Update: Since this story went live earlier today, Distortion2 has beaten his record once again, reducing the length of time to just six minutes and 59 seconds. We've embedded this new world record above.

To offer some clarification: this is an unrestricted, Any% category speedrun, meaning participants can use any glitches or exploits in order to reach the game's credits in the fastest possible time. Some of the techniques and shortcuts used in the above attempt are incredibly difficult to pull off, requiring an extraordinary level of dexterity and hours of practice to get right.

Of course, there are other categories that run through the game in a more traditional fashion. As shown on Speedrun.com, Elden Ring has several tracked categories, including All Remembrances. This version tasks speedrunners with beating all critical path bosses, the record currently standing at one hour, 32 minutes, and 45 seconds. There's a lot to dig into when it comes to speedrunning, so take a look if you're curious.

Original Story: In Elden Ring, the hallowed action RPG from FromSoftware, you can spend hundreds of hours gradually growing stronger and besting every vile creature and boss in the game, probably dying countless times in the process. It's a slow, methodical game about exploring a vast map, discovering its secrets and overcoming its challenges. Alternatively, you can blitz it in 10 minutes or less.

While other speedrunners are in the race to beat Elden Ring in as short a time as possible, it's Distortion2 that continues to lead the way, breaking his own world records along the way. You may recall we reported on his brilliant sub-30 minute run — but that was a month ago. Now, he's just established a new record, reaching the title's end credits in eight minutes and 56 seconds.

You can watch the full video above, showing the entire Any% run in less time than it took to put together this article. It's absolutely bonkers — Distortion2 utilises ridiculous glitches and exploits that cut through the entire game. Obviously, don't watch if you're wary of spoilers (or some bad language), but it's fascinating to see the game being broken into a million pieces like this.

You have to wonder where the record will be in another month's time. Are you a fan of speedrunning? What do you make of Distortion2's efforts? Tell us in the comments section below.

[source youtube.com, via twitter.com]