Speed-runner Mode: how it works

Speed-runner Mode is the strangest part of the anniversary update: a second, officially supported version of Owlboy that keeps glitches on purpose because runners use them. It is not a difficulty setting and it is not a leaderboard ladder inside the game. It is a build you opt into.

The official note is short. Some glitches were "intentionally left behind in a new version of the game, because these are used as speed runner techniques". The mode can be activated in the settings file stored in your Save Files/Owlboy folder, or by opting into a Steam branch called speedrunner. That is the whole official instruction. The rest of this page is the practical version, built from the runner documentation D-Pad links to and the public any% guide.

How to enable it

Two routes, both reversible:

The settings-file route is the one the announcement names first. The branch route is cleaner if you want to keep a normal save untouched, because Steam keeps the two builds separate. Either way, do not run a practice session on a save you care about.

What it keeps, and why

The mode preserves movement glitches that the normal build fixes. The runner documentation describes the important ones:

• Food zips — grabbing and eating a piece of food on the same frame launches Otus. Variants (early cancel, turnaround, up cancel, low angle) change where he lands.
• Frame-perfect rolling — with roll rebound off Space, holding the new roll key rolls as soon as possible and keeps rolling. Keyboard and mouse only.
• Hood Zip — an out-of-bounds technique tied to the older XNA build, which is why runners also use the old_xna_version branch when they need it.
• Cutscene triggers without cutscenes — Vellie Cave still requires its triggers in order, but several scenes attached to them were removed.

That last point is easy to misread. The update removed the scenes, not the triggers. A runner still has to hit the Vellie Cave triggers in sequence to open the teleporter, even though the scene that used to play is gone.

What it does to the clock

Owlboy rankings use LRT (load removed time), because loading screens vary by PC and would otherwise decide records. The community timer stops during loads. On Switch, LRT is not measurable, so console rankings use real time.

Public reference times, as of October 2025:

Those numbers are from the preparation guide by Keiichi, the runner D-Pad links in the patch notes. They are not records set by this site and they will move; treat them as the shape of the category rather than a fixed target.

Practice tools

The any% guide documents a built-in cheat mode that is banned in runs but useful for practice: press C, H and E at the same time to enable it, then use F7 to save, F8 to load and F4 to refill health. The same guide notes that health refills happen when you reload after taking damage, and that rolling is faster at full health.

For timing, runners use LiveSplit plus an autosplitter. The setup article recommends the old_xna_version branch for the timing mod, because the mod hooks the older build. That branch is separate from speedrunner; you may need both depending on what you are practising.

Does it affect achievements or saves?

The mode is a different build of the same game. It does not add achievements, and the 12 existing achievements are unchanged by the anniversary update. If you switch branches, Steam Cloud may sync a save from one build to the other; keep a manual backup before you start.

If you only want the quality-of-life changes, stay on the default branch. Speed-runner Mode is for people who already know the route, not for a first playthrough.

Is it worth opting in?

Yes, if you have finished the game once and want to feel the old movement tech. No, if you are still learning the map: the glitches are only useful when you know where you are going, and the default build's fixes make the walkthrough much less frustrating.

What changes in a route

The mode matters most in the first twenty minutes. Vellie Cave's trigger order is still enforced, but the scenes attached to the triggers are gone, so a runner can move through the cave while the trigger flags set. The food zip out of Vellie is still the fastest way to reach the professor's lab, and the back-in-Vellie zip is still the alternative if you trust the angle.

Later, the mode preserves the movement tech that the normal build fixes: the library elevator skip, the autoscroller skip and the Solus fight's damage windows. The any% guide notes that Geddy outdamages Twig in Solus's third phase, and that the horizontal pass with purple trails can be damaged by aiming at the head of the trail.

None of this is required to finish the game. It is a separate way to play it, and the normal build is the one the walkthrough assumes.

Risks and housekeeping

Two practical warnings. First, switching Steam branches can trigger a cloud-save sync; back up the Save Files/Owlboy folder before you switch. Second, the practice cheat mode is banned in submitted runs, so make sure it is off before you start a timed attempt. The guide is explicit about that, and about the timer mod being required for LRT.

_Checked 2026-11-03 against the 2026-11-01 Steam news post, the linked runner guide (note.com/keiichi1996, updated 2026-08-25) and the public any% text guide._