How Patch Updates Affect Speedrunner Records

16 February 2025

Speedrunning is one of the most fascinating corners of the gaming world. There’s something captivating about watching players push games to their absolute limits, demonstrating immaculate skills, perfect timing, and a borderline obsessive knowledge of the game’s inner workings. But what happens when the developers swoop in with a sneaky little patch? Suddenly, the game you thought you knew inside and out isn’t quite the same anymore, and for speedrunners, this can be either a blessing or a nightmare.

In this article, we’ll dive into the weird and wild world of patch updates and how they can completely throw a wrench (or a golden ticket!) into the speedrunning community. Get ready—we’re about to open Pandora’s box.

What Is Speedrunning? A Quick Recap

Okay, before we dive headfirst into the chaos of patch updates, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. Speedrunning, put simply, is the art of completing a game as fast as possible. Players push themselves to shave seconds—no, milliseconds—off their records. There’s even an entire culture built around it, complete with leaderboards, competitions, and live events like Games Done Quick that raise millions for charity.

Speedruns aren’t just casual sprints, though. They’re methodical and calculated, with runners spending countless hours finding and perfecting routes, exploiting glitches, and memorizing every frame of a game. It’s like solving a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded while sprinting on a treadmill—total mastery is the name of the game. Or at least, until a patch update says, "Not so fast!"

Patch Updates and Their Impact: A Love-Hate Relationship

So, what exactly are patch updates? If you’ve ever booted up a game only to find you’re stuck in a 5-minute (or 5-hour, looking at you, day-one patches) download screen, you’ve encountered one. Developers release patches to fix bugs, balance mechanics, or add content. Sounds great, right? Yeah…unless you’re a speedrunner.

For speedrunners, patch updates can feel like the universe shifting under their feet. Let’s unpack the two major ways patches can mess with—or bless—speedrunning records.

1. Eliminating Glitches and Exploits

Here’s the thing: glitches are the bread and butter of most speedruns. Sure, not every category allows them (some speedrunning categories are specifically "glitchless"), but for most runners, glitches are what turn an average run into an absolute banger. Whether it’s a wall clip that lets you skip half a level or a duplication glitch that saves hours of grinding, glitches are pure gold.

But to developers? Glitches are bugs—ugly little problems that need squashing. So, when a patch rolls out, the infamous "game-breaking glitch" that speedrunners worked so hard to master might just disappear forever. Imagine perfecting a trick for months, only to wake up to Patch 1.5 that says, "Fixed an issue where players could phase through walls." Ouch.

Take "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time," for example. Early versions of the game allowed runners to perform a trick called "Wrong Warp," skipping entire sections of the game. Later releases? Poof. Feature gone. For runners using newer versions, that iconic skip isn’t even an option. It’s like training for a marathon, and the organizers suddenly decide to cut a mile off the course.

2. Changing Game Mechanics

Sometimes patches don’t just fix glitches; they fundamentally alter how the game works. A weapon might swing slower, enemies might have new patterns, or physics might behave differently. These changes, while often aimed at improving gameplay for the casual audience, can completely unravel the strategies speedrunners have built.

Consider "Dark Souls." Many speedruns rely on specific mechanics like moveset swaps or animation cancels to race through the game. But with every patch, minor tweaks to the combat system or movement physics could mean the difference between a world record run and a disastrous attempt.

It’s like running on solid ground one day, only to wake up and find that same ground has turned into quicksand. Speedrunners often have to re-learn the game from scratch—and in some cases, certain tricks aren’t even possible anymore.

The Silver Lining: When Patches Help Speedrunners

But hey, it’s not all doom and gloom. Sometimes, a patch can actually work in a speedrunner’s favor. Maybe a new glitch is accidentally introduced (ironic, right?), or mechanics are adjusted in ways that make a run faster. It’s rare, but when it happens? Oh boy, is it exciting.

For example, in "Celeste," patches added assist mode options that allowed players to fine-tune gameplay. While assist mode isn’t traditionally used in speedruns, it still offered new tools for practice and analysis. Similarly, other games have accidentally introduced skips or tricks in newer patches that make records tumble like dominoes.

It’s a bit like opening a mystery box—you never quite know what’s inside.

The Patch Dilemma: Which Version Should You Run?

So now we get to the big question: Which version of the game should a speedrunner play? That depends. Some runners stick to older versions of games, purposefully avoiding updates to keep those juicy glitches alive. Meanwhile, others embrace the latest patches, adapting to the changes and finding creative new ways to tackle the game.

This division even leads to separate leaderboards. Most speedrunning communities split records by version, allowing players to compete on a level playing field. After all, it’d hardly be fair to compare a Patch 1.0 "glitch-filled masterpiece" run to a Patch 2.0 "glitchless marathon," right?

For games with active developers, though, the constant updates can create a never-ending game of cat and mouse. As soon as runners master one version, another patch might drop, keeping them on their toes. It’s part of the thrill and pain of modern speedrunning.

How Speedrunners Adapt to Patches

It’s easy to picture speedrunners sitting in the dark corner of a room, shaking their fists at patch updates like cartoon villains, but the reality is a lot more optimistic. Speedrunning is all about adaptability and resilience. When patches drop, runners don’t give up—they get creative.

Here’s how they adapt:

1. Archiving Old Versions: Some speedrunners make a habit of saving older versions of games (when possible). This way, even if a patch removes certain glitches, they can keep running on the pre-patch version. Emulator software like Dolphin for GameCube games or rollback systems on Steam can help a lot here.

2. Discovering New Glitches: Believe it or not, when one door closes, another sometimes opens. The community comes together to analyze the patch, testing every nook and cranny to see if new exploits have been introduced. It’s almost like an archeological dig—except with way more controllers.

3. Updating Strategies: If all else fails, speedrunners rework their routes and techniques to match the updated mechanics. It’s a grueling process, but for dedicated runners, it’s all part of the fun.

The Role of Developers: Friend or Foe?

Finally, we’ve got to talk about the elephant in the room: game developers. Are they the villains of this story? Sometimes it can feel that way—especially when they drop a patch that nukes half the speedrun strategies overnight.

But truthfully, most developers don’t set out to ruin speedruns. Their job is to make a better game for the general audience, not cater to a niche group of players who can beat the game in five minutes. Many devs even embrace speedrunning, adding modes or tools specifically tailored for the community.

Ultimately, it’s a delicate balance between fixing a game and preserving its quirks. It’s like trying to renovate a house without messing up its vintage charm.

Final Thoughts

Patch updates are part of gaming’s evolution. For casual players, they’re mostly a good thing—bug fixes, quality-of-life improvements, and new content are always welcome. But for speedrunners? Patches are tricky beasts, sometimes reshaping the entire landscape of a run.

Whether patch updates are heroes or villains depends on your perspective. But one thing’s for sure: the speedrunning community’s passion and adaptability will keep them sprinting forward, no matter what curveballs developers throw their way. After all, speedrunners don’t just play games—they redefine them.