How Long to Beat Arceuss: Playtime Guide

Blogs rtdfsg 26 Jun , 2026 0

Introduction — Curious about playtime?

If you’ve ever typed “how long to beat arceuss” into a search bar, you’re not alone. Pokémon Legends: Arceus (often shortened to Arceus) surprised many with its mix of action, exploration, and collection. Playtime can vary wildly depending on whether you rush the main story, collect every Pokémon, or take a relaxed, exploratory pace. In this guide I’ll explain average playtimes, what affects your time, examples of speedrun vs. completionist routes, and practical tips to finish faster without spoiling core story beats.

Quick overview: Average hours to finish

Here’s a straightforward breakdown of typical hours to beat Arceus based on playstyles. These estimates come from player reports, community trackers, and measured speedrun data.

Main story: 15–25 hours — If you focus on story missions and minimal side tasks.
Main + extras: 30–45 hours — You follow side quests, fill more of the Pokédex, and explore thoroughly.
Completionist (100%): 60–100+ hours — Catching every Pokémon, completing all requests, and clearing post-game content pushes time up dramatically.
Speedrun (glitched/any%): Under 1–2 hours for top players using advanced tricks; typical casual low% runs are several hours.

These ranges explain why people ask: how long to beat arceuss? Your goal (story vs. completionist) determines where you land.

What affects your total time?

Several factors change your playtime in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Understanding them helps set expectations and plan a run that matches your goals.

Playstyle: Are you rushing the narrative or savoring exploration? If you enjoy the open-world vibe and lore, you’ll spend more time.
Experience level: Newcomers may take longer to learn combat, movement, and the crafting/cooking systems.
Pokedex goals: Filling the Pokédex can be time-consuming — some Pokémon are time-locked, region-specific, or require evolution chains.
Requests and side content: There are many NPC requests that reward items and XP; skipping them cuts hours but may make fights harder later.
Post-game content: Strong bosses, Alpha Pokémon, and catching rare spawns extend playtime significantly.

Example: a player focusing on story but consistently doing nearby requests might finish in ~20–30 hours. A completionist aiming for every research level and shiny hunt could easily log 80+ hours.

Breaking down the story: When does the main quest finish?

The main narrative of Pokémon Legends: Arceus wraps up after the core arc that ties to the region’s mysteries and the appearance of Arceus-related events. You’ll typically reach the story climax once you’ve completed the key main missions and several essential side missions that unlock new areas.

Typical milestones and their approximate times:

Early game (first 3–6 hours): Learn mechanics, complete initial errands, and begin research. Your Pokémons’ levels are low but you earn important tools.
Mid game (6–15 hours): Major story beats, new areas, and stronger wild encounters. Expect multiple extended hunts and boss-type encounters.
Late game (15–25 hours): Final missions and the main climax; you’ll unlock post-game once the credits roll and additional high-level challenges appear.

Note: these time estimates depend on difficulty and whether you grind levels or skip tutorials.

Speedruns and fast strategies — how to trim hours

If your question is specifically about how long to beat arceuss in the fastest possible way, here are practical strategies used by speedrunners and efficient players. You won’t need glitches to cut hours off casual play, but advanced tricks do exist for record attempts.

Follow a route: Use a planned mission route to minimize travel time. Prioritize story-critical missions and skip most requests.
Fast travel smartly: Unlock and use warp points. Keeping a map of key base camps reduces backtracking.
Level gating: Only grind enough to comfortably beat mandatory bosses. Over-leveling wastes time.
Item management: Bring crafting materials and key items so you don’t stop to farm mid-run.
Use strong counters: Build a compact team with high-utility moves and resistances to handle boss mechanics quickly.

Example fast-route: Complete the first two story arcs, skip optional requests, focus on critical research tasks, and keep movement optimized with mounts and parkour. Many casual speedruns that avoid heavy glitches finish the main story within 12–15 hours.

Completionist and 100% runs: Why they take so long

Completionist play is fun but time-intensive. If your goal is to fill the entire Pokédex, max research levels, and collect cosmetics, expect the playtime to balloon.

