Epic Gaming Marathon Nets $2.5 Million for Cancer Research in Pittsburgh!

Awesome Games Done Quick, an annual speedrunning gaming marathon, came to a close in the early morning hours of Sunday at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh after an entire week of gaming. This marks the second consecutive year the event has taken place in Pittsburgh.

The allure of speedrunning captivates audiences worldwide who tune in to the gaming sessions, as stated by Games Done Quick’s operations director, Matt Merkle. Speedrunners strive to complete their respective video games as swiftly as possible, either by taking advantage of game glitches or by executing perfect gameplay. Viewer donations unlock additional challenges and restrictions, thereby enhancing the level of difficulty for the participants. For 15 years, the marathons have been generating funds for charities during the winter and summer editions.

This year, one of the prominent speedrunners at the Pittsburgh event, known as Dr. Doot, utilized a Roland Aerophone (an electronic wind instrument) that was configured to double as a game controller, helping him cultivate an online fanbase that granted him the status of a celebrity speedrunner.

Doot elaborated that, aside from the small control stick located on the back of his instrument, “Everything else in the game is managed, I say, ‘one doot at a time,’ where I play one note that corresponds to a button action in the game.”

He remarked that speedrunning showcased to him the significance of alternative controllers in promoting accessibility within gaming.

“Discovering alternative ways to engage with these games — be it through a saxophone, some individuals use a DDR [Dance Dance Revolution] dance pad, or Guitar Hero controllers — has really unveiled a realm where people genuinely require alternate controllers to play and enjoy some of these games.”

The weeklong event supported the Prevent Cancer Foundation, with contributions pouring in from viewers across the globe watching the 24/7 Twitch livestream.

The CEO of the cancer foundation, Jody Hoyos, noted that when Games Done Quick first partnered with Prevent Cancer 14 years ago, they raised approximately $10,000 in donations. This year, Awesome Games Done Quick accrued $2,556,305 to aid the foundation’s research initiatives.

“The energy, the positivity, and the support of this community is unlike anything I’ve ever encountered,” Hoyos states. “It is genuinely a space where individuals uplift one another in all aspects, and beyond their technical skills in video gaming — what they’re doing to give back to the world and to each other is something I eagerly anticipate every year.”