Highest-ever grand total for a single GDQ event
In a wonderful piece of news to kick off the week, it has been announced that this year’s Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) speedrunning event has smashed all previous GDQ records, raising an eye-popping $3.4 million USD over the course of seven short days.
Over the course of the past seven days, some of the slickest video game players in the world gathered online to ply their skills against a huge roster of games, ranging from classics such as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Half-Life 2, Crash Team Racing, and various titles in the Castlevania series, to newer releases including Returnal, Deathloop, Death’s Door, Lost Judgment, and Destructoid’s own GOTY, Chicory: A Colorful Tale.
When the curtain fell late on Saturday, January 15, AGDQ viewers and supporters had raised somewhere in the region of an almighty $3,416,729,85. All of these proceeds will be donated directly to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, an international organization that works tirelessly to research life-saving developments in the curing of cancer. In addition to the record-breaking grand total, both the $1 million and $2 million milestones were smashed in a shorter space of time than any previous event.
For many, the highlight of this year’s event will be a mindboggling run that saw runner Mitchriz complete FromSoftware’s challenging adventure Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice blindfold, guided through the game by only its audio. Mitchriz made short work of the adventure’s many enemies and even walked away from a few boss battles without a scratch. It has to be seen to be believed. In fact, all of AGDQ 2022’s speedruns are archived on Twitch and YouTube, readily accessible via this Reddit thread.
Congratulations, as always, to one of AGDQ 2022’s runners, organizers, promoters, and donors. Once again you all came through to showcase the very best of the gaming community, in the spirit of hope, generosity, selflessness, and togetherness. We need positive headlines now more than ever and this record-breaking grand total shows that while the world remains on a backstep right now, the core community of our favorite pastime will always come through for the great and good.
Summer Games Done Quick 2022 will return later this year, though a date is yet to be determined. Before then, all-women’s speedrunning event Frost Fatales will take place on the week of February 27.
