# HowLongToBeat MCP MCP > HowLongToBeat delivers universal game completion data. Use this MCP to ask your AI agent for precise gameplay hours on any video game. It calculates times for the main story, includes side quests, and estimates full 'completionist' runs. Stop guessing how long a backlog will take—get accurate timing metrics instantly. ## Overview - **Category:** productivity - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** video-games, gameplay-stats, completion-time, backlog-management, gaming-data, user-metrics ## Description Planning a massive gaming binge? Need to tell someone exactly how much time they should set aside for your next video game obsession? This MCP gives you access to the world’s most reliable source for game completion times. Your AI agent connects directly with this data, letting you ask questions like, “How long is The Witcher 3 if I do everything?” It doesn't just give one number; it breaks down estimates for main story runs versus full 100% completion. Whether you’re a journalist checking official timelines or a gamer building out a massive backlog, the data arrives instantly via natural conversation. Because this MCP is hosted and managed by Vinkius, your agent can pull these detailed gaming metrics right alongside other types of structured data you're working on. ## Tools ### search_game_times Searches for and retrieves estimated completion times for any given video game. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` How long does it take to beat the main story of The Witcher 3? ``` **Response:** ``` Searching for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt... The main story takes approximately 52 hours to complete. If you decide to do the side quests as well, it goes up to about 103 hours. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Is 'Hades' a short game for a completionist? ``` **Response:** ``` Analyzing Hades completion data... While the main story can be beaten in about 23 hours, a full 'Completionist' run typically takes around 98 hours. It's quite a deep experience if you're aiming for everything. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Compare the completion times for 'Skyrim' and 'Starfield'. ``` **Response:** ``` Comparing Bethesda titles... Skyrim's main story takes about 34 hours, while Starfield's is slightly shorter at 23 hours. However, for a full 100% run, Skyrim takes around 232 hours compared to Starfield's 154 hours. ``` ## Capabilities ### Estimate core story length Retrieve the estimated hours needed to finish a game’s primary narrative. ### Compare playstyle difficulty Get timing comparisons between different levels of completion, like story mode versus collecting every item. ### Audit entire backlogs Summarize expected playtime for a list of multiple video games in one request. ### Verify release details Retrieve the world’s official or community-reported release dates and full game titles. ## Use Cases ### Planning a weekend gaming marathon You're trying to fit three huge RPGs into a single weekend, but you don't know if it's possible. Ask your agent using the HowLongToBeat MCP to compare the completion times for all three titles; it instantly tells you which two are doable. ### Writing a comparison article You need to write about genre trends and must accurately state how long different types of games take. You run a query comparing 'Main Story' times across 10 titles, gathering all the necessary stats for your piece. ### Assessing a potential game purchase You found an old game you used to love and aren't sure if it’s worth revisiting. You ask your agent how long a 'Completionist' run takes, deciding whether the time investment is worth the nostalgia. ### Tracking professional research A data analyst needs to study player engagement across decades of titles. They query the MCP to retrieve both the expected playtime and the original world release dates for a set list of games. ## Benefits - Never guess a backlog time again. Use the `search_game_times` tool to get instant estimates for main story, side quests, and 100% completion. - Compare titles easily. You can ask your agent to compare two games' playtimes—for instance, comparing Skyrim's full run against Starfield’s data points. - Write better reviews with reliable sources. The MCP gives you the necessary metrics so you don't have to cross-reference multiple community wikis. - Plan for massive gaming sessions. Ask your agent to summarize expected playtimes for an entire list of games, saving hours of manual calculation. - Verify context immediately. Get official or community world release dates alongside the completion time data in one query. ## How It Works The bottom line is you talk naturally to your agent, and the MCP handles pulling complex, structured gaming time metrics in response. 1. Subscribe to this MCP within Vinkius. No API key is required; access is public. 2. Connect your AI client (Claude, Cursor, etc.) to the HowLongToBeat MCP. 3. Ask your agent a question like, “How long does it take to finish Elden Ring?” and get precise timing data back. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can I find out how long 'Elden Ring' takes to 100%?** Yes! Use the `search_game_times` tool with the query 'Elden Ring'. It will return the average hours for different playstyles, including the 'Completionist' run which is usually over 130 hours. **Where does the data come from?** The data is crowdsourced from thousands of gamers worldwide who submit their actual completion times to the HowLongToBeat community platform. **What is the difference between 'Main + Extra' and 'Completionist'?** 'Main + Extra' includes the story plus some side content, while 'Completionist' represents finishing everything the game has to offer (100% trophies/achievements). **If I run `search_game_times` with an unknown title, what kind of error will my agent receive?** The system immediately informs you that the game name is invalid or not found. It gives specific feedback instead of throwing a generic error, so your workflow knows exactly why the search failed. **Does `search_game_times` require an API key or any special credentials to run?** No, this MCP is public access. You don't need to worry about keys or private credentials; just connect your agent through Vinkius and start querying game times immediately. **Are there rate limits if I use `search_game_times` repeatedly for backlog checks?** No hard limit is published for public usage. However, if you're running bulk checks of hundreds of games, pausing briefly between requests ensures the best experience and prevents connection timeouts. **How does `search_game_times` interact with my existing AI client?** It works seamlessly with any MCP-compatible client. You connect your agent once through Vinkius, and the tool is available regardless of whether you use Cursor or Claude. **Can `search_game_times` differentiate time estimates across different platforms (PC vs. Console)?** The tool focuses on universal gameplay time metrics. While hardware can affect play speed, the hours returned measure content completion regardless of whether you played it on PC or console.