Document last updated: 12/26/2023
We aim to provide a safe, clean, and fun environment for everyone who attends our events. If you have issues with an attendee, please do not hesitate to talk to a staff member, or email our event safety coordinators at: safety@gamesdonequick.com
If at any time during the event you are in need of emergency aid, or if you or another attendee have a safety issue, contact staff immediately. We will provide whatever assistance we can.
If you are feeling ill or would like medical assistance please go to the first aid station located on-site. We will have a registered nurse there who can provide advice and direct you to local medical facilities if necessary.
Any safety issues or emergencies that occur outside of Games Done Quick event areas (such as hotel rooms, the lobby, fitness center, etc), need to be directed towards the hotel staff.
Any changes to these rules take effect immediately. However, past behavior may be considered under the rules active at that time.
Badges must be worn in a visible location at all times in our public areas.
It is preferred that your badge is worn around your neck via lanyard. If your badge is not immediately visible staff will ask you to display it.
Refusal to keep your badge visible can result in a rules violation and having your badge marked.
If you lose your badge, we will not have any available to replace it.
Persons without a badge will not be allowed in the event areas.
Badges are not to be shared or loaned. Your badge is yours alone, anyone involved with sharing a badge is subject to have their badge revoked. If you lose your badge, report it to staff immediately.
If you did not register within the deadline for SGDQ2024 you will not be permitted in any marathon area. There is no on site or late registration and there are no exceptions to this rule, please do not ask.
Your identity must be easily discerned and your face visible. Attendees may not have full masks or body suits. Cosplay outfits should be approved by staff prior to being worn at the event. No handheld props are allowed. Please send photos and your account name to safety@gamesdonequick.com Exceptions to this clothing policy are made for religious clothing or medical necessity.
Hoverboards, skates, and other mobility gear (except where medically necessary) are not allowed. Baby carriages (and similar) are allowed but must be kept out of any aisles to allow for foot traffic.
Pets are not allowed. Service animals are permitted as defined by federal and local laws.
There is no alcohol tolerated in any marathon area.
Possession and/or use of illegal/illicit drugs will result in immediate removal from the event.
You are responsible for what you do outside of our public areas such as your hotel room.
If you attempt to enter the event under the influence of illicit substances, you may be subject to the following consequences:
Games Done Quick, its staff and volunteers are not responsible for your actions if you are arrested for public intoxication, underage drinking, or anything else related to drug and alcohol use.
Marijuana is a very complicated subject and we understand this. The rules are different in each state and what is legal or licensed in one state is not allowed in others. Often there is no transfer of licenses or prescriptions between states, and some states flat out do not allow for any kind of marijuana use at all.
However, in keeping with the overall rules of Games Done Quick and Twitch's Terms of Service, anyone using marijuana at the event must be able to prove they are doing so legally by the laws of the state the event is held in. You are responsible for finding out what the local laws are and making sure you are in compliance. Regardless of the situation, anyone caught using or under the influence of marijuana at the event in violation of the local laws will be disciplined accordingly.
Games Done Quick will take action in response to harassment of all kinds, including but not limited to:
Hate speech and bigoted behavior towards individuals or groups in regards to their status in any of the following also qualify as harassment:
If a person is found engaging in such behavior Games Done Quick staff will take prompt action to rectify the situation at their discretion including removal from the event and possible banishment from attending future Games Done Quick events or using Games Done Quick services. EVERYONE in attendance including staff, press, and partners are expected to follow this policy at all times and they will be held to the same standards as all other attendees.
Please report any forms of harassment to Games Done Quick staff. We want to make our events safe and enjoyable for everyone and if you are the subject of or witness harassment please do not hesitate to ask for our help in resolving any such situation. Staff members can all be identified by their staff event badges. If you need help but wish to talk to staff anonymously or indirectly please contact our event safety coordinators at this email address: safety@gamesdonequick.com
In general GDQ staff does not intercede in interpersonal conflicts unrelated to our safety policies. However if you find yourself unable to resolve a conflict with another attendee or roommate on your own, or you do not feel comfortable resolving the situation alone, please feel free to contact a staff member to assist you.
