The £-per-hour leaderboard
Popular games ranked by lowest UK RRP divided by estimated hours. Click any game for the full working.
| Rank | Game | Lowest RRP | Est. hours | £ per hour | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Stardew Valley | £10.99 | 45–200h | £0.05–£0.24 | |
| 02 | Vampire Survivors | £3.99 | 10–60h | £0.07–£0.40 | |
| 03 | Minecraft | £29.99 | 15–300h | £0.10–£2.00 | |
| 04 | Balatro | £12.79 | 5–120h | £0.11–£2.56 | |
| 05 | Animal Crossing: New Horizons | £49.99 | 30–400h | £0.12–£1.67 | |
| 06 | Baldur's Gate 3 | £49.99 | 75–200h | £0.25–£0.67 | |
| 07 | Hollow Knight: Silksong | £16.75 | 25–60h | £0.28–£0.67 | |
| 08 | The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | £59.99 | 50–250h | £0.24–£1.20 | |
| 09 | Hades II | £24.99 | 20–70h | £0.36–£1.25 | |
| 10 | Elden Ring | £49.99 | 30–130h | £0.38–£1.67 | |
| 11 | Cyberpunk 2077 | £49.99 | 25–100h | £0.50–£2.00 | |
| 12 | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | £41.99 | 30–70h | £0.60–£1.40 | |
| 13 | It Takes Two | £34.99 | 10–18h | £1.94–£3.50 | Solid |
| 14 | Mario Kart World | £66.99 | 3–50h | £1.34–£22.33 | Solid |
| 15 | Split Fiction | £39.99 | 10–20h | £2.00–£4.00 | Solid |
| 16 | Astro Bot | £59.99 | 10–20h | £3.00–£6.00 | Pricey |
Ranking uses the midpoint between finishing the main game and fuller play. Hours are estimates from cited sources; prices are RRPs checked 3 November 2026. How we count.
Elden Ring
On the base game's £49.99 Steam RRP, a first run works out at roughly £0.83 to £1.67 per hour, and a thorough one at about £0.38 to £0.56. In our editorial view that is strong value for patient players, but poor value for anyone who bounces off its difficulty in the first few evenings.
Baldur's Gate 3
At £49.99, a single standard playthrough works out at roughly £0.50 to £0.67 per hour, falling to around £0.25 to £0.42 for players who dig into side content. In our editorial view it is excellent value for people who enjoy slow, tactical, dialogue-heavy games, and a poor fit for those who want quick action.
Stardew Valley
At £10.99, reaching the main goals costs roughly £0.18 to £0.24 per hour, and extended play brings it down to around £0.05 to £0.11. In our editorial view it is outstanding value for anyone who enjoys routine and gentle progress, though it will not suit players looking for action or a tight story.
Hades II
At £24.99, reaching the story's main ending works out at roughly £0.71 to £1.25 per hour, and fuller play at around £0.36 to £0.50. In our editorial view it is strong value for people who enjoy repetition with variety, less so for those who dislike starting runs over.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
At £16.75, the normal ending works out at roughly £0.48 to £0.67 per hour, and fuller completion at around £0.28 to £0.42. In our editorial view that is excellent value, provided you are comfortable with demanding platforming and combat.
Minecraft
On the £29.99 eShop price, a first run to the Ender Dragon costs roughly £0.75 to £2.00 per hour, and long-term play brings it to around £0.10 to £0.30. In our editorial view it is excellent value for creative and social players, but the in-game Marketplace can quietly push the real cost up.
Mario Kart World
At £66.99, simply clearing the cups once costs roughly £11 to £22 per hour, but regular play over months brings it to around £1.34 to £3.35. In our editorial view it is good value for families and friends who race together often, and weak value for solo players who just want to see the content.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
At £59.99, the main story works out at roughly £0.86 to £1.20 per hour, and extended exploration at about £0.24 to £0.50. In our editorial view it is very strong value for players who enjoy freeform exploration and building, less so for those who want a tightly guided adventure.
Astro Bot
At £59.99, the main game works out at roughly £5.00 to £6.00 per hour, and full completion at about £3.00 to £4.00. In our editorial view it is a good game but not a cheap-per-hour one, so it makes most sense at a lower price or for families who replay levels together.
Balatro
At £12.79, a first win costs roughly £0.85 to £2.56 per hour, and longer play brings it to about £0.11 to £0.21. In our editorial view it is excellent value for strategy and puzzle fans, but the poker-hand theme and gambling descriptor mean parents should look closely first.
Vampire Survivors
At £3.99, the main unlocks cost roughly £0.20 to £0.40 per hour, and longer play around £0.07 to £0.10. In our editorial view the base game is about as low-risk as a purchase gets, though optional paid add-ons raise the total if you want everything.
It Takes Two
At £34.99, one playthrough costs roughly £2.33 to £3.50 per hour, but because the Friend's Pass lets a second player join online for free, the cost per person-hour is about half that. In our editorial view it is good value for couples, friends and parent-child pairs, and no value at all for solo players.
Split Fiction
On Steam's £39.99 price, one copy costs roughly £2.67 to £4.00 per hour for the story, or about half that per person when a friend joins via the free Friend's Pass. In our editorial view it is reasonable value for regular co-op partners and poor value for anyone hoping to play alone.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
On the £41.99 Steam RRP, the main story costs roughly £1.05 to £1.40 per hour, and fuller play about £0.60 to £0.76. In our editorial view it is good value for fans of story-led, turn-based RPGs, with the caveat that its timing-based combat won't suit everyone.
Cyberpunk 2077
On the £49.99 Steam base price, the main story costs roughly £1.43 to £2.00 per hour, and a fuller run around £0.50 to £0.83. In our editorial view it is good value for players who enjoy side quests, but less so for those who only follow the main story.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
On the £49.99 Switch price, reaching the credits costs roughly £0.71 to £1.67 per hour, and months of regular play bring it to around £0.12 to £0.33. In our editorial view it is excellent value for daily, low-pressure players, but poor value for those who want to play in long bursts and then move on.