You’ve just inherited a mansion. Sounds great, right? Except the Mt. Holly Estate is a shifting, architectural fever dream where rooms disappear if you take a nap, and the only way to actually keep the keys is to find a room that technically shouldn't exist.
That’s basically the hook of Blue Prince.
If you're looking at blue prince how long to beat and seeing that "17 hours" number floating around on the internet, I’ve got some news for you. That number is a bit of a trap. It’s like saying you can "finish" a buffet in twenty minutes. Sure, you can eat a plate of fries and leave, but you’re missing the point of the whole spread.
Blue Prince is a puzzle-strategy-roguelike hybrid that released in April 2025, and it has since become a bit of a cult obsession for people who like their games to feel like a second job (in a fun way). It’s developed by Dogubomb and published by Raw Fury, and honestly, it’s one of the most deceptively deep things I’ve played in years.
The 17-Hour Myth: Reaching Room 46
Let’s talk about that first big milestone. The game tells you straight up: find Room 46 to secure your inheritance.
For a lot of players, this is what they consider "beating" the game. If you focus purely on the drafting mechanics, manage your stamina (steps) well, and get a decent run of RNG, you can hit that 46th room in about 15 to 20 hours.
But here’s the kicker.
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Reaching Room 46 for the first time is actually just the end of the "prologue." It’s the moment the game finally stops holding your hand and says, "Okay, now actually solve the mystery." Many players find themselves rolling credits at the 15-hour mark and realizing they have absolutely no idea what’s actually going on with the story of Marion Marigold or the weird mining operations under the estate.
If you’re the type of gamer who wants to see the credits and move on, 18 hours is your number. But if you’re like most people who get sucked into this, you’re just getting started.
Why the "True" Playtime is Much Higher
Most "Main + Sides" players are clocking in closer to 35 to 40 hours.
Why the massive jump? Because Blue Prince isn't just about walking from point A to point B. It’s about the items you find and the "Metroidbrainia" elements where knowledge is your only permanent upgrade.
You’ll spend hours just:
- Deciphering the 8 Realms puzzle.
- Figuring out how to use the Microchips in the Blackbridge Grotto.
- Realizing that the "Blue Prince" title is actually a pun for "Blueprints" (it takes some people 100 hours to notice that, don't feel bad).
- Managing the drafting RNG to finally get that one specific room you need to test a theory.
One reviewer at PC Gamer mentioned they "finished" the game in 25 hours but were still uncovering massive, game-changing secrets 15 hours after that. That’s the real Blue Prince experience. You’re not just playing; you’re investigating. You will need a physical notebook. I’m not kidding. Digital notes don’t cut it when you’re trying to sketch out how the conservatory connects to the laboratory across three different "days."
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The 100-Hour Completionist Wall
If you want the Platinum trophy or every Steam achievement, buckle up.
We are talking 90 to 120+ hours.
There are "Challenge Modes" like Curse and Dare that completely change how you have to approach the mansion. Some players on Reddit have reported spending over 150 to 200 hours just to see every single piece of lore tucked away in the blue tents or hidden behind the massive "Castling" puzzle.
The variance here is wild because of the roguelike nature.
Sometimes the game just won’t give you the room you need. You might know exactly how to solve a late-game puzzle, but if the drafting cards don't fall your way, you're just walking through empty hallways for forty minutes. It can be frustrating. Some players have actually quit around the 50-hour mark because the RNG felt like it was gatekeeping the ending.
A Quick Breakdown of Playstyles:
- The "I Just Want the Inheritance" Run: 15–18 hours. You found Room 46. You’re done.
- The "Curious Investigator" Run: 35–45 hours. You’ve solved the major sub-plots and understand the Sinclair family mess.
- The "Master Architect" (100%): 100+ hours. You’ve beaten the challenge modes and found the Blue Door.
Dealing with the RNG Frustration
Look, I love this game, but we have to be honest: the time to beat is heavily padded by the drafting system.
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Unlike a game like Hades where a skilled player can win almost every time regardless of the loot, Blue Prince can occasionally soft-lock your progress for a day if you can't find a room with a north-facing door. This is where the playtime gets inflated.
If you want to keep your blue prince how long to beat count on the lower end, you have to prioritize permanent upgrades. Don't just aim for Room 46 every day. Spend days specifically hunting for "Gems" or "Experiments" that let you manipulate the draft.
The "Power Hammer" (made from a shovel, broken lever, and battery) is a literal game-changer. It lets you smash through walls to create shortcuts, which saves you steps, which gives you more time to actually solve things. If you don't focus on these tools, your playtime will easily double because you'll be repeating the same "beginner" loops over and over.
Final Expert Insights for New Players
Blue Prince is a marathon, not a sprint. If you try to rush it, you’ll hate it. The game is designed to be "milled"—you’re supposed to sit in a room, look at the paintings, listen to the atmospheric soundtrack, and let the clues sink in.
If you’re worried about the time commitment, here is how you should actually approach it to get the most value:
- Stop beelining for Room 46. It doesn't actually "finish" the game in a satisfying way.
- Use the Room Directory. It’s in your menu. It tells you which rooms have unique effects you haven't seen yet.
- Focus on the "Workshop" room. Reducing its rarity is the single best thing you can do for your sanity.
- Talk to the community. This game was designed to be solved collectively. If a puzzle feels impossible, it might be because you’re missing a piece of lore that someone else found on a completely different run.
Whether you spend 15 hours or 150 hours in Mt. Holly, the real "win" is that moment of clarity when a cryptic note finally makes sense. Just don't expect to be done with it in a weekend.
To make your run more efficient, you should immediately start a physical "Clue Map" to track which items interact with specific rooms, as the game's internal map won't track these logical connections for you.