Awesome Games Done Quick Raises Over $1.2 Million for Cancer Research

The money raised this year is less than last year’s $1.57 million but, as organizers note, last year’s contributions were helped by the sale of a Humble Bundle, which this year’s AGDQ did not have. It’s an impressive feat feat for any charity event, let alone one that started out of a niche video gaming hobby six years ago. The final donation tally may grow further still, as donations are still being accepted here on the Awesome Games Done Quick website. At the end of it all, AGDQ managed to raise $1.2 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

The event began January 3 and wrapped up today, January 10. It will be a summer edition of the event, but there is yet to be an official announcement of which charitable foundation will receive the money raised from this next event. The Awesome Games Done Quick was able to cross the $1.2 million mark during the day itself. Normally, speedrun gamers employ special strategies and game gimmicks in order to either skip as much of the content in order to get a record or display awesome amounts of skill that allows them to beat the chosen game in the shortest amount of time. The average donated amount per individual was $39.68 and the maximum amount donated to the cause was $18,255. Some highlights from the week included a player completing Transformers: Devastation one-handed, two blindfolded gamers racing to complete Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, two players completing Super Metroid while holding a single controller between them and a mind-blowing showcase for Stepmania. Awesome Games Done Quick, as well as Summer Games Done Quick, raise funds for several charities and the notable ones pertain to the prevention of cancer.

You can check out almost every speed run on the Games Done Quick’s YouTube channel.

The organisers announced that their next event is to take place from July 3-9.