: The community uses strict leaderboards to distinguish between styles of runs, such as Any% (reaching the end by any means) and Glitchless 100% (finishing everything without exploits). A Global Community Born in the Shadows Culture hash: What is speedrunning - Axios

While speedrunning is often seen as a niche hobby, its evolution into a massive global subculture reveals a complex intersection of . What began with players trying to shave seconds off 90s classics has grown into a phenomenon that raises millions for charity and even intersects with modern cybersecurity research. The Core of the Speedrun: Speed as an Art Form

: Some researchers describe speedrunners as "virtual naturalists" who conduct empirical and materialistic studies of game worlds to find every exploit hidden in the digital landscape.