Long Games: 10 RPGs Worth Hundreds of Hours of Play
The best long games are the ones that earn every hour: Baldur's Gate III, Persona 5 Royal, The Witcher 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2 will keep you busy for months without ever feeling padded. Here are 10 RPGs and open worlds that run past a hundred hours if you do everything, with playtimes according to players on IGDB, so you can pick the one that fits your schedule.
Why go for a long game
A long game isn't just a big number on the box. It's a world you come back to every evening like a favorite TV show, with characters who start to feel familiar and progress you can feel over weeks.
For this list, we kept games whose length comes from content, not filler: big stories, well-written side quests, worlds that make you want to poke into every corner. Each entry gives the story length and the length with extras. Keep in mind that your real playtime will mostly depend on how curious you are.
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1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
About 37.5 hours for the story, about 71 with extras and about 161.5 to do everything. You play Geralt in a grim open world where even small side quests tell something powerful. The best pick if you want a long game driven by its writing. Details in how long to beat The Witcher 3.
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2. Baldur's Gate III
Over 100 hours with extras. Larian Studios' RPG takes freedom very far: turn-based combat, choices that change everything, companions who react to every decision you make. Plenty of players start a second run with a different class. For more, see our games like Baldur's Gate 3.
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3. Persona 5 Royal
About 87.5 hours for the story and about 118 with extras. You split your time between high school life in Tokyo and dungeon crawling, all paced by a calendar. A wild visual style and a soundtrack that sticks with you. Ideal if you love JRPGs and stories that take their time.
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4. Red Dead Redemption 2
About 48.5 hours for the story and about 89.5 with extras. You follow Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang across an America where the Wild West is fading. The pace is slow and every detail is polished. Perfect if you want to live in a world rather than rush through it. See how long to beat Red Dead Redemption 2.
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5. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
About 25.5 hours for the main quest, but about 107 with guilds and side quests, and about 201 to finish everything. It's the king of open worlds you get lost in on purpose. You do what you want, how you want. The full breakdown is in how long to beat Skyrim.
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6. Elden Ring
About 46 hours for the story and about 119 with extras. FromSoftware opens its demanding formula onto a huge open world, the Lands Between, packed with dungeons, bosses and secrets. Long, hard and rewarding. For players who enjoy learning by failing. More numbers in how long to beat Elden Ring.
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7. Xenoblade Chronicles 3
About 92 hours with extras according to players on IGDB and about 219.5 to do everything. You follow Noah and Mio between the warring nations of Keves and Agnus, in a vast world made by Monolith Soft. A big action JRPG for anyone who loves sweeping epics.
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8. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
About 53.5 hours for the story and about 97.5 with extras. The second part of the remake project follows Cloud, Tifa, Aerith and the rest beyond Midgar, on Sephiroth's trail. A mix of fast combat, exploration and minigames. See how long to beat Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
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9. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
About 51.5 hours for the story and about 67 with extras. A warm, classic turn-based JRPG with lovable monsters and an adventure that takes its time. You can even switch between 3D and 2D graphics. Perfect for a long, relaxed adventure with no stress.
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10. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
About 41.5 hours for the story and about 91 with extras. A realistic RPG set in 15th century medieval Europe, where you play Henry. No magic, no dragons: you learn to fight, to read and to survive. For players who want deep historical immersion and a very believable world.
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Tips to go the distance
A 100-hour game is about 50 evenings of 2 hours. Before you start, ask yourself how many nights a week you really play, and choose accordingly: Dragon Quest XI or Kingdom Come: Deliverance II ask for less commitment than Persona 5 Royal or Baldur's Gate III.
Avoid playing two long games back to back. Slip a short one in between to breathe, which is exactly what our short games list is for. And don't feel you have to do everything: most of these games are excellent even if you stay close to the main story.
Finally, keep track of where you are. After a two-week break it's easy to forget which quest you were on. To organize it all, we also have a method for clearing your backlog.
FAQ
What is the longest game on this list?
With extras, Baldur's Gate III leads at over 100 hours, ahead of Elden Ring (about 119 hours) and Persona 5 Royal (about 118 hours). For 100% completion, Persona 5 Royal, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Skyrim all go past 200 hours.
How do I finish a long game without giving up?
Set a realistic pace, like three 2-hour evenings a week, and don't start another big game at the same time. Focus on the story and the quests that really interest you instead of chasing 100%. Keeping track of your progress also helps you stay on course.
Which long game is best to start with?
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age are great starting points: approachable, well paced and with a clear story. Elden Ring and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II are more demanding, so save them for when you feel comfortable.
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