10 RPG runs to watch during AGDQ 2026

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The new year often inspires a sense of fresh starts and new opportunities. For video game fans, it also means the return of Awesome Games Done Quick! This exciting event, running 24/7 from January 4th to 11th, brings together top speedrunners from around the world to raise money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Now in its 15th year, viewers can enjoy thrilling gameplay all week long, donate to a worthy cause, and even have a chance to win prizes. I’m really looking forward to it!

No matter what kind of games you enjoy – whether playing or watching – you’re sure to find some interesting speedruns, including those for RPGs. Since we’re RPGSite, we’ve picked out a few runs we’re especially looking forward to this week and let you know when they’re happening!

You can watch Awesome Games Done Quick live on Twitch! The full schedule is available HERE and will automatically adjust to your local time zone.

Here are the 10 RPGs we are most looking forward to during AGDQ 2026!

Final Fantasy X

I remember when I first played Final Fantasy X way back in middle school on my PS2 – it took me around 40 to 50 hours to finish! Even now, after playing it a bunch of times, I’d be surprised if I could beat it in under 35 hours. But this Monday, a speedrunner named Vemillion is going to absolutely crush it, finishing the whole game in under 3 hours and 20 minutes! It’s insane!

Check out our old review of the HD Remaster from back in 2014!

Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) isn’t just about retro games! This year, they’re also tackling newer titles, including Pokémon Legends: Z-A on the Switch 2. This new Pokémon game shakes up the combat system with a faster, more action-packed style. Speedrunner Zypotic is aiming to complete the game in under two hours on Monday!

You can see what we thought of Pokémon Legends: Z-A in our review.

Borderlands 2

I haven’t played Borderlands 4 yet, but I believe the series was at its best with Borderlands 2. That’s why I’m excited about a new co-op playthrough of all the quests, happening on Tuesday. Players Zzrules21, Deceptix_, and UnjustAction will team up to defeat Handsome Jack and complete everything Pandora has to offer in under three hours.

Our leader, Alex Donaldson, reviewed this excellent game way back in 2012. You can find his review here.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

Whether Armored Core VI is an RPG is a discussion for others! But we’ve already covered it on the site, and that’s reason enough to highlight it again. Plus, I’m a huge fan of cool mecha games, and AC6 delivers that in abundance. TheKingsPride will be showcasing the game in action during a livestream on Wednesday, and I’m excited to see the powerful weapons they equip!

Check out Josh Torres’ in-depth thoughts on the game as part of our Branching Paths series!

Pokémon Heart Gold/Soul Silver

Following closely after the Armored Core showcase, a popular Pokémon game will be featured at AGDQ’s main event. TTS4Life will attempt an Any% speedrun of Pokémon Heart Gold or Soul Silver on Wednesday, aiming to complete the game in around 2 hours and 45 minutes. Viewers will be eager to see if the run includes a challenging battle against Red in the Kanto region.

Octopath Traveler 2

While many are excited about the recently released Octopath Traveler Zero, Octopath Traveler 2 remains a fantastic turn-based RPG. On Thursday, AnimeFanX11 will be completing one character’s storyline in just over an hour. You can donate to help decide which of the female characters they will play as!

We are rather fond of this second entry, and you can read our review here.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

We’re excited to announce our Game of the Year 2025 will be featured at Awesome Games Done Quick! And it’s not just one speedrun – it’s a head-to-head race between Bdud5 and Z3RO1337! They’ll be tackling the Expert difficulty, battling through the Paintress and Renoir challenges, all in under two and a half hours this Thursday. Plus, this run is a great way to get everyone excited for more speedruns to come.

Here is our review of 2025’s runaway smash hit

Lies of P

Many consider Lies of P to be one of the best soulslike games created outside of FromSoftware, and its expansion, Overture, was also a hit. This Friday, speedrunner ColonelFat69 will be playing through the prequel to Lies of P, completing it in under an hour without using any glitches!

Check out our reviews for both Lies of P and Overture!

Chrono Trigger

Seriously, we had to recommend the Chrono Trigger speedrun – it’s practically our duty as RPGSite! JeriKandra is taking on this classic game on Friday, aiming to complete Magnus and defeat Lavos in under two hours. What better way to start the weekend than with some amazing 16-bit gameplay?

Once you’ve seen the gameplay, try it out yourself and use our easy-to-follow guide to decide which version you prefer.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

The recently remastered classic strategy RPG, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, has brought the story of Ramza back to players, and Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) is already showcasing it. ChessJerk will be playing through the game and collecting the Zodiac Stones in under two hours this Saturday.

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2026-01-04 18:57