How Long to 100% Complete Elden Ring? Around 130-150 Hours
Conquering just the critical path of Elden Ring‘s main story quest will run most players 50-70 hours. But for true champions seeking to uncover all secrets and superbosses the massive open world has to offer? Prepare for an epic journey of 130-150 hours to max out your hero and fully complete The Lands Between.
Speedrunning: Rushing Through in Minutes
First, let‘s examine the Lightning Bruisers of Elden Ring – the speedrunning community chasing world records for fastest completion times. These players leverage glitches, sequence breaks, and frame-perfect inputs to bypass content at blinding pace.
- The Any% category forsakes side content to finish Elden Ring‘s critical path as fast as possible. The current world record? An astonishing 17 minutes by player LilAggy!
- "True" 100% speedruns aim to defeat all bosses. Top players like Distortion2 can clash with every demigod, dragon, and legendary foe in under 3 hours of fluid perfection.
Yet for most mere mortals, even rushing Elden Ring‘s main line takes 50+ hours. So how long does a legitimate 100% playthrough take for players like you and me?
Defining 100% Completion in Elden Ring
Elden Ring‘s vibrant open world spans six interconnected regions holding over 100 mini-dungeons and 30 mighty main bosses. Sadly, no single hero can experience every possible twist and turn in one epic saga. Key NPC quests branch at pivotal moments, locking you out of certain endings and achievements. Four key trophies in particular require mutually exclusive progression choices.
Yet by carefully navigating questlines, a single tarnished can still complete nearly all major content before starting New Game Plus. I estimate 85-90% full completion is possible in a first playthrough if you plan wisely.
Completing All Major Content
So what content defines that 85-90% threshold? Here‘s a general overview of key milestones for completionists:
- All Main Story Bosses
- All Optional Bosses + Legendary Dragons
- All Primary Side Dungeons + Catacombs
- All Major NPC Questlines + Endings
- All Sorceries, Incantations, Talismans
- All Legendary Armaments + Ashes of War
- All Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones
Check every box above and you‘ve well and truly mastered Elden Ring‘s core content! Expect this to require 130-150 hours for most players. You‘ll traverse vast distances, tracking down obscure secrets and piecing together vague quest clues other games wouldn‘t dream of lacking waypoints or journals for. It‘s a herculean feat, but bring your A-game and it‘s possible. Probably. Maybe.
Stats from Other Tarnished
Precise "100%" criteria differs for every player, but averaging times submitted tocompletion tracking sites like HowLongToBeat.com gives a reasonable benchmark:
| Type | Avg. Time | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Main Story | 55 hours | +8,000 |
| Completionist | 133 hours | +1,000 |
So true veterans spending 100+ hours on a single playthrough vastly outnumber those blitzing just the critical path. For context, 133 hours is over 5 full days of continuous playtime!
This highlights how after beating the final boss, many gamers re-explore the expansive open world further. Seeking out additional challengesearning all achievements only doubling back can unlock proves what completionist call:
Elden Ring Has High Replay Value
FromSoftware expertly crafted Elden Ring‘s cryptic quests and layered lore to reward repeat journeys. NG+ and new characters let you discover areas, weapons, and secrets easily missed initially. Twisting NPC stories change drastically based on minor early decisions. Seeing every possible outcome requires not one epic playthrough – but several.
So while not all secrets unlock in a single trip through The Lands Between, each new expedition unveils more of its magical history. Every Tarnished‘s journey differs…will YOURS have the patience to uncover them all?
Top 5 Deepest Elden Ring Secrets
Let‘s highlight just a few rare wonders cementing Elden Ring‘s reputation for obscure secrets that can EASILY elude players on early runs:
1. Consecrated Snowfield – Frigid late-game zone most players miss until NG+. Holds ancient sorceries and the secret Haligtree region.
2. Mohgwyn Dynasty – Sinister underground realm dripping in blood. Sealed behind illusion walls and host to the deviant Shardbearer Mohg.
3. Frenzied Flame Proscription – Darkest possible ending requires backtracking to early zones after defeating a secret boss. I won‘t spoil it…go see for yourself!
4. Bell Bearing Hag – Key merchant appears after an assassination then vanishes until NG+. Sells upgrade stones and unique cooking recipes!
5. Miquella‘s Unseen Form – Cut questline hints what fabled child Empyrean truly resembles. Mysterious like his sister Ranni…
And those are just the SURFACE secrets! We haven‘t even touched legendary armaments like Devourer‘s Scepter or abilities like Bloodhound Step. Or my fellow confessor theorizing the mysterious Gloam-Eyed Queen…
But the journey, not just the destination, matters most. If you still hunger for more adventure when those end credits roll, don‘t delay your next journey!
Most Popular Ending: Age of Stars
Finally, which iconic world-changing finale have most Tarnished embraced? Elden Ring‘s achievements tell the tale:
1. Age of Stars – Restore destined Death to the world. Rule with Ranni in a cosmic dark age. Nearly 50% of players unlock this!
2. Elden Lord – Become consort to Marika herself. But will her shattered Order truly sustain the new age?
3. Frenzied Flame – Reduce the Erdtree to cinder and madness. Destined Death claims all…
I won‘t spoil how to unlock the three other endings. But between her fascinating quest design and likable NPCs, fans clearly favor Ranni‘s ambitious vision. If ANY demigod deserves to steer the new age, Ranni has my vote!
Foul rumors even claim she and the Tarnished have grown quite close behind the scenes. But let devotees dream – her true love for Blaidd endures…we think? Hmm.
The Journey Continues
As this deep dive proves, for willing warriors Elden Ring‘s journey needn‘t truly end. Not when 80% map completion still awaits in NG+. When new builds and online co-op adventures beckon!
If you count monsters felled, feet traveled, or hours lost to glorious combat, perhaps TRUE 100% completion simply isn‘t possible. But in spirit? Our quest to master Elden Ring‘s beautiful, terrifying world persists always.
This is our record to break, our Legend to craft. And it ends when WE declare it finished. So raise the banners of your houses, noble Tarnished. Adventure awaits!
