Games Done Quick’s evolution has been both joyous and necessary

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If you found last Sunday a bit less lively than usual, it could be because the Games Done Quick 2025 event concluded the night before. It was an exciting week filled with live speedrunning events, but there was a festive atmosphere that made it feel different from typical events. This change is reflective of the new normal for Games Done Quick. Over time, the organization has undergone some changes, although their primary mission to raise funds for charity remains unchanged. The shift in approach seems to be benefiting everyone involved, including the staff, the speedrunners, and the rapidly growing audience of GDQ.

2021 marks the 15th anniversary of the official Games Done Quick event. Originally called Classic Games Done Quick, it eventually adopted its semi-annual format that continues today. Awesome Games Done Quick begins the new year in January, while Summer Games Done Quick signals the start of summer. Throughout the years, additional events have been added to the calendar. Games Done Quick Express is a regular feature at TwitchCon, and GDQ attends events like PAX. In times of emergency, such as Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic, impromptu marathons have taken place. Frame Fatales and Unapologetically Black and Fast (now known as Back to Black) are dedicated to showcasing women and African-Americans in the community. In between marathons, GDQ provides regular content known as Hotfix.

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All these activities share a characteristic: They emphasize traditional speedrunning in games from various eras. Occasionally, there might be contests like races or displays, but primarily, they focus on a swift run-through of a game to achieve the best time or even a world record. As the events grew popular, more names from the community started standing out. Names like Narcissa, Trihex, Grand POOBear, Darbian, SpikeVegeta, and Mike Uyama (GDQ founder and runner) became familiar faces to viewers and the expanding GDQ scene. Notably, MitchFlowerPower, a speedrunner of Super Mario Bros. 3, was invited onto The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where he demonstrated his skills against the Columbia University men’s relay team and Colbert eating a Hot Pocket.

During that period, Games Done Quick seemed like a unique moment where many individuals who significantly contributed to its success became closely connected. But as we all know, everything has its time. Time can be unpredictable, tough, stunning, and it can encompass so much more. The speedrunners who made GDQ famous started maturing and transitioning into different stages of their lives. As Kasumi ‘Sumichu’ Yogi aptly put it during the Awesome Games Done Quick 2020 Finale, these speedrunners have grown older, tied the knot, and started families. Some have leveraged their talents for content creation as a full-time career, while others have gracefully bid farewell to the marathons. Despite this shift in the old GDQ team, the departure of familiar faces has paved the way for something fresh to emerge.

Over the past few years, the newer GDQ team has encountered a unique challenge: Games Done Quick, as we know it today, is significantly different from its form 15 years ago. Naturally, things change and cannot remain the same, especially when it comes to traditional speedrunning. For instance, how many times can one replay Super Mario Bros., or watch the same Super Metroid race? Or, for that matter, derive the same level of excitement from classic 8-bit games as before? This situation creates a sense of “been there, done that.”

Addressing this challenge isn’t straightforward, but the new GDQ team is working to find innovative solutions. They aim to provide fresh and exhilarating speedruns that sometimes push beyond conventional speedrunning boundaries.

The initial live events post-COVID-19 lockdown aimed to restart Games Done Quick (GDQ) events and refresh the audience’s memory about what they represent. However, recent marathons have showcased a significant evolution of the event. Although GDQ marathons primarily consist of traditional speedruns, they now offer viewers additional elements such as gimmick runs, exhibitions, and innovative category concepts.

The event that started last year, partly fueled by runs from JSR_ and his canine companion Peanut Butter, has grown even more with the recent Awesome Games Done Quick. This week-long spectacle showcased unique elements like Crazy Taxi with a live band, New Super Mario Bros. Wii played in sync with a live piano, Elden Ring lockout bingo, and an Elden Ring boss rush performed on saxophone. Although it’s not the same as GDQ in its early days, it still embodies that compelling, can’t-miss vibe that characterized the original marathons, along with the lively online atmosphere that people enjoy.

For someone like me who has been overwhelmed by the continuous gloomy news about the Los Angeles fires, the GDQ discussion on Saturday was a refreshing break and a reminder of the positive potential of the gaming community. After all, isn’t it safe to say that Elden Ring bosses being defeated with a saxophone is one of the coolest things we’ve seen so far in 2025?

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In simpler terms, Kungfufruitcup, the Interstitial Talent Co-Lead, expressed that the key takeaway for us is our enthusiasm for exploring novel experiences and our eagerness for what lies ahead. We hope you’ll join us in this journey!

Earlier today, her fellow Interstitial Talent Co-Lead expressed a wish for GDQ (Game Development Quarters) to venture into uncharted territory and attempt something novel, with the Crazy Taxi run from earlier in the day as a prime example. He hopes these innovative concepts will encourage a new wave of participants who are open to experimenting beyond conventional boundaries. If not, perhaps these unique runs could spur more creative pitch ideas.

If you’re a speedrunner or someone with an innovative speedrunning concept, consider submitting your idea for our upcoming event! We frequently open up submission periods for events like SGDQ. So, start brainstorming, create something unique, and when it’s ready, share it with us!

In 2022 when Sumichu declared her exit from Games Done Quick, she expressed her belief that this event would continue to achieve great things. Remarkable moments like a crowd surfing pit during a Crazy Taxi game or the audience’s amazement as Dr. Doot defeated an Elden Ring boss with his saxophone, encapsulated this spirit. Though the original Games Done Quick may not return, the upcoming edition promises to be another thrilling chapter in its history. Whether it will be as memorable and captivating as the early marathons remains to be seen, but I am eagerly awaiting to discover what’s next. The primary mission of Games Done Quick still stands: raising funds for charity, even if the methods have evolved slightly over time.

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2025-01-13 21:27