Elden Ring speedrunner posts first sub-30-minute run

Speedrunning Elden Ring is so new that speedrun.com — the community’s leading database of verified feats — doesn’t yet have any listings. That hasn’t stopped runners from getting a head start, and it appears that when the first marks are sanctioned, they’ll be coming in under 30 minutes.

Twitch streamer LilAggy posted what appeared to be the first sub-60-minute run on Wednesday, 12 days after the game launched. Then, over the weekend, streamer Distortion2 pared down his personal best by more than 20 minutes, bringing the benchmark for running Elden Ring down to 28:59. Video of that is below.

This is an Any% speedrun, meaning every tactic is fair game, including glitches and other exploits. Distortion2 uses some exploits as well as in-game skill, for example using double jumps while mounted to cover ground faster. He also “wrong-warps” the game, which forces the game to respawn his character into new locations after he dies, so he can skip to late-game areas that much faster.

In setting the previous unofficial record, LilAggy pointed out one reason why speedrun.com doesn’t recognize any records yet: The timing rules haven’t been officially decided. Distortion2’s runs were clocked according to in-game time, which came from Elden Ring’s save file. The speedrun community may opt for “RTA No Load,” which means real time minus the time spent in loading screens.

This flurry of activity makes Elden Ring a solid Games Done Quick candidate. Summer Games Done Quick will be taking game submissions in the next two weeks. Whether the game appears at the speedrunning marathon is up to the event planners, who have to consider its watchability, the performer, and where it would fit into a weeklong schedule.