Games Done Quick Cancels SNK Stream Citing Human Rights Concerns

Summer Games Done Quick (GDQ) canceled its sponsored stream with Japanese game developer SNK, citing ethical and human rights concerns. The cancellation occurred two hours into a live speedrun of Metal Slug, which was part of a partnered celebration of the game's 30th anniversary.

Twitch streamer Ateatree, the host of the speedrun, announced the halt, informing the speedrunning duo that GDQ had issued a notice regarding the stream. This decision was made in response to concerns raised by the speedrunning community regarding SNK's majority ownership by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is tied to the Saudi government.

GDQ released a statement on its official X account on July 12, explaining that the partnership conflicted with its values of "supporting human rights and inclusivity." The charity group committed to neither accepting funds from the sponsorship nor working with the sponsor again. GDQ also issued an apology, acknowledging that it "failed to conduct the level of review our community should expect from us" and promised to bolster its sponsor and partnership review processes, including closer examination of companies’ ownership to ensure alignment with its values.

SNK came under majority ownership by the MiSK Foundation, a nonprofit owned by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in November 2020. The MiSK Foundation has since acquired approximately 96% of the company. In August 2021, MiSK Foundation CEO Badr bin Hamoud AlBadr was appointed as a director of SNK. Previously, SNK producer Yasuyuki Oda stated in 2022 that Saudi involvement did not affect the company's creative output.

Summer Games Done Quick, the organization's annual charity speedrunning festival, concluded on July 12. The event raised a total of $2,408,701 for Doctors Without Borders, marking the end of its 16th iteration.

According to IGN, the cancellation was a direct result of the expressed human rights concerns.