The main hook of Outer Wilds is the time loop. Each time you die or the Outer Wilds system explodes you’ll awaken right back on Timber Hearth like you never left. You don’t get a timer counting down the time until the sun goes supernova, but it’ll happen like clockwork every single time. In fact, if you know how long the time loop is in Outer Wilds, you can set your own timer, so you know exactly how long you have until your next annihilation.
How long does it take for the sun to explode in Outer Wilds?
The time you have between when you awaken on Timber Hearth by the launch tower and when the sun goes supernova is 22 minutes. That means you have a maximum of 22 minutes to launch your ship and explore the Outer Wilds system before you killed by the star’s explosion and have to start all over again.
While it may seem limiting at first, you can count on everything to happen each loop precisely like it did the last. So, even if you run out of time to explore, you just have to face the slight inconvenience of reawakening on Timber Hearth. It can be more frustrating when you’re solving certain puzzles and have to wait until exactly the right time for an event to occur, but you can get a lot of exploring done in 22 minutes.
Can you extend the time loop in Outer Wilds?
It would be great if you could find a way to delay the supernova in Outer Wilds, or at least extend your loop further into the past. Unfortunately, 22 minutes is all you’ll get until the end of the game. The reason you get 22 minutes is tied into the story, so by the time you reach the conclusion, it will make sense why you’re limited to that amount of time.
Part of the challenge of Outer Wilds is that you’re limited to only 22 minutes to explore. Too much more time, and the game would end up feeling more mundane. Racing against the clock is exciting, so relish the adventure.
