The Fallout 4 speedrunning community is currently witnessing a historic period of dominance by a single player. Over the course of just two months, the prolific Bethesda specialist pekkanen has claimed nine different world records across two distinct categories, repeatedly dismantling the competition and then systematically lowering his own benchmarks.

A Dominant Run Through Two Categories

Pekkanen's recent hot streak focuses on two primary formats: Any% and Any% (No Intro). In the Any% category, players utilize any available glitches to reach the credits as fast as possible. The No Intro variant is a specialized version that excludes the time spent during Fallout 4’s slow-paced, scripted pre-war sequence.

The record-breaking spree began on March 4, when pekkanen unseated longtime runner tomatoanus, taking the Any% crown with a time of 33:44. Just 15 days later, he applied that same pressure to the No Intro category. Since then, his progression has been nothing short of relentless.

The Timeline of World Records

The sheer volume of improvements is staggering. While Speedrun.com leaderboards are still catching up to his most recent optimizations, the progression looks like this:

  • March 4: 33:44 (Any%)
  • March 19: 25:36 (No Intro)
  • March 26: 33:28 (Any%)
  • March 31: 24:19 (No Intro)
  • March 31: 32:54 (Any%)
  • April 11: 32:15 (Any%)
  • April 25: 23:17 (No Intro)
  • April 27: 31:32 (Any%)
  • May 6: 31:18 (Any%)

Mastering the Glitches of the Commonwealth

Watching a high-level Fallout 4 speedrun is a masterclass in technical execution. While the Any% category can occasionally feel like a test of patience during the scripted intro, the real magic happens once the gameplay hits full stride.

The runs feature a chaotic and impressive array of high-level tactics, including:

  • Sprinting across the Commonwealth at breakneck speeds.
  • Utilizing arcane save-load routines at crafting benches.
  • Executing complex glitches to unlock teleportation and increased movement speed.
  • Managing resources like mutant meat with surgical precision.

For fans of the genre, there is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing a bizarre sequence of inputs result in "godly" power or world-altering consequences. Pekkanen has proven himself to be a specialist in this exact brand of Bethesda-driven chaos. Having previously made headlines for breaking Skyrim glitchless records in 2021, his transition into Fallout 4 has established him as one of the most formidable forces in modern speedrunning.