I love Games Done Quick. It’s a twice-a-year speedrunning (the act of playing games as obstacle courses, to be completed as quickly as possible) marathon, and it’s all for charity, to benefit the Prevent Cancer Foundation. The event has had some ups and downs in the past, but I’ve enjoyed the last few iterations as a big, dorky love fest for games and the community dedicated to absolutely ripping them to shreds, as our own Cameron Kunzelman broke down in this piece last year.
This year, I’ve been greatly enjoying the runs, but I also took notice of Wolfman2000, an enthusiastic audience member (and runner/streamer in his own right) who has been dancing to the tunes the production team puts on in between runs. “Dance Dad” (a nickname Wolfman2000 has embraced, along with the variations “Dancing Dad” and “Conductor Dad” for his moves during orchestral selections) is a positive, delightful presence at the show this year, and chat has gotten really into cheering him on. I want to be clear here—this person is awesome, and his attitude is infectious.
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While other audience members are obviously enjoying themselves, in between runs, you’ll mainly see folks on their phones or handheld systems. Not Wolfman2000! He’s dancing it up, having a blast, and encouraging people to keep donating in between the runs. You might even say he’s become something of a symbol for the event: energetic, unashamed to embrace enthusiasm and his love for games, and genuinely interested in helping out.
“I am kind of surprised I have become a symbol to be honest,” he told me via Twitter DM this afternoon. “It is a little overwhelming at times, but I still have fun with it. Still, I am honored that I am able to put smiles on many faces and help motivate them to donate to the cause.”
Wolfman2000 told me he didn’t really plan on becoming a symbol for the event, but the vibe at AGDQ moved him. “The spirit got to me,” he said. “There is a huge collection of tunes and tracks one can groove to. I do it more for stress relief, to let loose. Maintaining the same position for hours is not the best thing for my body. Have to do something. Hope that makes sense.”
The attention can be a lot—and chat is certainly very into Wolfman2000’s enthusiasm, so I asked him about how he feels to be a minor celebrity at AGDQ this year. “I did not really think about that until it was brought to my attention by both a co-worker and a different YouTuber I know of. I just tried to not think about it too much,” he told me.
“I am fine using Twitch chat to talk to them, while at the same time encouraging more donations and positivity. I can safely say I did not do this for the status, but as long as I keep a cool head, it should not be a problem.”
AGDQ is running through next weekend, and I expect to see more of Wolfman2000’s moves as the event continues. His enthusiasm is honestly refreshing and fun to be party to, even in the midst of an event now known for its positivity.
