Welcome to the Game 3 Speedrun Guide: Every Ending, World Record & Category Explained

The Complete Speedrunner's Guide to Welcome to the Game 3: All Endings & World Records

The indie horror-puzzle series has built a cult following over the years, and the latest installment is no exception. If you're diving into a Welcome to the Game 3 speedrun, you're entering a competitive scene that's still young but rapidly evolving. With multiple categories, difficulty levels, and a dedicated community pushing times lower every week, there's never been a better time to start routing your first run.

Whether you're a veteran speedrunner or someone who just finished the game casually and wants to go faster, this guide covers everything you need to know. We'll break down every ending and category, highlight the current world records, and share actionable tips to shave minutes off your personal best.

What Makes Welcome to the Game 3 Unique for Speedrunners

Welcome to the Game 3 (WTTG3) launched in 2026 for PC and quickly attracted attention from the speedrunning community. Developed as a dark, atmospheric horror experience with puzzle-solving and internet-diving mechanics, the game presents unique challenges that differ dramatically from typical platformers or shooters on the speedrun circuit.

The game's structure — which involves navigating the deep web, avoiding threats, and solving layered puzzles — means that routing is everything. A Welcome to the Game 3 speedrun isn't just about fast reflexes; it's about knowing exactly where to go, what to interact with, and how to sequence-break past intended gameplay barriers.

Community reports suggest that the game's relatively short runtime (under two hours for experienced runners) makes it an attractive title for marathon events and casual speedrun streams alike. With only 19 verified runs and 13 unique players on the official leaderboards so far, the scene is still wide open for newcomers.

All Speedrun Categories and Endings Explained

Like most modern speedgames, Welcome to the Game 3 features several distinct categories that cater to different skill levels and playstyles. Each category represents a different "ending" or completion goal, and runners typically specialize in one or two. Here's a breakdown of every major category currently tracked on the official Speedrun.com leaderboard:

Any% Normal

This is the standard entry point for most runners. The goal is simple: reach any ending as quickly as possible on the default difficulty. According to player experience, the Normal difficulty route allows for more forgiving puzzle sequences and fewer instant-death scenarios, making it ideal for learning the game's layout.

Any% Normal+

For experienced runners looking for a challenge, Normal+ ramps up the difficulty significantly. Enemy behavior changes, puzzle timers tighten, and certain skips that work on Normal may not function the same way. The current top times in this category are actually faster than the Normal category, which speaks to how optimized the routing has become.

Any% Gambling

This category focuses specifically on the gambling-related content within the game. It's a niche but popular category that requires specialized knowledge of RNG manipulation and specific puzzle routes. Player experience indicates that this category has a higher skill ceiling due to the randomness involved.

Demo Any%

The demo version of WTTG3 was originally available on Steam before being removed by the developer. It's now archived on archive.org for preservation purposes. While short, this category is perfect for beginners who want to practice speedrun fundamentals without committing to a full-length run.

Current World Records & Leaderboard Highlights

The Welcome to the Game 3 speedrun leaderboards are still taking shape, but several runners have already established themselves as frontrunners. Here's a snapshot of the top performers across categories as of mid-August 2026:

Englishmaxylobes currently dominates two categories, holding the top spot in both Any% Normal and Any% Gambling Normal. CONTER10's Any% Normal+ record, submitted just a day before this data was collected, shows how active the competition remains.

It's worth noting that with only 19 total runs submitted across all categories, every new submission has the potential to shake up the leaderboards. This is one of those rare speedrun scenes where a brand-new runner could realistically claim a world record with dedicated practice.

The game currently has 26 followers on Speedrun.com, and community engagement is growing steadily. The Discord server and forums are active with runners sharing routes, discussing glitches, and organizing race events.

