Unimaginable end result for speedrunning extravaganza

Final week, the Video games Finished Fast (GDQ) group reunited for a complete week of fascinating, entertaining, and death-glitchin’ speedruns. The annual Summer time Video games Finished Fast (SGDQ) noticed among the finest gamers from across the globe collect on the Double Tree Hilton in Bloomington MA for seven days of continuous speedrunning challenges, all in assistance from a superb trigger.

SGDQ 2022 was the primary time the GDQ workforce had gathered in a bodily capability because the COVID-19 pandemic compelled occasions to go surfing in 2020. Regardless of guaranteeing quite a few security precautions for the crew, runners, and viewers, spirits had been excessive all week, as runner after runner smashed their means by means of a plethora of video games, previous and new. As well as, house viewers had been inspired to enter contests and competitions, share their help for the runners and video games on-line, and, in fact, donate to the trigger.

When the stream lastly ended on Saturday night time, SGDQ 2022 had raised a staggering $3.01 million USD, nearly a 3rd of which was raised throughout the occasion’s ultimate 48 hours. The cash raised will go to the non-profit group Medecins Sans Frontieres, a global community of execs who present medical assist, care, and aid to those that want it – wherever it’s wanted – no matter race, coloration, creed, or political persuasion. MSF is, sadly, a corporation that’s maybe wanted now greater than ever earlier than, and the help offered by its proficient and tireless workers can’t be overstated.

In the event you missed the week’s occasions and want to try any of the runs from your entire week, then yow will discover all of them queued up and able to go on the SGDQ VOD Reddit. There’s something right here to entertain all people, from speedrun veteran titles reminiscent of Tremendous Meat Boy, Celeste, Donkey Kong Nation, and Steel Gear Stable, to debutantes together with Photo voltaic Ash, Elden Ring, Infernax, Tunic, and Pokemon Sensible Diamond/Shining Pearl. Oh, and don’t neglect to additionally try among the quirkier video games, reminiscent of PlayStation gem Unimaginable Disaster and CDi shitfest Thunder in Paradise… brother.

I’ve written about GDQ’s numerous annual occasions for years now, and it’s endlessly satisfying to take action. I gained’t sugarcoat the truth that the worldwide local weather has been an sad one for some years, and it will possibly typically really feel as if The Good Guys aren’t on the market anymore. However they’re on the market — in abundance — and even on this supposedly “hyper-toxic” world of gaming. Congratulations to the Summer time Video games Finished Fast organizers, hosts, showrunners — and, in fact, the gamers themselves — for his or her profitable return to bodily occasions. It’s best to all be pleased with the week’s superb achievement.

The following on-line GDQ occasion, Flame Fatales, will happen between August 21-27.

Chris Moyse

Senior Editor – Chris has been enjoying video video games because the Nineteen Eighties. Former Saturday Evening Slam Grasp. Graduated from Galaxy Excessive with honors. Twitter: @ChrisxMoyse