diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/CPU.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/CPU.cpp
index 70f973628b..5a21e5e3c8 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/CPU.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/CPU.cpp
@@ -78,17 +78,17 @@ void CPUManager::StartTimePlayedTimer()
 
   while (true)
   {
-    const std::string game_id = SConfig::GetInstance().GetGameID();
-    TimePlayed time_played(game_id);
+    TimePlayed time_played;
     auto curr_time = timer.now();
 
     // Check that emulation is not paused
     // If the emulation is paused, wait for SetStepping() to reactivate
     if (m_state == State::Running)
     {
+      const std::string game_id = SConfig::GetInstance().GetGameID();
       const auto diff_time =
           std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(curr_time - prev_time);
-      time_played.AddTime(diff_time);
+      time_played.AddTime(game_id, diff_time);
     }
     else if (m_state == State::Stepping)
     {
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/TimePlayed.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/TimePlayed.cpp
index e20a0c014e..9323a49393 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/TimePlayed.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/TimePlayed.cpp
@@ -11,47 +11,23 @@
 #include "Common/IniFile.h"
 #include "Common/NandPaths.h"
 
-TimePlayed::TimePlayed()
-    : m_game_id(""), m_ini_path(File::GetUserPath(D_CONFIG_IDX) + "TimePlayed.ini")
-{
-  Reload();
-}
-
-TimePlayed::TimePlayed(std::string game_id)
-    : m_game_id(Common::EscapeFileName(game_id)),  // filter for unsafe characters
-      m_ini_path(File::GetUserPath(D_CONFIG_IDX) + "TimePlayed.ini")
+TimePlayed::TimePlayed() : m_ini_path(File::GetUserPath(D_CONFIG_IDX) + "TimePlayed.ini")
 {
   Reload();
 }
 
 TimePlayed::~TimePlayed() = default;
 
-void TimePlayed::AddTime(std::chrono::milliseconds time_emulated)
+void TimePlayed::AddTime(const std::string& game_id, std::chrono::milliseconds time_emulated)
 {
-  if (m_game_id == "")
-  {
-    return;
-  }
-
+  std::string filtered_game_id = Common::EscapeFileName(game_id);
   u64 previous_time;
-  m_time_list->Get(m_game_id, &previous_time);
-  m_time_list->Set(m_game_id, previous_time + static_cast<u64>(time_emulated.count()));
+  m_time_list->Get(filtered_game_id, &previous_time);
+  m_time_list->Set(filtered_game_id, previous_time + static_cast<u64>(time_emulated.count()));
   m_ini.Save(m_ini_path);
 }
 
-std::chrono::milliseconds TimePlayed::GetTimePlayed() const
-{
-  if (m_game_id == "")
-  {
-    return std::chrono::milliseconds(0);
-  }
-
-  u64 previous_time;
-  m_time_list->Get(m_game_id, &previous_time);
-  return std::chrono::milliseconds(previous_time);
-}
-
-std::chrono::milliseconds TimePlayed::GetTimePlayed(std::string game_id) const
+std::chrono::milliseconds TimePlayed::GetTimePlayed(const std::string& game_id) const
 {
   std::string filtered_game_id = Common::EscapeFileName(game_id);
   u64 previous_time;
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/TimePlayed.h b/Source/Core/Core/TimePlayed.h
index 306438b778..5d1f279db3 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/TimePlayed.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/TimePlayed.h
@@ -12,11 +12,8 @@
 class TimePlayed
 {
 public:
-  // used for QT interface - general access to time played for games
   TimePlayed();
 
-  TimePlayed(std::string game_id);
-
   // not copyable due to the stored section pointer
   TimePlayed(const TimePlayed& other) = delete;
   TimePlayed(TimePlayed&& other) = delete;
@@ -25,15 +22,13 @@ public:
 
   ~TimePlayed();
 
-  void AddTime(std::chrono::milliseconds time_emulated);
+  void AddTime(const std::string& game_id, std::chrono::milliseconds time_emulated);
 
-  std::chrono::milliseconds GetTimePlayed() const;
-  std::chrono::milliseconds GetTimePlayed(std::string game_id) const;
+  std::chrono::milliseconds GetTimePlayed(const std::string& game_id) const;
 
   void Reload();
 
 private:
-  std::string m_game_id;
   std::string m_ini_path;
   Common::IniFile m_ini;
   Common::IniFile::Section* m_time_list;