Awesome Games Done Quick Raises $2.5 Million for Cancer Nonprofit

The recent edition of Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) concluded with a remarkable achievement. The weeklong speedrunning marathon, which took place in Pittsburgh from January 5 to 12, successfully raised a total of $2,556,305 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. This grand fundraising effort once again highlighted the unique blend of gaming skill and entertainment that the event is renowned for.

Among the standout moments was the creative use of unconventional controllers, capturing the audience's imagination. Participants saw a speedrun of "Elden Ring" bosses with an electric saxophone, complete with its quirky doot doot sounds, performed by Dr. Doot. Additionally, FunkopotamusWes made headlines with his "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" run, where he played the piano using his head and feet for motion control, and a "Crazy Taxi" run was accompanied by a live band.

As always, AGDQ brought high levels of excitement and a sense of community, with the event running non-stop throughout the week. The entirety of this celebration of speedrunning can be revisited, moment by moment, on the Games Done Quick YouTube channel.

AGDQ is part of a yearly lineup of charity events organized by Games Done Quick. The next anticipated event, "Back to Black," is scheduled for February 6-9. This event will feature Black hosts and speedrunners and aims to support the racial justice nonprofit Race Forward. Over the years, Games Done Quick has contributed more than $54 million to various charities, including the Prevent Cancer Foundation and Doctors Without Borders. The success of last year's marathon was mirrored this year with another impressive $2.5 million raised for cancer research.