Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ) has concluded its latest charity event, successfully raising over $2.4 million for Doctors Without Borders. The announcement of the fundraising total was overshadowed by the cancellation of a planned sponsored speedrun showcase with SNK, a developer known for the Metal Slug franchise.
This partnership drew immediate backlash from the community due to SNK's majority ownership by the MiSK Foundation, which is itself owned by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Concerns were raised regarding the Saudi government's human rights record, which conflicted with the humanitarian mission of the beneficiary charity.
In response to the criticism, GDQ swiftly canceled the sponsored stream with SNK, stating, "We have canceled our sponsored stream with SNK. 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." The organization confirmed that it would not accept funds from this sponsorship and would cease collaboration with the sponsor.
GDQ acknowledged an oversight in its vetting process, admitting it "failed to conduct the level of review our community should expect from us." The organization pledged to strengthen its procedures for evaluating future sponsors and partners, including a more thorough examination of company ownership to ensure alignment with GDQ's values of human rights and inclusivity. Despite the controversy, the significant funds raised for Doctors Without Borders underscore the event's overall charitable success.