Image: Twitter
A prominent speedrunner says he’s been banned from participating in all future events hosted by the charity organisation Games Done Quick after he gave marijuana to a friend at the most recent speedrunning marathon.
BubblesDelFuego, a speedrunner known for Fallout 4 and Dark Souls speedruns, said Friday on a Twitch stream that he had been taking marijuana edibles to treat chronic pain.
He was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at age 17, surviving the condition thanks to early detection and later beating the cancer again at the age of 19. Since then, he has been taking medical marijuana to help alleviate lingering pain.
BubblesDelFuego said he shared a portion of his edible with a friend who was staying with him at a local AirBnB. An hour later, as the edible’s effect wore off, BubblesDelFuego’s friend experienced a panic attack and was taken to a local hospital by paramedics.
As police arrived on the scene and GDQ staff became aware of the situation, GDQ staff asked BubblesDelFuego to leave the venue. During a live run for Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy where he was providing commentary, you can see BubblesDelFuego checking his phone before leaving the commentator’s couch.
“I made the mistake of sharing it,” BubblesDelFuego said during his livestream. “I made the mistake of bringing it to Virginia to begin with. I was just so caught up in feeling comfortable with them and feeling like family but I should have reconsidered that.”
In the video, BubblesDelFuego said that members of the GDQ staff offered advice as he was leaving the event. “One GDQ staff member tells me to get a lawyer as soon as possible to avoid fees in jail,” he said.
“Another says that marijuana should never be given to anyone with anxiety.”
Today, via Twitter DM to Kotaku, BubblesDelFuego criticised the GDQ “enforcement” staff, accusing them of abusing their power. “Everything now seems clear, but in the moment I was so confused why GDQ staff would input their thoughts in the moment when they clearly did not know anything about THC,” he said.
“It’s almost as if they just wanted to be ‘a part of the action’ and dignify to themselves that their ‘job’ there has a purpose… They don’t have experience with having power, so in the moment they show anxiety and abuse it. Anxiety because they have no idea what they’re doing and they can’t let that show, and abuse because they’d rather do their job too much than too little.”
Games Done Quick has banned or temporarily suspended runners in the past for incidents involving political apparel and runner profanity.
As the event has grown, organisers have taken extra steps to cut down on perceived controversies and community toxicity. During AGDQ 2018, they set their Twitch chat to subscriber-only mode in an effort to cut down on spam and hate speech.
Games Done Quick’s rules specify that any individual attempting to enter the event while under the influence of illicit substances is subject to possible disciplinary action. First-time offenders receive a verbal warning while a second offence is grounds for being removed from the event “with the possibility of banishment from future events.”
The rules urge caution for individuals in possession of medical or recreational marijuana.
“Marijuana is a very complicated subject and we understand this,” the rules say on the charity’s website. “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.”
When contacted by Kotaku via email, a representative of Games Done Quick said: “As a company policy we do not publicly discuss enforcement actions.” Games Done Quick’s rules specify that regardless of the situation, individuals found in violation of local laws are still subject to discipline.
Awesome Games Done Quick 2018 took place in Herndon, Virginia from January 7th to 14th, raising $US2,294,612 ($2,959,854) for the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
At the time, Virginia had yet to adopt widespread medical marijuana laws. In February, the State Senate and House of Delegates voted to allow doctors to recommend their use for the treatment of any diagnosed illness or condition.
“As a result, the two time cancer survivor is now banned from a cancer marathon,” BubblesDelFuego said in his livestream. “I’ve come to terms that I’m banned and no longer going. I’ve taken this week off to reflect and calm down and to gather my thoughts and words. I’m not speed running or streaming or being the best.”
“By the way, I’m still the best.”
Comments
25 responses to “Speedrunner Says He’s Banned From All GDQ Events After Sharing His Medical Marijuana”
Lame. It’s a hard thing being a medical marijuana user. I’m was on a NSW trial for a condition im not totes comfortable sharing here and my wife remains on it for her cancer. We don’t share that though because people will want in on our stash.
I can totally empathise the guy giving consenting adults weed due to social pressure and it sucks that this is part of the process of unravelling decades of marijuana based misinformation.
If you don’t mind me asking and also you do not have to go into details but I was curious on the medical marijuana stuff. I was offered a trial (in vic) to treat my epilepsy as normal meds don’t always work. But I stopped doing weed a long time ago as it effected my mental health (anxiety/depression) do you find it affects anything like this? As well is there is no high to go with it?
Do it.You won’t get high, but fingers crossed your tremors will reduce. No THC, so should not make your anxiousness kick in. The type should be CBD heavy and that helps people with Schizophrenia feel whole again.
You may actually begin a quality of life you have been looking forward to.
Thank you for the info! Looking into it.
Yeah, mines like epilepsy. Only it’s visual hallucination based (hypnagogic) and chronic sleepwalking. I have a brain abnormality. So the meds worked to a degree, but I still had issues.
I’d tried weed before but not habitually. I was kinda turned off by the idea based on use in my teens and early 20’s (getting to that point where you go, this cool and all but I could be doing something else) and as you said, anxiety.
