump became president. This incident happened during GDQ's shift to stricter rules between 2016 and 2018. Before these changes, some runners who wore MAGA hats or acted in sexist ways were allowed to attend events. However, Kotaku reported that PvtCinnamonBun’s ban was later removed because the hat was not actually a MAGA hat. He was banned again for supposedly unplugging a power strip. Another runner, Cyberdemon531, was also banned for owning a MAGA hat.

In 2018, a speedrunner named "BubblesDelFuego" was banned from future GDQ events after sharing edible medicine containing cannabis with a friend. This caused the friend to have a panic attack and be taken to the hospital. Bubbles used the medicine for chronic pain from Hodgkin lymphoma. He told Kotaku he understood the reason for his ban but believed the staff who enforced the rules had incorrect information about tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active chemical in cannabis.

At SGDQ 2019, a speedrunner named "QuinnAce" (formerly "ConnorAce") used a spliced run to claim a world record for the "NoAbility%" category in the game Clustertruck. This made the real record holder unable to be invited. The run was not officially submitted to speedrun.com, and the video was unlisted on YouTube before QuinnAce joined SGDQ. In October 2019, the YouTuber Apollo Legend exposed the run.

At AGDQ 2020, several runners, including "Luzbelheim" (or "Luz"), were scheduled to participate in a relay playthrough of Final Fantasy VIII. However, Luz’s Twitter bio went viral because he said he disliked "feminazism," identified as "deminonbinary," and used the pronouns "luz/luz." Some news outlets criticized GDQ organizers for allowing Luz to take part. Luz was banned, but details about the ban’s length were not provided.

At SGDQ 2022, a speedrunner named "Mekarazium" admitted to faking a run of the game Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Blade Wolf DLC. The DLC was played remotely, unlike most games at the event, and it was a donation incentive. While the main game was played live by Mekarazium, the DLC was pre-recorded. Viewers noticed differences in the run, and Mekarazium admitted to faking it. He was banned from future GDQ events.