How Difficulty Levels Impact Your Speedrun

Understanding the difficulty system is crucial for anyone attempting a Welcome to the Game 3 speedrun. The game offers multiple difficulty tiers, and each one changes the run in meaningful ways:

Routing Differences by Difficulty

The route you take through the game changes depending on your chosen difficulty. On Normal, runners can afford to take certain risks — like triggering specific events out of order — because the consequences are less severe. On Normal+, those same risks can lead to instant failures, forcing runners to adopt safer but potentially longer paths.

According to community reports, the Normal+ meta has converged on a route that prioritizes consistency over raw speed. This explains why the top Normal+ time (1h 43m) is actually faster than the top Normal time (1h 52m) — the Normal+ runners have had more time to optimize their routing, while the Normal category sees more variance in approach.

Version Considerations

The game has received updates since launch, with versions 1.0.4 and 1.0.6 being the most commonly used for speedrunning. Version differences can affect which glitches and skips are available, so it's important to verify which version a run was submitted under before attempting to replicate a record.

Essential Tips for Your First Speedrun

Ready to attempt your first Welcome to the Game 3 speedrun? Here's a step-by-step guide to get you started on the right foot:

Step 1: Choose Your Category Wisely

If you're brand new to speedrunning, start with the Demo Any% category. It's short, low-pressure, and teaches you the fundamentals of routing and timing. Once you're comfortable, move up to Any% Normal.

Step 2: Study Existing Runs

Watch the current world record runs on Speedrun.com or YouTube. Pay attention to the order in which objectives are completed, where runners use glitches or sequence breaks, how they handle RNG-heavy sections, and their movement optimization between areas.

Step 3: Practice Individual Segments

Don't try to grind full runs right away. Break the game into segments and practice each one individually. This approach, known as "segmented practice," is how most world records are built.

Step 4: Set Up Your Timer and Recording Software

Use a reliable timer program (LiveSplit is the community standard) and record your runs for verification purposes. Even if you're not submitting to leaderboards yet, reviewing your footage helps you identify time losses.

Step 5: Engage with the Community

Join the WTTG3 Discord server and participate in the Speedrun.com forums. The community is welcoming to newcomers and can provide route advice, answer questions about specific tricks, and even race against you for motivation.

Where to Find the Demo & Community Resources

One unique aspect of the WTTG3 speedrunning scene is the status of the demo version. The developer removed the demo from Steam, making it officially unavailable through that platform. However, the community preserved it through archive.org, ensuring that the Demo Any% category remains accessible to new runners.

Joining the Welcome to the Game 3 speedrun community is easy and rewarding. The Speedrun.com page serves as the central hub, featuring leaderboards with verified runs, guides written by experienced runners, forum threads discussing routes and glitches, and streams of live runs from community members.

The moderation team — including MuchDoggo, Otrex, and FeelixG — actively maintains the page and ensures that submissions follow the established rules. If you're planning to submit a run, make sure you've read the category rules thoroughly to avoid rejection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a Welcome to the Game 3 speedrun take?

Run times vary significantly by category. The fastest category is Demo Any%, with top times around 11 minutes. The full-game Any% Normal category sees world record times around 1 hour 52 minutes, while Any% Normal+ sits at approximately 1 hour 43 minutes. Your first run will likely be much slower, and that's completely normal.

Can I still download the WTTG3 demo even though it was removed from Steam?

Yes. Although the developer took the demo down from Steam, community members have preserved it on archive.org. The Speedrun.com forums contain threads with direct download links. The Demo Any% category remains active and is a great starting point for newcomers to the speedrun scene.

What's the best category for beginners?

Most community members recommend starting with Demo Any% or Any% Normal. These categories have the most forgiving difficulty and the most established route guides. Once you've completed a few full runs and feel comfortable with the game's mechanics, you can explore Normal+ or Gambling categories.

How do I submit my Welcome to the Game 3 speedrun to the leaderboards?

To submit a run, you'll need a complete video recording with a visible timer. Create an account on Speedrun.com, navigate to the Welcome to the Game 3 page, and click "Submit Run." Fill in your time, category, and platform details, then provide a link to your video proof. The moderation team will review your submission and verify it against the category rules.