Coronavirus delays continue to strike the industry as well as the fan events meant to celebrate gaming. Delayed once already this year, Summer Games Done Quick 2020 will now be an online only affair, running August 16-23 due to further concerns about coronavirus, as well as–one has to assume–the Black Lives Matter protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota where the event was planned to be held. So says the official Games Done Quick website: “Games Done Quick has been actively monitoring the situation surrounding COVID-19. As we prioritize the health and safety of everyone who attends GDQ events, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the on-site portion of Summer Games Done Quick 2020 and instead proceed with an online-only event, called Summer Games Done Quick 2020 Online.”
The original delay came way back in March–Sidebar here: Isn’t it wild just how far away March feels now? It almost seems like a completely different year despite the fact that it was just three months ago—At the time a coronavirus relief charity event was planned with the original intent of pushing SGDQ back to August 16-23. The event’s original, original date was June 11-18. Now called Summer Games Done Quick Online 2020, the event will take place completely digitally, with a studio component and speedrunners staying and presenting from home. The charity will still support Doctors Without Borders.
There’s an entire laundry list of what this change means for everyone from those that submitted runs to players looking to get a new submission in and even what volunteers can now expect with the event moving to the online arena. While understandable given the global state of things, this is a letdown for sure as Summer Games Done Quick has become a hallmark of the season and a true force for good thanks to its combination of live speedrunning, panels, and in general creating the atmosphere of a convention. Here’s hoping everyone opens their hearts and wallets just as wide for an online-only showing.
Summer Games Done Quick starts on Sunday, August 16, and running through the 23rd.
