From Press Release:
COLOGNE, GERMANY – August 31, 2026 – Grassroots speedrunning organization Games Done Quick has just come off the heels of its first-ever Europe event, raising €18,000 for the non-profit Gaming for Democracy during gamescom GDQ.
From August 28 to 30, gamescom GDQ brought three days of speedrunning to Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, as part of gamescom, the world’s largest gaming event. gamescom GDQ benefitted Gaming for Democracy, a charity focused on strengthening democratic values and civic engagement within the games industry and its surrounding communities. Thousands were in attendance at gamescom GDQ, with many more watching online via GDQ’s official Twitch and YouTube.
The three-day event had programming beginning daily at 10 a.m. CEST (4 a.m ET / 1 a.m. PT) and running until approximately 8 p.m. CEST (2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT), featuring talented runners completing games as quickly as possible, often with unique challenges, strategies, and techniques. Some highlights include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time played entirely blindfolded, Hades II by two runners sharing one controller, and Grand Poo World 3, the popular kaizo fangame.
gamescom GDQ was honored with the Heart of Gaming award, presented on-stage at the gamescom studio in partnership with IGN and selected by a special jury. Additionally, gamescom’s annual Opening Night Live featured an interview segment with GDQ co-owner and Business Director Ashley Farkas, highlighting the organization’s collective power in driving real change in the world.
Although gamescom GDQ has come to a close, there are many more Games Done Quick events on the horizon. The all-women and femmes speedrunning summer event Flame Fatales is in just a few weeks, running from September 13-19 and raising money for the Malala Fund. GDQ will also have events at PAX West and Halo Fest. Next year, Awesome Games Done Quick heads to Atlanta, GA from January 3 to 9. Summer Games Done Quick returns to Minneapolis June 20-26.
For more information, follow Games Done Quick on Bluesky and X.
About Games Done Quick
Games Done Quick is an organizer of video game speedrunning marathons. These events feature high-level gameplay by speedrunners raising money for charity. Games Done Quick has teamed up with several charities in its 15-year history, including Prevent Cancer Foundation and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). To date, Games Done Quick has raised more than $62 million for charity. For more information, please visit gamesdonequick.com and follow Games Done Quick on Bluesky, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
About gamescom
gamescom is the world’s largest gaming event and the most important business platform for the international games industry. From August 24 to 30, 2026, it brought together developers, trade visitors, companies, and millions of fans from around the globe – on-site in Cologne and digitally worldwide.
The week kicked off on August 24 with the developer conference gamescom dev. On the evening of August 25, the spectacular opening show gamescom Opening Night Live marked the official start of gamescom for the public.
Throughout the week, gamescom offers a unique mix of entertainment, business, and community experiences. In addition, gamescom latam in São Paulo and gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show in Bangkok have established themselves as further successful international gamescom editions.
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