Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ), the annual video game speedrunning event, wrapped up early Sunday morning after raising an eye-watering $2,408,701 for medical charity Doctors Without Borders, known globally as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
The weeklong event, held in Minneapolis, kicked off on Sunday, July 5, and welcomed thousands of in-person attendees while simulcasting to their 2.1 million Twitch followers and 1 million YouTube subscribers.
SGDQ’s impressive donation was quickly overshadowed by a social media post from the organization announcing a collaboration with Fatal Fury maker SNK Corporation, acquired by Saudi Arabia’s controversial Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman through his nonprofit MiSK Foundation. Saudi-based investment firms have increased their entertainment investments in recent years, with well-known video game developers and publishers like Capcom and Pokemon GO maker Niantic among acquired brands.
“We’re so excited to be working with SNK to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Metal Slug with a speedrunning showcase,” reads SGDQ’s official social media post, which, at the time of writing, is still visible. “Tune in now and stay in touch on their socials!”
In the replies, readers urged the organization to reassess their sponsors. “[W]ith your viewer base, WHAT made you think this was a good idea,” one user asks. Others shared screenshots from Doctors Without Borders’ social media updates, including one highlighting damage done to a Yemeni MSF hospital following Saudi-led airstrikes.
After three hours of fan and industry criticism, Summer Games Done Quick announced mid-stream that it would no longer host the SNK partnership:
We have canceled our sponsored stream with SNK.
We have heard the concerns from our community regarding this partnership, specifically the company’s majority ownership by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and the human rights concerns tied to the Saudi government.
In a reply to their own post, the group elaborated that it “will not accept the funds from this sponsorship or continue to work with this sponsor again,” adding that “GDQ is committed to supporting human rights and inclusivity, and [SGDQ] recognize[s] that this partnership conflicted with those values.”
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to Outrun Gaming for more information as it becomes available.
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