Games Done Quick (GDQ) is a semiannual video game speedrun charity marathon held in the United States, originally organized by the Speed Demos Archive and SpeedRunsLive communities. Since 2015, it has been handled by Games Done Quick, LLC. Held since 2010, the events have raised money for several charities.
The two flagship events held by Games Done Quick are Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ), held in early January every year, which raises money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation, and Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ), usually held in late June or early July every year, which raises money for Doctors Without Borders. Both events last for seven days. In addition to these events, GDQ hosts several other broadcasts throughout the year, including smaller marathons supporting different charities, one-off events for special occasions, and regular GDQ Hotfix programming throughout the year.
The events are broadcast live on Twitch and is simulacasted on YouTube since AGDQ 2026. Viewers are encouraged to donate for incentives during the stream such as selecting the name of the save-file or main characters, having the runners attempt more difficult challenges, and entering sweepstakes for a chance to win prizes. As of January 2026, over $59.8 million has been raised through over a million individual donations.
Format
Speedrunners take turns demonstrating their prowess at beating various video games in the quickest possible time, done in front of an audience as well as a livestream through Twitch. Sometimes these runs may be executed in an unusual or specific way, such as fully completing every level, completing a game blindfolded, or featuring multiple runners racing against one another to complete a game first. Video games run in Games Done Quick events include both retro and modern titles. The runs typically feature commentary from the runner(s) or experienced commentators, as well as donation messages read by an announcer.
Most of the popular runs feature video game glitches and discussion between the runner and the commentators, most frequently describing techniques or using observational humor and banter. Humor and banter is especially used for non-interactive or repetitive sequences that don't require the runner to use much or any skill. Donations from viewers may feature humorous comments that contain inside jokes among the speedrunning community, as well as more personal acknowledgments concerning donations. Because of the live broadcast and wider audience, runners and commentators are encouraged to refrain from using strong profanity and offensive behavior.
When donating, donors have the option to put their money towards a particular incentive. These incentives can be in the form of bonus speedruns, showcases of additional tricks or glitches, or an in-game decision such as naming the player character.
History
Writer and speedrunner Eric Koziel identifies two important precursors to Games Done Quick: the "Desert Bus for Hope" donation drive organized by LoadingReadyRun in November 2007, and a series of charity speedrun marathons held by TheSpeedGamers starting in March 2008.
Users of the site Speed Demos Archive decided to hold a charity marathon in January 2010, during MAGFest 8. It was themed around 8-bit and 16-bit video games and thus dubbed "Classic Games Done Quick" (after the 1990s speedrunning project Quake Done Quick). Internet connectivity problems at the MAGFest hotel forced SDA administrator Mike Uyama to relocate the event to his mother's residence, but it raised over $10,000 for CARE.
Following that initial success, the first Awesome Games Done Quick marathon was held in January 2011, expanding from two days to five days, incorporating newer games such as Halo and Portal, and raising more than $50,000 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. The first Summer Games Done Quick was held in August 2011, raising $20,000 for the Organization for Autism Research. Since then, both Awesome Games Done Quick and Summer Games Done Quick have recurred annually, soon raising significantly larger amounts than these early marathons.
A one-off additional marathon was held in March 2011 to support victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan; Japan Relief Done Quick raised over $25,000. In addition, a one-off promotional event was held on March 20, 2015, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the God of War franchise. Over the course of five hours, God of War Done Quick ended up raising $3,500 for The AbleGamers Foundation.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Summer 2020 marathon, both 2021 marathons, and the Winter 2022 marathon were held as virtual events. In-person attendance returned for SGDQ 2022 under strict social distancing, masking, and vaccine mandate protocol, with all attendees required to have a full series of COVID-19 vaccine and booster dose, while also continuing to intersperse remote runners alongside those present on-stage. The Winter AGDQ 2023 event was intended to be an in-person event held in Orlando, Florida, but was moved to a virtual event after controversies due to the Florida state government's stances on LGBT rights and COVID-19 (the state strictly prohibits vaccine mandates). Breaking the hotel contract carried significant financial consequences for the organization; GDQ Black In A Flash and events coordinator Vanessa "PleasantlyTwstd" B described it as "a make-or-break deal" that "set back any ambitious expansion because the budget was tight for the next couple of years," while Uyama noted that low attendance driven by Florida's legislation could have caused even greater financial losses had they proceeded, and GDQ director of operations Matt Merkle stated that the organization "was not going to risk attendee lives over money." Ahead of the event, Uyama announced that he would be stepping down from his role in GDQ after 13 years "to take care of my health and kind of focus on different activities". In February 2023, it was announced he had postponed his departure to cover for his successor's illness.
