In-person gatherings and events across the board have increased due to the continued development and administering of COVID-19 vaccines. This has certainly been the case with gaming events, as conventions like gamescom have recently brought gaming enthusiasts back together again after an extended period of online-only showcases. This has even happened with the Games Done Quick speedrunning charity marathon, as this year’s Summer Games Done Quick served as the first in-person GDQ event since before the start of the pandemic. If you hoped that next year’s Awesome Games Done Quick would follow suit, however, you may feel disappointed, as a recent Twitter thread confirmed that AGDQ 2023 will take place entirely online yet again.
The Twitter thread in question stated that although the event organizers wanted a live event, they ultimately felt that their planned Florida location posed too much of a risk for attendees. Specifically, the thread cited recent pieces of legislation in Florida that outright prevent employers and businesses from enforcing COVID-19 safety guidelines, such as vaccine and mask mandates. Additionally, the event organizers felt that the state’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies, such as the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill, threatened the well-being of the GDQ community.
Relocating doesn’t come cheap
Although the organizers wanted to relocate to a less hostile environment so they could keep AGDQ an in-person event, the costs associated with terminating their contract and their inability to delay the contract prevented them from doing so. Making the event online only will allow them to reduce some of these costs, and they aim to cover the remaining expenses using Twitch subs and other methods.
Even though the decision to make AGDQ 2023 online may disappoint those who enjoyed this year’s SGDQ, the organizers’ justifications were ultimately more than understandable. The event will last from January 8 to January 15, with Game and Volunteer submissions opening up this coming Sunday.
