Games Done Quick apologizes for partnering with Saudi-owned SNK
Charity speedrunning event Games Done Quick (GDQ) cancelled a sponsored stream with Japanese studio SNK over the weekend after people voiced concerns about the company’s links with Saudi Arabia.
The Fatal Fury and Metal Slug developer is majority owned by a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, an investment vehicle owned by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Bin Salman, who is also expanding into the video game industry through state-backed investment fund PIF, continues to face questions over alleged links to the murder of The Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Amnesty international has also accused bin Salman of transforming Saudi Arabia into a “kingdom of repression” and engaging in various culture-washing tactics—potentially including the acquisition of Electronic Arts—to distract from ongoing human rights abuses.
In a post on Bluesky, GDQ organisers said they chose to scrap the sponsored stream with SNK after community members sounded the alarm.
“We will not accept the funds from this sponsorship or continue to work with this sponsor again. GDQ is committed to supporting human rights and inclusivity, and we recognize that this partnership conflicted with those values,” reads a thread on Bluesky.
“We failed to conduct the level of review our community should expect from us and that was an oversight we deeply regret and take full responsibility for. We especially want to apologize to the runners and our host on this stream, who had nothing to do with this decision and whose runs were disrupted as a result. This isn’t a reflection on them and we are grateful for their understanding.”
GDQ pledged to strengthen its process for evaluating sponsors and partners moving forward to ensure they align with its values.
