AGDQ 2026: Gamers RAISE £1.8M! But WHAT Happened During That Mario Relay?!

Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) 2026 just wrapped up, and let me tell you, it was another incredible week of speedrunning feats and charitable giving! This year's event, held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, managed to raise a staggering $2.44 million – that's roughly £1.8 million – for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Honestly, it's heartwarming to see the gaming community come together like this for such an important cause.

AGDQ 2026: Gamers RAISE £1.8M! But WHAT Happened D...

The energy was palpable both in person and online. Thousands flocked to Pittsburgh to witness the speedruns firsthand, while countless others tuned in through the simultaneous Twitch and YouTube broadcasts. And believe me, there were some truly unforgettable moments. I personally loved watching the Resident Evil 2 Remake run using a Guitar Hero controller. Talk about innovative! Apparently, mastering zombie hordes with a plastic guitar is a thing now. Who knew?

But that wasn't all. The event also featured a mind-boggling 70-person relay race in Super Mario 64. Can you imagine the coordination (and the potential for hilarious mishaps)? It’s that kind of quirky fun that really makes AGDQ special. And, in a surprisingly stylish twist, a group of attendees showed up in full French-inspired cosplay for a showcase of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, adding a touch of *je ne sais quoi* to the proceedings. It's these unpredictable, organic moments that make these events so memorable, more than just watching people beat games really fast.

Games Done Quick has a truly impressive track record. Since its humble beginnings in 2010, the organization has collectively raised over $59.8 million for a variety of charities worldwide, from the Malala Fund to the Organization for Autism Research. That's a whole lot of good accomplished through a shared love of gaming. It just goes to show that video games can be a force for positive change in the world.

If you missed out on AGDQ 2026, don't worry! The next Games Done Quick event is already on the horizon. It's slated to kick off on February 5th in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and this time, the proceeds will be going to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières. Summer Games Done Quick 2025, for comparison, also benefitted Doctors Without Borders, raising almost exactly the same amount - $2,436,614, or roughly £1.8m. So, mark your calendars and get ready for another week of incredible speedruns and charitable giving! I know I'll be watching, and maybe even trying to learn a speedrun myself... though I'm not promising I'll be very good at it.