Playthrough

A playthrough is a term used primarily in video gaming to describe the act of playing a game from the beginning to the end. It can refer to the experience of a single player completing the game or to content that documents that experience for an audience. Playthroughs are often recorded as videos or streams and later published as videos, articles, or compilations. The primary purposes are to entertain, demonstrate gameplay, or help others learn or appreciate a game through observation.

Various formats and styles of playthroughs exist. A blind playthrough involves playing without prior knowledge of the game, while a first-playthrough emphasizes the initial experience. Completionist or 100% playthroughs aim to finish all tasks, collectables, and side quests. Performance-focused variants include speedruns, which seek to finish the game as quickly as possible, and specialized runs that impose rules such as glitchless play or any% completion.

Common media for playthroughs include Let's Play videos, longplays that cover the entire game end-to-end, and walkthroughs or guides that provide strategies and solutions. Playthroughs can be created for entertainment, archival purposes, or instructional use, and they often generate community discussion about choices, branching narratives, difficulty, and game design.

In broader terms, a playthrough is distinct from reviews, which evaluate quality, or from play-testing, which serves development and quality assurance. Together, playthroughs contribute to game culture by preserving experiences, enabling critique, and fostering engagement around a game’s mechanics and storytelling.