With more than $200,000,000 in sales, Minecraft sits as the best-selling game of all time. Ten years after its full release, the game is still as popular as ever with its huge following across multiple platforms and numerous yearly updates. A big reason Minecraft is still going strong is due to its unlimited creative freedom, with infinite amounts of infinitely large worlds to build and mold into whatever the player wants.
Many fans will criticize the idea of "completing" Minecraft, as the game is centered around making personal goals for what to build. However, there's still a number of achievements available to earn and even a definitive end credits to reach. Some see the credits as the beginning of the next chapter for their world, whereas some see them as an end goal, especially in the world of speedrunning.
How Long Does It Take To Beat Minecraft?
With the end credits being considered as beating the game, the time it takes is hugely dependant on the player's skill level and how much mining and crafting they wish to do beforehand. According to HowLongToBeat, the average time for players to reach the credits is 90 hours, with people going at a leisurely pace taking a significantly longer 535 hours. Assuming the player wants to build a house, mine for the best gear, enchant their items and more, then over 100 hours is definitely normal. However, nothing is ever stopping players from trying to reach the ending the moment they start a new world.
To reach the end credits, the Ender Dragon needs to be defeated in The End dimension. To access The End, players need to find an underground Stronghold. Here there will be a portal room with slots for twelve Eye of Enders. Once placed, the dimension can then be accessed. The Ender Dragon inside is very difficult for the unprepared, which is why many people leave it late into their playthrough.
Of course, the difficulty doesn't stop speedrunners. Minecraft speedruns have become ever more popular over the past few years, with most ending when the player kills the Ender Dragon. The current world record for beating Minecraft sits at 9 minutes 36 seconds by user Brentilda, which is a far cry from the average 90 hours.
How Long Does It Take To Complete Minecraft?
Minecraft has completionists covered as well, as it comes with 95 in-game advancements that are refreshed with every new world created. These advancements can be viewed through the inventory, and are used to give players a helpful guide of what they can do next with their recourses, as well as offering a checklist of everything that can be in the world. Many of these are gained through natural progression in the world, such as upgrading tools. However, some require a lot more work to get to, such as killing the Wither boss, while others are locked behind tasks, such as crafting a beacon, which can only be crafted after defeating a Wither.
The average playtime for completionists comes to 328 hours. This may seem long on its own, but a more leisurely-paced completionist run can easily reach over 1000 hours on a single world. This is more than many people spend on their favorite games, and the level of dedication is a bold testament to just how popular Minecraft has remained all these years later.