Speedrunners come together to raise $2.5 million for charity at Awesome Games Done Quick 2024

For the first time in four years, the annual Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) event included an in-person gathering as part of the festivities. Thousands of gamers got together to speedrun their favorite titles. As per usual, AGDQ contained a charity component. At the end of the weeklong festival, the speedrunning community reached a fundraising total of $2.5 million, which will go to support the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

The first in-person AGDQ in four years was also the first edition of the event hosted outside of the East Coast. The speedrunning community descended on the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh hotel from January 14-21 to beat video games as quickly as possible. In addition to typical speedrunning categories like Super Mario Bros Any%, AGDQ 2024 also included some unique playthroughs. Four confirmed world records were set on stream, a runner played through Super Mario 64 while using a drum set as his controller, and a dog named Peanut Butter made a record attempt of his own.

At AGDQ, viewers can control various aspects of runs by contributing to the overall charity pool. A video posted to X captured the moment at which this year’s AGDQ fundraising sum surpassed $1 million.

By ending the week with $2.5 million raised, AGDQ gave the Prevent Cancer Foundation a boost. Seven-digit fundraising totals have become common results at events put on by Games Done Quick (GDQ). The speedrunning org surpassed $40 million in lifetime donations and it is now approaching its next round-number benchmark. To date, GDQ contributors have chipped in $48.9 million for various charitable causes since 2010.

GDQ will likely surpass the $50 million mark before the other end of the year. In addition to its flagship event (which is typically held in January), the gaming marathon also raises millions at its Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ) events. The dates for SGDQ 2024 haven’t been announced yet, but GDQ has put its next event on the calendar. The all-female speedrunning exhibition Frost Fatales will begin on March 3. Earnings from that get-together will go to the National Women’s Law Center.

If you missed AGDQ 2024, you can check out VODs from the event on the Games Done Quick social channels. Paste has compiled a list of ten thrilling runs that took Pittsburgh by storm this January.