Watching Awesome Games Done Quick 2017 wrap up felt like witnessing digital superheroes save the real world – if superheroes wore sweatpants and shouted about frame-perfect jumps while raising millions for charity. That magical moment when TGH’s Undertale pacifist run hit Flowey mastery just as the donation counter smashed through $2 million? Pure, unadulterated nerd chills. By the finale, that ticker was laughing at 2016’s $1.2 million total with a smug $2.2M+ display. I’m pretty sure my own jaw is still somewhere on the floor, possibly lodged under a pile of empty energy drink cans from my week-long viewing marathon. Who needs sleep when you can watch humans break video games for humanity?

The Charity Speedrun Revolution: From Pizza Money to Millions 💸

This glorious chaos didn’t just happen overnight. AGDQ’s been turning glitches into goodwill since 2010, supporting legends like Doctors Without Borders. The growth? Astronomical. We’re talking:

• 2016: $1,216,309.02 (already mind-blowing)

• 2017: $2,200,000+ (cue confetti cannon explosions)

Two events yearly? Absolutely. Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ) rolls around every July like a chaotic cousin – 2025’s edition will undoubtedly involve even more absurd challenges. Minneapolis should brace itself for an invasion of sleep-deprived geniuses clutching controllers come July 2nd!

Runs That Made Me Question Reality 🎮

Confession: I missed chunks of AGDQ live. Adulting is rude like that. But catching up felt like binge-watching superhero origin stories:

• That Super Metroid race where runners practically teleported through Zebes? 😱

• Blood_Thunder turning DOOM (2016) into a speedrunning playground? RIP demons, hello glory!

• The Super Castlevania IV showdown I’m currently rewatching? Pure whip-cracking poetry.

Pro tip: GDQ’s YouTube channel is a black hole of joy. Send snacks.

People Also Ask: AGDQ Edition ❓

1. "How do speedrunners even find these glitches?"

Same way I find leftover pizza at 3 AM: obsessive dedication mixed with questionable life choices.

1. "Can anyone participate?"

If you can beat a game faster than I can procrastinate? Apply! Bonus points for entertaining commentary.

1. "Why Doctors Without Borders?"

Because pixel-perfect jumps shouldn’t be the only lives saved. Gaming meets global impact!

1. "Will SGDQ 2017 top AGDQ?"

With this momentum? Place bets now. I’m wagering my entire stash of rare Undertale merch.

My 2025 Crystal Ball 🔮

Eight years later? AGDQ’s become a cultural tsunami. I fully expect holographic TAS runs by 2030 and donation stretch goals funding moon hospitals. Personally? I’ll be that old guy yelling about "back in 2017" while sobbing over Celeste speedruns. The dream? Attending live and high-fiving a runner who just broke Elden Ring with a dance pad. Until then, pass the controller and keep those donations rolling!

Final thought: Watching gamers turn passion into $2.2M of pure good? That’s the real endgame boss we needed. Game on, heroes. 🎮❤️