Awesome Games Done Quick 2024 raises $2.5 million for cancer research

Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) 2024 has wrapped after a nonstop weeklong speedrunning marathon. This year’s charity raised over $2.5 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Other highlights included four broken world records and a dog named Peanut Butter beating the oddball NES classic Gyromite.

This year’s AGDQ, which took place in Pittsburgh, passed the million-dollar threshold early on day five. Standout playthroughs included a no-hit run of Resident Evil 2 (2019), Super Mario 64 finished entirely on an electric drum kit (in 23 minutes!), and a blindfolded four-player / one-controller run of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.

World records broken in this year’s event included speed runner Glitchcat7 finishing the insanely difficult Super Mario World mod Luminescent in 41 minutes, 36 seconds. Talia finished the Celeste mod Strawberry Jam Collab in 49 minutes, 13 seconds. Mechalink beat the Sega Saturn game Virtual Hydlide in 27 minutes and 11 seconds. Finally, Bobbeigh conquered the Castlevania spiritual successor Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night — on hard mode — in 30 minutes and 24 seconds.

A conference room full of gamers and speedrunners playing and watching games on various computer monitors.
Games Done Quick / Ivan “Porkchop44”

Peanut Butter the Shiba Inu is now etched into the annals of GDQ history as the first canine-assisted speed run at one of the charity events. The well-trained pooch helped his owner (JSR_) finish the 1985 NES game Gyromite in 26 minutes and 24 seconds. He responded to well-timed commands, pressing his paws on a floor-pedal-operated controller to move the game’s red and green pipes up and down to lead Professor Hector to safety. (He was compensated with ham and cheese for his work.) You can watch Peanut Butter’s memorable run below.

This year’s AGDQ pushes the Games Done Quick fundraising total, stretching back 14 years, to more than $48.9 million. In addition to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, the showcases have raised money for organizations like Doctors Without Borders, Malala Fund, Organization for Autism Research and CARE. The next marathon will be an all-women speedrunning event called Frost Fatales, held online from March 3 to 10, with proceeds benefitting the National Women’s Law Center.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/awesome-games-done-quick-2024-raises-25-million-for-cancer-research-183049102.html?src=rss

NH Attorney General Warns Voters Of Fake Joe Biden Recording Urging Dems Not To Vote

The state’s Election Law Unit is investigating the call, which sounded like a robocall from Biden but was apparently fraudulent.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Early Impressions: The Ultra Is Not an Understatement

It takes time to review a smartphone, especially one as beefed up and feature-filled as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra purports to be. Instead of keeping you waiting for weeks as I test out the hardware and explore its offerings, I’m taking a gradual approach. Journey with me as I learn all about Samsung’s new Galaxy…

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LoanDepot discloses that hackers breached personal data of 16 million customers

As mortgage lender LoanDepot continues recovery efforts from a ransomware attack, it revealed on Monday that hackers stole data from more than 16 million customers. A Securities and Exchange Commission filing from the mortgage lender did not detail what kind of information the hackers breached, only that “an unauthorized third party gained access to sensitive personal information.”

LoanDepot first revealed it has fallen victim to attack on January 8. The company took some IT systems offline, but it faced a slow recovery. Customers took to social media to complain payment issues, struggles to access their accounts and even trouble closing deals on mortgages. By Friday, about two weeks since LoanDepot first came forward about the incident, systems like customer portals and other internal sites returned back online. It appears that LoanDepot fell victim to a ransomware attack, where hackers demand money in exchange for access or information, according to reporting from TechCrunch.

“Unfortunately, we live in a world where these types of attacks are increasingly frequent and sophisticated, and our industry has not been spared. We sincerely regret any impact to our customers,” LoanDepot CEO Frank Martell said in a statement.

Still, the true aftermath of the attack is still coming to light. LoanDepot did not provide additional comment, or explain what types of sensitive information may have been revealed. It did say it would offer free credit monitoring and identity protection services to impacted customers. Notably, three other major financial institutions — Mr. Cooper Group, Fidelity National Financial, First American Financial — have also been hit by cyberattacks in recent months. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/loandepot-discloses-that-hackers-breached-personal-data-of-16-million-customers-172702402.html?src=rss

6-Legged Spaniel Has Extra Limbs Removed

Ariel the spaniel was found abandoned in a London-area supermarket parking lot, but is now “doing brilliantly” after having surgery.

6-Legged Spaniel Has Extra Limbs Removed

Ariel the spaniel was found abandoned in a London-area supermarket parking lot, but is now “doing brilliantly” after having surgery.

Inspiration Behind Adult Animated Musical Comedy Hazbin Hotel

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Carnegie Mellon reveals it was hit by a cyberattack over the summer

A cyberattack hit Carnegie Mellon University last summer and the attackers breached personal data, according to a disclosure from the school last week. The Pittsburgh-based university known for its top tech and computer science programs said on Friday that the attack impacted 7,300 students, employees, contractors and other affiliates.

“There is no evidence of fraud or inappropriate use of the information from those files,” a statement from CMU said. Still, the attackers likely accessed and copied data that included names, social security numbers and birth dates. With help from law enforcement, CMU disabled any access to that copied data, according to the school.

It started on August 25 when unauthorized users accessed CMU’s systems. The university says it began recovery processes and an investigation into the incident that included months later in December, while notifications to impacted parties began to go out last week. Impacted parties will receive credit monitoring services to mitigate further damage.

CMU did not respond to a request for comment and further information about the attack by the time of publication.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/carnegie-mellon-reveals-it-was-hit-by-a-cyberattack-over-the-summer-155618462.html?src=rss

Valerie Bertinelli Says Food Network Ouster ‘Really Hurt My Feelings’

The star announced she won’t be asked back to “Kids Baking Championship.”

Gillian Anderson Is Joining Tron 3

Now that Tron 3 certainly has taken its best step forward in looking like it’s actually happening, we’re now getting some actually exciting casting news about the film, which just got a big, big headliner for nerds already excited about a Tron threequel.

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