Games Done Quick has announced that its founder, Mike Uyama, is leaving the organisation after 13 years.

Since its founding, Games Done Quick has raised over $41 million for a variety of charitable causes, including Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and Prevent Cancer Foundation. Uyama’s role as owner and Managing Director will be taken by current Director of Operations Matt Merkle, while a new assistant manager will be hired to take fill Merkle’s role.

"Since I started Games Done Quick, I’ve seen it grow from a small volunteer effort to the thriving organization that it is today," said Uyama. "I would not have been able to do it without the help of Matt Merkle and the growth of GDQ would not have been possible without the help of the speedrunning community, which has grown both in size and diversity over the years. I’m not sure where I’ll go next, but one thing I am sure about is that I will take a break and a vacation before diving headfirst into my next adventure."

Looking forward

"I feel incredibly honored to be entrusted with the future of GDQ by Uyama, and will do everything I can to build upon the foundation he has built for the organization since its inception," said Merkle.

"I would not be where I am today without Mike and the team he has built. It’s incredible to see how much we’ve grown, transitioning from a group of friends in a basement to a company with over 50 staff members, raising millions of dollars for charity! I look forward to working with the speedrunning community and our staff going forward, and I hope to lead GDQ to new fundraising records!"

Uyama’s final event in his role will be Awesome Games Done Quick Online 2023, held from January 8 to January 13, in support of Prevent Cancer Foundation. The event was due to be held in Orlando, Florida, but decided to host the event digitally due to concerns about the state’s Covid-19 mandates and the recent implementation of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.