• TOTAL
  • LIST
  • PLAN
  • HUMAN

How to calculate total backlog playtime with your AI

Connect HowLongToBeat to your AI client to turn a messy list of games into a clear timeline of hours.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I find the total hours for my game backlog?

Give your AI a list of game titles and ask it to find the playtime for each. It will use the connector to fetch the data and then add the hours together for you. You'll get a total number of hours and a breakdown per game.

The results you get

What your calculation produces

The AI processes the list and hands you these specific results.

TOTAL

Total hours needed

The AI sums every individual game time into one final number. This tells you exactly how much time you need to clear the whole list.

LIST

Individual game breakdown

You get a clean list showing each game alongside its specific playtime. This helps you see which titles are time sinks and which are quick wins.

PLAN

Schedule your gaming

Use the total and individual times to decide how many weekends or months it will take to finish. The AI provides the raw data to build your plan.

HUMAN

Review and adjust

You decide if the playtime estimates match your playstyle. The AI provides the data, but you choose how to prioritize your actual gaming sessions.

The workflow

What your AI does when the list arrives.

The AI handles the data fetching and the math so you don't have to.

  1. Identify games

    The AI reads your list of titles to prepare for the search.

    search_game_times

  2. Fetch playtime

    The AI looks up the specific completion times for every game on your list.

    search_game_times

  3. Sum the hours

    The AI adds up all the retrieved values to find the total duration.

    search_game_times

  4. Format results

    The AI presents the final total and the individual game times in a readable format.

    search_game_times

Try it

Copy these to start.

Paste these directly into your chat to begin.

Starting points

Swap out the game titles in these prompts for the ones in your actual backlog.

HowLongToBeat Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_b0hEavxRJa7aqTwHHsSyWdXgzl65qLSrVKNV3y6P/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — HowLongToBeat capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "howlongtobeat-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_b0hEavxRJa7aqTwHHsSyWdXgzl65qLSrVKNV3y6P/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Calculate the total playtime for Elden Ring, Hades, and Stardew Valley.

  • How many hours will it take to finish my list: Cyberpunk 2077, Witcher 3, and Mass Effect?

  • Sum up the total time required for these games: Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Cuphead.

  • Give me a breakdown of playtime for my backlog: Doom Eternal, Halo Infinite, and Overwatch 2.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect HowLongToBeat once, then ask.

Click the link to connect the MCP. Your credentials stay encrypted, and you can immediately start asking your AI about game times.

Connect HowLongToBeat to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI add games to my HowLongToBeat account?

    No. The AI can only read playtime data using the available tools; it cannot modify your personal account or add new entries.

  • 02

    Does the AI know my specific playstyle?

    No. The AI uses standard playtime estimates. You will need to adjust the total based on whether you play casually or try to hit 100% completion.

  • 03

    Can I use this with any AI client?

    Yes, as long as the client is MCP-compatible, like Claude, Cursor, or Windsurf.

  • 04

    What happens if a game isn't found?

    If the search tool cannot find a specific title, the AI will tell you it couldn't find the data for that game.

  • 05

    Can the AI delete my game lists?

    No. The AI has no capability to delete or overwrite any data.

  • More questions about HowLongToBeat? See everything the HowLongToBeat Connector can do

Connect HowLongToBeat to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more