# How long does it take to beat Elden Ring?

> How long to beat Elden Ring: about 55–60 hours for the main story, around 100 with side content, 130+ for 100%; Shadow of the Erdtree adds 25–50.

How long it takes to beat Elden Ring varies a lot by player, but most finish the main story in roughly 55–60 hours. A run that explores most of the Lands Between and does many side quests usually takes around 100 hours, and full 100% completion about 130 hours or more. The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion (2024) adds roughly 25 hours for its main path and 40–50 hours if you explore it fully.

## What affects your playtime

- **Experience with FromSoftware games.** Soulslike veterans move faster and die less.
- **Build and difficulty.** Magic and summon-heavy builds tend to shorten boss fights; pure melee runs take longer for many players.
- **Exploration.** Elden Ring hides a huge amount of optional content: catacombs, caves, legacy dungeons and entire optional areas.
- **Side quests.** NPC questlines are long, easy to break, and tied to some endings.

## Rough breakdown

| Playstyle | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| Main story, little exploration | 50–60 hours |
| Main story plus a lot of side content | 90–110 hours |
| Completionist (all endings, achievements) | 130+ hours |
| Shadow of the Erdtree (main path / thorough) | 25 / 40–50 hours |

Speedrunners finish in well under an hour, but that relies on glitches and route knowledge, not a normal playthrough.

## FAQ

**How many endings does Elden Ring have?**
Six: Elden Lord, Age of the Stars, Lord of Frenzied Flame, Age of Order, Age of Duskborn and Blessing of Despair. Several depend on NPC questlines.

**Do I need several playthroughs for 100%?**
Usually yes, or at least careful saving: you need every ending for the achievements, and some items are exclusive to choices in questlines. NG+ helps collect the rest.

**Is Elden Ring the longest FromSoftware game?**
Yes. Its open world makes it much longer than Dark Souls, Bloodborne or Sekiro.

**How long is Elden Ring with the DLC?**
Roughly 80–90 hours for the base game's main story plus Shadow of the Erdtree's main path, and 170 hours or more if you aim to complete both.

**Is Elden Ring Nightreign part of Elden Ring?**
No. Nightreign (2025) is a separate co-op spin-off built around short runs, not an expansion, and it is not needed to finish Elden Ring.

**Is Elden Ring connected to Dark Souls?**
Not in story. It is a separate world, though it shares many gameplay ideas with Dark Souls.

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https://gamevoyages.com/how-many-hours-does-it-take-to-complete-elden-ring/ · Game Voyage · Checked 2026-10-31