Games Done Quick Bars Two Speedrunners "Indefinitely" After Sexist, Transphobic, Antisemitic Remarks Emerge

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Ahead of Awesome Games Done Quick in January 2019, Games Done Quick has distanced itself from two speedrunners after screenshot evidence of conversations containing hateful views were posted online. The speedrunners in question, R. White Goose and Graviton, "will not be representing us at any GDQ events indefinitely," GDQ said today in a statement on Twitter.

The conversations were captured from a Discord server by another fellow speedrunner. In some screenshots, Graviton trades insults about trans streamers. In others, Goose makes antisemitic remarks. In the many screenshots, both frequently insult and demean women too—from peers in the speedrunning and competitive community to even viewers of their streams.

Following the leak of the Discord chat, GDQ gave a statement on Twitter saying that it was "investigating to determine the authenticity of the reports and will act in accordance to our policies based on those findings." GDQ has a no discussion of politics or religion policy for its streams, in hopes of not alienating any viewers. In a follow-up tweet, GDQ affirmed that the content of the reports was "unacceptable." Less than 24 hours later and after backlash on social media, GDQ confirmed the authenticity of the screenshots, and released a statement distancing itself from the two streamers.

For Goose this likely doesn't affect much, as he hasn't participated in a speedrun at GDQ since doing a co-op run of Goldeneye 007 in 2014. In a statement to Kotaku, Goose admitted wrongdoing. “I completely understand GDQ’s decision. Those screenshots show conversations which contain hurtful concepts, ideas, and conspiracy theories which I have come to fully and completely reject," Goose told the site. "What I’ve said in the past is indefensible and inexcusable. I completely understand why people are hurt and angry, and the reaction to my comments is absolutely justified." On Twitter, Goose formally apologized for his actions, saying they do not reflect his current values. Graviton, who has participated in GDQ this year, tweeted, "When your wrongthink gets you more followers than your GDQ run would have got."

R. White Goose and Graviton both speedrun Goldeneye 007, in addition to a number of other games. Graviton was scheduled for a Doom 64 speedrun in January's upcoming Awesome Games Done Quick (which starts January 6 and concludes January 13), which has now been canceled in light of GDQ's renewed decision. This isn't the only controversy GDQ has found itself embroiled in either, with slurs and other hurtful language sometimes appearing on speedruns. At Awesome Games Done Quick in 2017, a couch commentator was banned after wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat, passing it around, and trying to obscure it by stacking another hat on top of it. This week's controversy likely won't be the last either.