Games Done Quick Cancels SNK Sponsorship Amid Fan Backlash Over Human Rights Concerns

Games Done Quick (GDQ) announced and subsequently canceled a planned speedrunning showcase with SNK on July 12, midway through a livestreamed Metal Slug speedrun. The event, which aimed to celebrate Metal Slug's 30th anniversary, was called off less than three hours after its announcement due to community concerns regarding SNK's majority ownership by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and associated human rights issues.

In a statement on Bluesky, GDQ explained, "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. We will not accept the funds from this sponsorship or continue to work with this sponsor again. GDQ is committed to supporting human rights and inclusivity, and we recognize that this partnership conflicted with those values."

At the time of the cancellation, a Metal Slug speedrun had already commenced and concluded. An event organizer was forced to interrupt the stream to inform viewers that further runs associated with the SNK sponsorship would not proceed.

SNK Corporation, the developer behind franchises such as Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, and Metal Slug, was acquired by the Misk Foundation in 2022. The Misk Foundation was established by Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabian government has faced significant criticism for numerous human rights violations, including allegations of torture, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, gender apartheid, criminalization of LGBTQI+ relationships, and instances of slave labor.

GDQ issued an apology for the abrupt cancellation, admitting that the organization "failed to conduct the level of review [its] community should expect" when agreeing to the sponsorship deal. This incident occurred the day after the conclusion of Summer Games Done Quick, the annual week-long speedrunning marathon that successfully raised $2,408,701 for Doctors Without Borders.