Games Done Quick released the dates for its yearly Awesome Games Done Quick event today. And just like Summer Games Done Quick this year, the speedrunning marathon will take place completely online early next year.
AGDQ 2021 will be held entirely online from Jan. 3 to 10 in support of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic that started in the spring this year, GDQ was forced to make changes to its Summer Games Done Quick event to help prevent further spread of the disease. While they didn’t cancel the event entirely, moving to an online-only format allowed organizers to raise money for charity and celebrate video game speedrunning without putting anyone at risk of contracting COVID-19.
Although AGDQ 2021 won’t come for another four months, the organizers stressed the importance of continuing safe practices for future GDQ events.
“While we eagerly await the day we can see our speedrun family and friends again, we will be continuing with an online format for AGDQ 2021 so that we can continue to observe best practices in keeping our community safe in the midst of COVID-19,” said GDQ director of marketing and business development Kasumi Yogi. “We hope that conditions surrounding the pandemic improve so we can return to a venue for future events.”
GDQ continually raises its own bar for charity fundraising during its biggest yearly event. Awesome Games Done Quick, which regularly takes place during the first full week of January, raised a record $3,164,002 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation this year.
Summer Games Done Quick didn’t have as strong a turnout as it did in 2019. But following a postponement to the event due to the pandemic, the event raised $2,334,873 for Doctors Without Borders.
AGDQ 2021 will be broadcast on the official Games Done Quick Twitch channel.
