There is no single reliable runtime for a Soulslike: first decide whether “finish” means completing the main story, playing selected side content, or pursuing completionist goals. Then use a current estimate for that specific game and category as a planning baseline, and count any expansion separately.
Choose what “finish” means
Completion-time databases such as HowLongToBeat distinguish among main-story play, main story plus side content, and completionist play. Those are different targets, not interchangeable versions of one definitive runtime. HowLongToBeat is described as community-sourced; the available provider information does not establish sample sizes or a formal statistical method, so treat its figures as estimates rather than guarantees. Source description.
- Main story: a useful target if you intend to focus on the central progression.
- Main story plus selected extras: appropriate if you expect to explore optional content along the way.
- Completionist: choose this only if you intend to pursue a much broader set of optional goals.
Before comparing numbers, make sure each one describes the same kind of run. An “all styles” figure is not a substitute for a main-story estimate.
Build an estimate for the specific game
- Name the game and scope. Note the platform or version if it matters, and say whether your estimate covers the base game alone.
- Find a current estimate for your completion target. Attribute the source and category, rather than presenting the number as a universal runtime.
- Add only planned content. If you expect to complete optional areas or an expansion, include them explicitly. Do not silently combine base-game and DLC estimates.
- Allow for personal variation without inventing a multiplier. Exploration, retries, and familiarity with this style of combat affect an individual run, but the sources do not support a fixed number of extra hours or percentage.
Use a range only when the source provides one or when clearly identified estimates give a defensible basis for it. Otherwise, report the source’s figure with its scope and describe it as a baseline.
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Examples: the same series can imply very different runtimes
The following are attributed estimates, not official developer promises or controlled comparisons. Sources do not provide player sample sizes or a common measurement method.
| Game and scope | Reported time | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring, main story | 60 hours | HowLongToBeat estimate displayed by IsThereAnyDeal; 2026 snapshot, with the page’s Steam data last updated September 8, 2026. IsThereAnyDeal. |
| Elden Ring, main story plus sides | 101 hours | Same displayed HowLongToBeat snapshot and date as above. |
| Elden Ring, completionist | 136 hours | Same displayed HowLongToBeat snapshot and date as above. |
| Elden Ring, all styles | 106 hours | Same displayed HowLongToBeat snapshot and date as above; this combined category should not replace the estimate for a particular goal. |
| Elden Ring, main story / with extras / completionist | About 55 / 100 / 130 hours | Separate 2026 Tilplay guide estimates attributed to HowLongToBeat; the page does not supply a player sample size or formal comparison method. Tilplay guide. |
| Shadow of the Erdtree expansion | Roughly 20–40 additional hours | Tilplay’s 2026 estimate, varying with exploration; it is specific to this expansion, not a general DLC allowance. Tilplay guide. |
| Mortal Shell | Roughly 5–12 hours | Michael Leri’s 2026 ComicBook.com estimate, which notes variation with player skill; a secondary editorial estimate, not an independently measured benchmark. ComicBook.com. |
The two Elden Ring sets differ somewhat, which is a reason to name the source and scope—not to combine the numbers into a supposedly definitive answer. The contrast with Mortal Shell also shows why a Soulslike label alone cannot predict a game’s length; these examples come from different sources and are not a controlled comparison.
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Account for exploration, retries, and expansions
Optional content changes the target
Tilplay’s 2026 Elden Ring estimates rise from about 55 hours for the main story to about 100 hours with extras. That is a game-specific example of how optional exploration can affect a run, not a rule for other Soulslikes. Tilplay guide.
Keep an expansion separate
If you plan to play an expansion, list its estimate separately from the base game unless a source explicitly combines them. Tilplay puts Shadow of the Erdtree at roughly 20–40 additional hours depending on exploration. Do not apply that range to other DLC or games. Tilplay guide.
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Player pace is real, but not a formula
Exploration, repeated deaths, learning enemy patterns, and familiarity with the combat can all affect an individual’s pace. The available estimates acknowledge variation, but they do not establish a reliable hours-per-death, skill adjustment, or percentage to add. Use those factors to understand why your run may differ from a community baseline, not to calculate a precise personal runtime.
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A quick way to answer “How long is this Soulslike?”
- State the game and whether the estimate covers the base game or an expansion.
- Specify main story, story plus extras, or completionist play.
- Give a current, attributed estimate for that exact target.
- Keep optional exploration and DLC explicit, and describe player variation without a made-up adjustment.
- When comparing games, align the completion target, content scope, and source type; do not compare one game’s “all styles” number with another’s main-story time.
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