I’m not one to police how long a video game should be. Every project brings unique design considerations that dictate its runtime. It makes sense for Star Fox’s campaign to be quick but highly replayable, while 007 First Light needs its 20-hour duration to build a proper James Bond origin story. However, there is one specific hill I am willing to die on: No RPG needs to be longer than 40 hours, tops.
The Economics of Storytelling
I know that sounds like sacrilege to genre enthusiasts. But the reality is that I’ve played very few ultra-long RPGs that actually paid off their massive runtimes. I’ve even dropped games I loved 50 hours in because I’m just too exhausted by late-game grinding to see their stories to the end. In an age where there are more great games than ever to play, I’m calling on the industry to solve a crisis that has been plaguing my backlog for decades.
I understand the appeal of a long RPG, especially with game prices hitting the $80 mark. For many, a game that lasts for months is the best way to get bang for their buck. Some titles, like Persona 5, earn that length; I put around 90 hours into it and felt very few wasted moments. Still, I’d challenge any developer to find a game that wouldn't be made better by some aggressive editing.
When Length Becomes a Liability
My case against absurdly long RPGs is twofold. First, it’s a matter of storytelling economics. Concise writing is a strength, and it is a tough task to fill 60 hours or more without losing momentum. I’ve gotten invested in games like Bravely Default, only for the strong starting pace to grind to a halt in long-winded conversations that do little to advance the plot or develop characters. Both Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth are guilty of this, and I’d argue neither sequel is as memorable as their predecessors despite their supersized stories.
Second, the gameplay systems themselves often suffer. Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler series has a deep job system that provides plenty of room for experimentation. That hook wears thin when you are 400 random battles deep, repeating the same optimized moves on enemies you’ve faced countless times. Once you find that perfect party synergy, you may be left going through the motions for the final 40 hours.
Some fans argue that the length is the point—that 80 hours gives you space for hyper-specific min-maxing and that titles like Elden Ring rely on their enormity. That is a fair point, but have you considered that 40 hours is still a really long time? That is almost the equivalent of watching Stranger Things from front to back, and even that can feel like an eternity.
The Case for Efficiency
Some of my favorite RPGs of the past few years have found success by tightening up. This year’s Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined streamlines one of the genre’s most time-demanding entries, and it doesn’t lose much in the process. Its breezy pacing and quick turn-based battles keep the story moving, resulting in a lovely experience that you can complete in 40 hours or less.
I’ll similarly go to bat for Granblue Fantasy Relink, which packs the spectacle of Final Fantasy 16 into a slick 15 hours that doesn’t waste a second. Avowed also kept my attention for its entire runtime, enticing me to finish most of its sidequests while still setting me free in around 40 hours. That’s the dream. I’m not saying an RPG can’t run longer, but I don’t want to feel like I’m wasting time on a game that only gets good after 40 hours, or one that eventually devolves into dull busy work.