Arknights: Endfield Playtime Tracker vs PlayCounter

Arknights: Endfield Playtime Tracker records playtime automatically by checking every five seconds whether Endfield.exe is running. Its browser dashboard at 127.0.0.1:27182 shows a live timer, session history and a NOW PLAYING banner; when the game closes, a Windows toast reports the session time and total playtime. It also creates a readable playtime.txt log, with sessions grouped by date. Data is kept locally in JSON, and interim session details are saved every 60 seconds so an incomplete session can be finalized on the next startup. The dashboard retains up to 100 sessions. Detection depends on the game executable being named Endfield.exe. The tracker requires Windows and Node.js, uses built-in Node.js modules without external dependencies, and setup uses batch files, with a VBScript launcher option. Users can set an initialOffset to account for playtime before installation; the default is zero. The local dashboard is not accessible from other machines. The tracker is free to use and modify.

PlayCounter is a free Windows desktop app that automatically records playtime for recognized PC games across launchers. It displays a live session timer and saves a session when a recognized game closes. The library shows game covers, total hours, and session counts; history includes dates, session lengths, streaks, and playtime summaries. Users can track milestones, add notes, and keep separate playthroughs for each game. Listed sources include Steam, Epic, Battle.net, Xbox app, GOG, EA app, Ubisoft Connect, Riot Client, itch.io, disc installs, and standalone executables. Steam, Xbox, and Epic imports can bring in the playtime those services report; Battle.net import supplies a game list but no playtime. Sessions, notes, and history stay on the user’s PC, and the desktop app requires no account. It can run offline, though automatic game matching, cover images, and update checks need a server connection. The public installer is for Windows; the site says macOS, Linux, and console live tracking are not supported by that installer. The app sends a pseudonymous installation identifier at startup and about hourly, and process identifiers for online game matching.