Yeah, probably. GDQ organisers held a one-off Corona Relief Done Quick earlier this year, raising over $400,000 for personal protective equipment and medical support in the US. But the Summer show must still go on, raising funds for Doctors Without Borders in an online-only event taking place this August. There’s a high bar to beat, mind, with last year’s event raising a cool $3 million.
So: The games! This year sees Half-Life: Alyx make its GDQ debut as a “bonus game” on Friday 21st. I’ve a real soft spot for seeing how successive generations of speedrunners have broken the Half-Life series across each game and engine update, and I’m keen on seeing how Alyx plays into that lineage - even if I figure runner Buffet Time probably won’t take a detour into Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. Sadly, there’s no Titanfall 2 run happening this year, which is usually my highlight of the show. But I’m pleasantly surprised to see haunting pac-puzzler Eat Girl show up on the Wednesday. Thursday seems to have cruelly placed the wonderful Hynospace Outlaw between Saint Hazel’s Horsepital and Pringles: The Video Game, two titles I’m convinced must’ve been made up by our man Nate Crowley in that fictional games book of his. There’s a whole week’s worth of runs to pore through over on the the full schedule here, and I reckon you’ll probably find something that’s up your alley. Summer Games Done Quick 2020 Online sets off on Sunday, August 16th at 4:30pm BST, with the first run - Demon’s Souls - starting the speedy festivities half an hour later.