Then I had the trial. Man did life get good! I’ve been cured of the hypnagogic episodes (except when overseas, for obvious reasons) and my mood has been so consistent since! I have had three great years and I’m mature enough to know marijuana can be used in a meaningful manner.
At the start you get high all the time, which is either fun or soul sapping. But then the tolerance kicks in and you’re just Even Stephen from there on in.
I’m not saying it’s going to work like that for everyone, but I’ve had some good years, man. You hear all these woeful things about it holding you back and being addictive, but that hasn’t been my experience at all. I’ve progressed financially in the time since and have been a generally emotionally intelligent person. It’s been a good experience.
Thanks for the information and sharing your personal experience. Mine is caused from a lesion in my brain. I suffer from small blackouts,tremors and larger seizures. I take the largest dose possible on my current meds and still have seizures from time to time. The other drawback is how lethargic the dosage makes me feel. And also being curious of how it may affect my mentally as the drug is also a mood stabilizer and old school anti depressant for other people. I am looking into going on a trial now for the medical marijuana. Thanks again for info!
Do it man! I think I know the meds you are talking about (the brain lesion part gave it away— we may have similar damage to similar parts of the brain). The lethargy thing alongside the interruption to sleep patterns made it a depressing deal breaker for me. Plus the loss of appetite, ocassional feelings of general wonkiness, and not feeling yourself and kinda… numb.
The pot is MUCH more effective. And the side effects are actually enjoyable.
The CBD is the key component and I know people will warn you off THC intensive strains, but I like high doses of both in mine (as both have positive effects to functionality yet balance each other out with your high).
At first I felt like a stoner. But I’m totes not: I’m just a modern day marijuana user winning at life. Times have changed and people need to get involved. You can be high ALL the time yet still functional, still adaptable, and still successful.
Cheers. WHat do you mean by CBD? And if you don’t mind me asking, are you on the tablets or vape/smoking?
Tried all of the above. Smoke now. Tablets get you body stoned, which I hate because I like doing stuff, and vaping just wasn’t for me.
CBD is cannabidol: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabidiol
Definitely read up before you partake. It’s still a drug and you don’t want to start a habit if you find it can make you lazy or unmotivated (with THC use). I maintain that it is a much safer and wiser drug than alcohol to use but you do have to think if legality and being mindfully proactive when under the influence.
But these are all things you should look into for you. It’s good to be informed, ya know?
Thanks man. Ill try and talk to my dr/neurologist about it. See what we can do. You have been a great source of information! Thanks again!
Don’t listen to this guy, he’s just a filthy pot head.
Also, you want to hook me up?
I knew I should have kept all that to myself…
Cat’s out of the dime bag.
It’s a sucky situation for sure, but he really should have known better than to share his medical marijuana. It’s fair enough if he needs it for pain relief but just like any other kind of prescribed drug, you don’t share it with someone that doesn’t suffer from that ailment.
One side of me really feels for the guy – he’s a cancer survivor and can no longer attend a charity event to raise funds for cancer research. The other side of me is thinking “Why the hell did you do that, dude?”.
Because you have to pass that shit son.
Ok so a guy brings a prescription drug into a state where it is illegal, then proceeds to give it to some one else (also illegal) and the law enforcement are the bad guys in his eyes?
Yeah of course, because he survived cancer and was doing charity work. /s
I think you mean God’s Work.
Well it gets to the point where GDQ are taking punishment into their own hands, if they were adult about things they would have possibly told him off and mentioned something to the police. How long until GDQ ban people for getting a speeding ticket on the way to the event to save their public image….
Bit of a stretch there..
He buggered up and GDQ did what most organisations would’ve done.
It may be a contentious issue overall, but the onus for this is completely on him.
Yeah, this hmis some heartbreaking stuff as something as small can become a huge deal. Im hoping down the line GDQ staff might repeal this ban, but i doubt it considering people being barred to attend for lesser issues.
The world in general is still a douche-bag when it comes to marijuana use, best to just NOT do this kind of thing in public.
Oh man, BubblesDelFuego’s runs at GDQ events were always worth watching so it super-sucks he’ll no longer be there.
What he says about GDQ staff reminds me of my experiences with Manifest here in Melbourne, where a lot of people involved were intoxicated with the power they had and used it unnecessarily. I could… write a book on my time there, actually.
Hopefully something can be done to get him back, but in the meantime I guess I’ll have to watch him stream.
I avoid these events due to that type of staff member. There are these dudes who I wouldn’t piss on IRL intoxicated with booze and power (which is actually then confusing responsibility for power) trying to make up for every blow their confidence has ever taken over the course of the event.
They are like events hosted by every terrible comic store owner you’d ever met. Makes me feel punchy.
In Manifest’s case it wasn’t comic book store types so much as it was uni students experiencing their first tastes of power after high school.
But yeah, any organisation like this attracts a particular kind of person who, if not weeded out quickly, can cause headaches for everyone during the event itself.
(There’s also the people who are all gung-ho and commit to a whole bunch of stuff at the start of the year then quit three months in when they realise just how much of a time commitment these positions are.)