Awesome Games Done Quick 2023 Gathers $2.6 Million Donations for 'Prevent Cancer Foundation'

GDQ's Awesome Games Done Quick has raised $2.6 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation on its first event of 2023. As the world's best speedrunners gather for this charity, AGDQ gathered 21,527 donors who gave an average of $66.35.

(Photo : Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 02: Fans hold up signs for "Stand Up For Cancer" during a game between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies in Game Four of the 2022 World Series at Citizens Bank Park on November 02, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Raising $2.6 Million Donations

Games Done Quick has been conducting a fundraiser annually for charity. Engadget reported that in this year's Awesome Games Done Quick, they have raised more than $2,644,770.41 million from 39,857 donations from 21,527 donors.

"Thank you to everyone who made this marathon possible, and to all of you for your amazing generosity & support," GDQ stated on their Twitter account. This event ran on Twitch from January 8 to 15, where several speedrunners showcased their amazing skills and abilities for a good cause.

Although the event fell a million short of reaching the record for last year's collection, the event was still an incredible moment and accomplishment as AGDQ saw one $100,000 donation and a new world record in Super Mario Galaxy 2 in one of the marathons.

Awesome Games Done Quick 2023's speedruns can be checked on the Games Done Quick YouTube channel, where you can see several games, including Pokemon Yellow, Final Fantasy VII, Portal, and more completed games by the best players in the world.

What's Next?

Since this is an annual event, this will not be the last donation drive from GDQ. As per IGN's report, the next big event from GDQ will be Summer Games Done Quick 2023. This will be held from May 28 to June 4 this year.

Previous AGDQs

This event took place entirely online in 2020 because of the global pandemic that started in the same year. However, AGDQ was supposed to take place in Florida with live audiences, but organizers decided to change the plan due to COVID-19 restrictions and increased aggression towards individuals from the LGBTQ+ community.

Last Year, Engadget reported that AGDQ 2022 raised $3,416,729 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. This was a record total for any GDQ event in the organization's history. As per the event's tracker, they received $236,656 as the highest donation.

Speedrunners also broke world records in the event, including Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Pumpkin Jack, and Webbed.

While the organization achieved several accomplishments for this year's Awesome Games Done Quick, this marked the final event for Founder Make Ayuma, who launched the first event in his mother's basement in 2009.

Ayuma stated on The Verge, "AGDQ 2023 marks my 13th year of GDQ. I've been at it for a long time, and I decided it's time for me to take a break. I realized that I need to take care of my health and kind of focus on different activities."

During his 13 years stay at GDQ, the organization raised more than $41 million for charity.