Games Done Quick cancels SNK streams after Saudi backlash

July 14, 2026·3 min read

Games Done Quick canceled a sponsored SNK speedrunning stream roughly two hours after announcing it, following backlash over the fighting game publisher’s ties to Saudi Arabia. The charity speedrunning group will not take money from the sponsorship or work with SNK again.

The canceled showcase was meant to feature SNK games after Summer Games Done Quick 2026. Instead, the announcement quickly turned into a sponsor controversy, with viewers pointing to SNK’s ownership by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-linked gaming interests.

GDQ cancels the SNK event

Games Done Quick announced the SNK stream as a sponsored event, then reversed course the same day after community criticism. The group apologized for the partnership and said it had heard concerns from its audience. The decision means the planned SNK showcase will no longer go ahead under GDQ. The organization will review and strengthen how it evaluates future sponsors and partners.

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SNK’s ownership caused the backlash

The criticism centered on SNK’s Saudi ownership links. SNK is the company behind The King of Fighters, Fatal Fury and Metal Slug. It became almost entirely owned by the Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation’s Electronic Gaming Development Company in 2022.

That ownership has remained controversial because of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s link to the foundation. The backlash against GDQ was not aimed at SNK’s games themselves as much as the funding and ownership behind the company.

The timing hurt GDQ’s charity week

The controversy came right after Summer Games Done Quick 2026, which raised more than $2.4 million for Doctors Without Borders. GDQ events are built around speedrunning, donations and community trust, so sponsor choices can become sensitive fast.

That made the SNK announcement difficult for GDQ to defend. The group’s audience has long included players, runners and viewers who expect the event to be careful about who it promotes, especially when charity fundraising is involved.

SNK remains active in fighting games

SNK has been trying to push back into the fighting game spotlight. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves launched in 2025, while The King of Fighters XV remains part of the company’s modern catalog.

The canceled GDQ stream would have given SNK another community-facing showcase through speedrunning rather than esports. That route is now closed with GDQ, at least for the foreseeable future.

GDQ will review future sponsors

Games Done Quick’s practical next step is its sponsor review process. The organization will not accept the SNK sponsorship money, which separates the canceled stream from its charity total.

For viewers, the immediate result is simple. The SNK-sponsored GDQ stream is canceled, GDQ is backing away from the company, and future sponsor deals will face closer review after the backlash.