Why Some Game Speedruns Become Performance Art

The Intersection of Skill and Creativity

Speedrunning—the practice of completing a video game as quickly as possible—has evolved beyond mere competition. While many runs focus on optimization and mechanical perfection, some transcend the boundaries of gaming to become something more: performance art. These runs are not just about efficiency; they are about storytelling, spectacle, and pushing the medium in unexpected ways.

Take, for example, a speedrun that incorporates elaborate glitches to warp a game’s reality, turning a familiar world into a surreal, dreamlike sequence. The runner isn’t just executing inputs—they’re crafting an experience, manipulating the game’s code to create something visually and conceptually striking. The audience isn’t just watching a race against the clock; they’re witnessing an artist at work.

The Role of Narrative and Spectacle

Some speedrunners intentionally choose routes that defy conventional playthroughs, not because they’re the fastest, but because they’re the most entertaining or thought-provoking. A run might involve sequence breaks that turn a linear story into a fragmented, avant-garde journey, or exploit physics glitches to make a character move in impossible, almost balletic ways. These performances invite viewers to see games not just as challenges to overcome, but as malleable canvases for expression.

The commentary accompanying these runs often enhances their artistic quality. A skilled runner might narrate their actions like a storyteller, framing each glitch or skip as part of a larger, absurdist narrative. The result is a hybrid of gameplay, comedy, and conceptual art—a live remix of the game’s intended experience.

When Speedrunning Challenges Expectations

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of these runs is how they subvert expectations. A game designed for careful exploration might be turned into a chaotic, minute-long explosion of movement. A solemn, atmospheric title could become a slapstick comedy through unintended interactions. By breaking the rules so dramatically, these speedrunners force us to reconsider what games can be.

In this way, the most artistic speedruns are akin to jazz improvisation or experimental theater—structured yet unpredictable, technical yet deeply expressive. They remind us that even in the pursuit of speed, there’s room for beauty, humor, and meaning. And that’s why, for some, speedrunning isn’t just a competition—it’s an art form.