Gamers Raise $2.4M for Cancer Prevention in One Week

Awesome Games Done Quick wrapped up its 2026 event with $2,443,414 raised for the Prevent Cancer Foundation after seven straight days of speedrunning video games.

The charity marathon featured gamers racing through popular titles as fast as possible while thousands of viewers donated online. All proceeds went directly to cancer prevention research and programs.

This year's event brought fresh creativity to the gaming fundraiser. Seventy players took turns collecting individual stars in Super Mario 64, each runner grabbing just one before passing the controller. Another highlight featured a Pokemon Emerald player who let donations decide which creatures he'd use throughout his run, adding unpredictability and excitement.

The week showcased brand new games making their Games Done Quick debuts, including highly anticipated titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Elden Ring Nightreign. The traditional "Awful Games Done Quick" segment also returned, where runners tackled notoriously bad games like Skull Island: Rise of Kong for laughs and donations.

Even a fire alarm couldn't stop the momentum. When the Wyndham Grand in Pittsburgh evacuated mid-marathon, the team returned and kept raising money through the night.

The Ripple Effect

This marks another successful year for Games Done Quick, which has now raised millions annually since its founding. The organization hosts multiple charity marathons throughout the year, each supporting different causes. Their summer event raised $2.4 million last year, while this winter marathon nearly matched last year's $2.5 million total.

The gaming community continues proving that play can have purpose. Beyond the main events, specialized marathons like Frost Fatales (celebrating women gamers) and Back to Black (honoring Black History Month) expand the mission even further.

For the first time ever, this year's marathon streamed live on both Twitch and YouTube simultaneously, reaching more viewers than any previous event. Every run remains available to watch online for anyone who missed the live action.

Summer Games Done Quick returns to Minneapolis in July, while next January's winter marathon moves to a new home in Atlanta. The gaming community has already marked their calendars, controllers ready.