clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Summer Games Done Quick postponed, coronavirus relief marathon set for April

Corona Relief Done Quick will take place entirely online

If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

A photo, from behind, of four people sitting and playing a video game in front of multiple TV screens Photo: Charles Reynolds via Games Done Quick
Nicole Carpenter is a senior reporter specializing in investigative features about labor issues in the game industry, as well as the business and culture of games.

The organizers at Games Done Quick, which holds two popular speedrunning events each year, are making adjustments due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. While they have elected to postpone Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ), an in-person event that raises millions for charity each year, they’ve also announced an online event to help provide relief for those impacted by COVID-19.

Organizers announced Friday that SGDQ is postponed. The event was originally scheduled to be held in Bloomington, Minnesota in June, and is now scheduled for Aug. 16-23. They also announced Corona Relief Done Quick, which will take place April 17-19. Donations from the event will benefit Direct Relief, “a humanitarian aid organization with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies,” organizers said. Game submissions are open until April 2, with a games list and schedule coming on April 13.

Planning dates for the summer event have shifted, too. Those who are headed to Minnesota will be able to register from June 7-20, and Games Done Quick will issue a new call for game submissions. Submissions will be evaluated from April 29 to May 9, with a new games list coming on June 6. A schedule is expected by June 15.

Games Done Quick’s most recent event, Awesome Games Done Quick, garnered $3.13 million in donations for the Prevent Cancer Foundation — a new record for the event, and the second time it’s reached the $3 million mark, the first of which was the previous year’s Summer Games Done Quick.

Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.