{"id":38741,"date":"2026-07-13T13:43:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:43:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/?p=38741"},"modified":"2026-07-13T13:43:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:43:05","slug":"games-done-quick-ends-snk-sponsorship-during-live-broadcast-because-of-fan-raised-human-rights-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/?p=38741","title":{"rendered":"Games Done Quick Ends SNK Sponsorship During Live Broadcast Because of Fan-Raised Human Rights Issues"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

**Games Done Quick Revokes SNK Sponsorship Following Community Backlash**<\/p>\n

Games Done Quick (GDQ), the renowned speedrunning charity organization founded in 2010, found itself engulfed in controversy after the announcement and eventual retraction of a joint speedrunning event with SNK. The announcement occurred during a livestreamed speedrun of *Metal Slug* on July 12, but the initiative was abruptly withdrawn less than three hours later in response to community concerns regarding SNK’s ownership by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.<\/p>\n

Initially, GDQ conveyed enthusiasm about commemorating the 30th anniversary of *Metal Slug* through this collaboration. However, as the livestream progressed, worries emerged over the ramifications of associating with a company owned by a fund accused of egregious human rights abuses. GDQ’s reaction was immediate, declaring in a post on Bluesky that they would no longer accept financial support from the sponsorship, emphasizing their devotion to human rights and inclusivity as fundamental values that conflicted with this relationship.<\/p>\n

At the time of cancellation, GDQ had already showcased one of the planned *Metal Slug* runs. An event coordinator was compelled to interrupt the livestream to notify viewers that the subsequent *Metal Slug* presentations would be scrapped, illustrating the swift transition from excitement to dismay.<\/p>\n

SNK Corporation, recognized for its legendary franchises such as *Fatal Fury*, *King of Fighters*, and *Metal Slug*, was acquired by the Misk Foundation in 2022, an entity established by Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. This ownership is pivotal to the controversy as the Saudi government has been subject to extensive criticism over various human rights violations throughout the years. These concerns encompass torture, the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, gender discrimination, and persecution of LGBTQI+ individuals.<\/p>\n

In light of the criticism, GDQ admitted their failure to thoroughly vet the sponsorship agreement before its announcement. They expressed regret to their community for not upholding the anticipated standards of scrutiny, particularly concerning the sensitive context of human rights in relation to the Saudi government.<\/p>\n

This event unfolded soon after GDQ’s Summer Games Done Quick, an annual gathering that raises funds for Doctors Without Borders. This year’s marathon successfully garnered $2,408,701, underscoring the community\u2019s dedication to charitable causes, even as they expressed strong objections to partnerships that contradict their ethical standards.<\/p>\n

In summary, the cancellation of the SNK sponsorship underscores the significance of corporate responsibility and community principles within the gaming and charitable domains. As GDQ proceeds with its mission, it must navigate these hurdles while upholding its commitment to inclusivity and human rights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/div>\n

**Games Done Quick Revokes SNK Sponsorship Following Community Backlash**<\/p>\n

Games Done Quick (GDQ), the renowned speedrunning charity organization founded in 2010, found itself engulfed in controversy after the announcement and eventual retraction of a joint speedrunning event with SNK. The announcement occurred during a livestreamed speedrun of *Metal Slug* on July 12, but the initiative was abruptly withdrawn less than three hours later in response to community concerns regarding SNK’s ownership by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.<\/p>\n

Initially, GDQ conveyed enthusiasm about commemorating the 30th anniversary of *Metal Slug* through this collaboration. However, as the livestream progressed, worries emerged over the ramifications of associating with a company owned by a fund accused of egregious human rights abuses. GDQ’s reaction was immediate, declaring in a post on Bluesky that they would no longer accept financial support from the sponsorship, emphasizing their devotion to human rights and inclusivity as fundamental values that conflicted with this relationship.<\/p>\n

At the time of cancellation, GDQ had already showcased one of the planned *Metal Slug* runs. An event coordinator was compelled to interrupt the livestream to notify viewers that the subsequent *Metal Slug* presentations would be scrapped, illustrating the swift transition from excitement to dismay.<\/p>\n

SNK Corporation, recognized for its legendary franchises such as *Fatal Fury*, *King of Fighters*, and *Metal Slug*, was acquired by the Misk Foundation in 2022, an entity established by Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. This ownership is pivotal to the controversy as the Saudi government has been subject to extensive criticism over various human rights violations throughout the years. These concerns encompass torture, the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, gender discrimination, and persecution of LGBTQI+ individuals.<\/p>\n

In light of the criticism, GDQ admitted their failure to thoroughly vet the sponsorship agreement before its announcement. They expressed regret to their community for not upholding the anticipated standards of scrutiny, particularly concerning the sensitive context of human rights in relation to the Saudi government.<\/p>\n

This event unfolded soon after GDQ’s Summer Games Done Quick, an annual gathering that raises funds for Doctors Without Borders. This year’s marathon successfully garnered $2,408,701, underscoring the community\u2019s dedication to charitable causes, even as they expressed strong objections to partnerships that contradict their ethical standards.<\/p>\n

In summary, the cancellation of the SNK sponsorship underscores the significance of corporate responsibility and community principles within the gaming and charitable domains. As GDQ proceeds with its mission, it must navigate these hurdles while upholding its commitment to inclusivity and human rights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38742,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38741"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38741\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}