The Latest Live Sport to Play Without Fans: Video Game Speedrunning
Twice a year, thousands of spectators turn out to watch people try to finish a video game as quickly as possible. This, too, has gone virtual.
Source: Games Done Quick
There’s a well-known catchphrase among fans of video game speedrunning, which goes: “That has never happened before.” It often comes up when the player, whose chief task is to finish a game as quickly as possible, encounters something unexpected or is searching for an excuse to explain away human error. The phrase has become particularly relevant in 2020, when nothing ever seems to go as expected.
This week, organizers of the world’s biggest series of live speedrunning competitions are holding their first Games Done Quick with no attendees. Since the nonstop event kicked off Sunday, there have been plenty of reminders of the abnormal circumstances. Audio feeds are inconsistent, and children occasionally photobomb their parents’ video streams. As the speedrunners are constantly reminded, this has never happened before.