Above all else, treat staff, runners, volunteers, attendees and your fellow community members with respect. Insults and attacks, whether explicit or implicit, are not welcome.
GDQ Staff may institute the following actions against attendees whose behavior is in violation of our policies.
Submission suspensions will by default be for two events, but may be extended or reduced at the staff's discretion. You will not be allowed to run at an event during this time. You may attend the event or commentate.
Broadcast Suspensions will by default be for two mainline events, but may be extended or reduced at the staff's discretion. You will not be allowed on stage, involved with any broadcast work, or to volunteer for the event during this period. You may attend the event and watch in the audience (this does not include the couches or associated seating areas near them).
Event suspensions will by default be for two events, but may be extended or reduced at the staff's discretion. You will not be allowed at the event in any capacity.
Any of the above actions may be given by GDQ staff as permanent bans in the event of repeated infractions for policy violations or problematic behavior, as well as any single instance of sufficiently severe misconduct.
All ban appeals must be sent to management@gamesdonequick.com. Any ban appeal must contain your account name, a detailed description of the circumstances surrounding your ban, and a detailed description of why you believe your ban should be reduced or dropped.
The stream room is the focal point of the event, and therefore has specific rules.
As a runner or commentator your time on camera acts as a representation of not only yourself, but of Games Done Quick, the charity itself, as well as our sponsors and partners. As this representation is of great importance here are some guidelines to follow with what is and is not considered acceptable behavior while appearing on stream.
First and foremost, we encourage a fun, entertaining, and casual environment on the stream. GDQs are about great people doing great things for those in need, and we want all our runners and commentators to be able to enjoy that. The more positive and fun you can be, the more that same presence is reflected out to all those watching.
The topic and tone is at the runner's discretion. Every runner at our events is unique and has their own approach to how they showcase their skills for the event. We do not have hard and fast rules on how you choose to commentate during your run. In general giving informative and fun commentary about your game is a great way to go about setting the tone for your run, but we encourage each runner to approach this in whatever way they feel most comfortable with. We also understand that not every runner is comfortable commentating while playing and it is perfectly acceptable to let that responsibility fall to your couch crew.
For reference, here is a list of ideas that have received positive feedback with regards to commentary:
These are just examples, and if you have questions, always feel free to ask the staff.
Any speech or behavior that would fall under a violation of the harassment policy outlined in the rules is not permitted on stream. This includes remarks that would be considered "joking" or "tongue in cheek" in nature. There are clear lines we expect not to be crossed in the harassment policy, those lines are to be respected while on stream.
Swearing should be avoided while on stream. An occasional swear is not going to draw any ire from staff, but we expect runners and commentators to keep the content of the run "PG" in nature as Games Done Quick is a family friendly event both in person and on stream. If you cannot control your language while being a representative on our stream then you will be subject to a submission or broadcast suspension in the future.
Avoid topics that are polarizing or controversial in nature. Avoid demonstrations of those topics via speaking, written material, clothing, etc. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Religious clothing, such as a cross, hijab, or kippah, is not against the rules. To be clear, we are interested only in blocking religious demonstrations or proselytizing, not religious practices.
Remember that both staff members and the current producer on tech have the ability to give instructions through the headsets during your run. If a staff member requests you to stop a topic of discussion, behavior, or action during your run, you are required to follow that request. Refusal or willfully ignoring staff input or warnings during your run will be subject to a submission or broadcast suspension from future events, or the immediate removal from the stream in extreme cases.
The nature of acceptable behavior, speech, and activity on stream is at the discretion of Games Done Quick staff.
Runners or volunteers selected for our events are understood to be representing the event and the charity. As such, we have higher standards than those who are only attending. For this reason, runners and volunteers are expected to be respectful of others both on-site and online (including social media). Behavior found to be in violation of the harassment policy may result in any of the aforementioned enforcement actions, depending on severity. While any behavior found in violation of our policies may be acted upon, we will only look beyond 18 months of history in the most serious violations (such as targeted harassment or violence), at staff's discretion.
Feel free to send any questions or comments to our event safety coordinator at this email address: safety@gamesdonequick.com.