Region exclusives: Some Pokémon only appear at night or in specific weather conditions, so tracking them can take hours or days unless you manipulate time or wait for in-game events.
Evolution chains & requirements: Certain evolutions need specific items or conditions; obtaining these can be time-consuming.
Shiny hunting: Rarity of shinies means long, repetitive encounters if that’s part of your 100% checklist.
Alpha Pokémon and post-game bosses: These high-level encounters demand preparation and retries.

Real-life example: One community member reported ~85 hours to reach a near-complete Pokédex, plus an additional 20 hours for assorted post-game events. That’s typical for completion-driven players.

Recommended levels, team builds, and examples

Preparing a compact, effective team reduces wasted time in battles and avoids lengthy grinds. Here are practical, example-level targets and team suggestions depending on your progress phase.

Early game (to ~10 hours): Keep your team around level 15–25. Balanced types (ground, water, flying) help counter region enemies.
Mid game (10–20 hours): Aim for level 30–40 on your core three. Get moves that cover common threats and carry healing items or cooking recipes.
Late/post-game: Many post-game encounters are level 50+. Prepare with higher levels, strong IVs, and type-perfect counters.

Example team for balanced runs:

Starter with strong STAB moves (fast damage, reliable coverage)
Versatile tank (high defense or HP, with healing or status moves)
Ranged/damage dealer (special or physical attacker with varied move pool)

Tip: prioritize training one or two Pokémon you enjoy and rely on them to carry key fights rather than juggling a large, unfocused roster.

Tips to save time without losing enjoyment

You can reduce the hours required to beat the game while still enjoying the story and world. Here are sensible tips used by experienced players.

Prioritize story missions: If your goal is to beat the game quickly, focus on main tasks and only pick side requests that are right on your route.
Use mounts and fast travel: Unlocking and using base camps is essential to cut travel time.
Prepare before bosses: Check resistances and bring counter Pokémon to avoid multiple retries.
Cook in batches: Make meals that give XP and healing to avoid frequent stops.
Limit over-grinding: Hit the minimum level threshold to beat a boss and move on; excessive grinding inflates playtime.

Practical example: Instead of searching every nook for all items on first pass, mark rare spawns and return after credits if you want 100% later. This staged approach can reduce early playtime by 10–30 hours.

FAQ — Common questions about playtime and content

Q1: How long to beat arceuss just for the story?
A: Expect about 15–25 hours if you mostly focus on main missions and skip most optional requests.

Q2: How long to beat arceuss if I want to finish the Pokédex?
A: Pokédex completion typically ranges from 60 to 100+ hours depending on hunting patience, trading, and whether you hunt shinies or evolutions that require time-gated events.

Q3: Can I speedrun Pokémon Legends: Arceus without glitches?
A: Yes. Non-glitch optimal runs by skilled players often finish the story in roughly 10–15 hours. Glitched any% records are much faster, but they require advanced techniques and practice.

Q4: Does playing co-op or multiplayer change the time to beat Arceus?
A: Pokémon Legends: Arceus is primarily single-player for the main story. Shared or trading features may help with Pokédex completion and reduce time for collecting specific Pokémon, but core story time remains single-player.

Q5: What’s the fastest way to reduce total hours?
A: Focus on core missions, minimize backtracking, use fast travel, and prepare optimal teams so boss fights take fewer attempts. Save time by postponing 100% completion tasks to a dedicated post-game session.

Conclusion — Choose the run that fits you

So, how long to beat arceuss? It depends on your goals. If you follow the main story, expect roughly 15–25 hours. If you enjoy filling the Pokédex and tackling post-game challenges, prepare for 60–100+ hours. Speedrunners can push story time down dramatically with optimized routes and tricks, while casual explorers will enjoy a middle ground around 30–45 hours. Pick a target, plan your route, and most importantly, have fun experiencing the world and discovery that Pokémon Legends: Arceus offers.

Good luck catching them all — whether you’re racing the clock or savoring every moment.