Over the course of its early years, GDQ faced criticism for permitting casual bigotry among runners and commentators, and its Twitch chat was largely unmoderated. Founder Mike Uyama later acknowledged his own limited awareness during this period, stating: "I didn't really have any knowledge of LGBTQ+ and queer spaces and proper representation... I remember it wasn't really until 2012 or 2013 that I even learned properly what a transgender person was." From 2016 through 2018, GDQ made a more concerted effort to address these issues. GDQ eventually adopted what director of operations Matt Merkle described as a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment, noting: "We decided quite a few years ago that we were going to have a zero-tolerance policy for various types of harassment... We had to ban a few people." GDQ also expanded its outreach to underrepresented groups through satellite organizations and dedicated programming such as Frame Fatales and its regular Hotfix streams.
Over time, a cultural tradition has emerged at GDQ events: donors, whose messages are read aloud during speedruns, began regularly signing off with the phrase "trans rights." This practice became so established that in-person audiences have come to respond by shouting "trans rights" back in unison, regardless of the time of day during the marathon.
Speedrunning records have been set at various GDQ marathons in games including Super Mario Galaxy 2, Superman 64 and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3.
List of marathons Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) Originally called Classic Games Done Quick (CGDQ), this annual marathon is held every year in early January. It raises money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Dates Venue Amount raised Notes (planned) Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia, during MAGFest 8(actual) private residence $10,532 Charity fundraised for was CARE. National 4-H Youth Conference Center, Chevy Chase, Maryland $52,520 First event to be called Awesome Games Done Quick. Raised money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. $149,045 $448,425 Crowne Plaza Dulles, Herndon, Virginia $1,031,666 First GDQ event to raise over $1 million Hilton Washington Dulles, Herndon, Virginia $1,576,085 $1,216,309 $2,222,791 First GDQ event to raise over $2 million, as well as the first GDQ event to raise over $1 million in a single day $2,295,191 Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, Rockville, Maryland $2,425,791 DoubleTree Hilton, Orlando, Florida $3,164,002 Second GDQ event to raise over $3 million No in-person venue $2,739,612 Conducted as a virtual event with no central venue due to the COVID-19 pandemic $3,442,033 Conducted as a virtual event due to COVID-19. Current donation record set at a GDQ event. $2,672,553 Conducted as a virtual event due to COVID-19 and the cancellation of its venue contract. Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania $2,539,832 $2,583,405 $2,445,186 Hilton Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ) Introduced in 2011 as a companion to AGDQ, this marathon is usually held in late June or early July and raises money for Doctors Without Borders. Since 2015, the event has typically been held in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region. Dates Venue Amount raised Notes A participant's residence in West Bountiful, Utah $21,397Charity fundraised for was the Organization for Autism Research. $46,279Charity fundraised for was the Organization for Autism Research. Sheraton Denver Tech Center, Greenwood Village, Colorado $257,181 Raised money for Doctors Without Borders (as have subsequent SGDQs). Crowne Plaza Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado $718,235 $82,985 of the funds were raised through the SGDQ 2014 Bundle. Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront, Saint Paul, Minnesota $1,215,601 Hilton Minneapolis Downtown, Minneapolis, Minnesota $1,294,140 First SGDQ to raise more than the AGDQ of the same year Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota $1,792,342 DoubleTree Hilton, Bloomington, Minnesota $2,168,914 $3,039,596 First GDQ event to raise over $3 million, and first time an all-time GDQ donation record was set at SGDQ No in-person venue $2,345,786 Delayed from the original date, and conducted as a virtual event due to COVID-19 $2,938,715 Conducted as a virtual event due to COVID-19 DoubleTree Hilton, Bloomington, Minnesota $3,053,827 First in-person GDQ event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic Hilton Minneapolis Downtown, Minneapolis, Minnesota $2,268,302$2,576,741 $2,464,026 $2,409,821
Special marathons Games Done Quick Express (GDQx) is an annual three-day marathon held at TwitchCon since 2018. There was no Games Done Quick Express event held in 2020 or 2021 due to the cancellation of TwitchCon those years, nor was there a Games Done Quick Express event held during the 2022 TwitchCon.
Frame Fatales is a week-long marathon featuring only women and non-binary runners. It started in 2019 as a four-day event and started fundraising for the Malala Fund in 2020. As of 2022, the event has been held twice a year in February–March and August–September as Frost Fatales and Flame Fatales, respectively.