Grand Theft Auto 6 is shaping up to be the longest game Rockstar has ever made. Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson told The New York Times that his own playthrough of the game, completed in February, took 80 hours. That included the main story and some "optional goals with narrative ramifications", though he did not specify exactly how many side objectives he tackled along the way.
For context, GTA 4 and GTA 5 each take around 30 hours to finish their main stories. Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar's previous benchmark for scope and ambition, runs around 50 to 60 hours. An 80-hour playthrough from someone deeply familiar with the game suggests that average players coming in fresh will likely need considerably more time.
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GTA 6's map is roughly three times the size of the playable area in Red Dead Redemption 2, and Rockstar has packed it with activities. Gyms return for the first time since San Andreas. Players can go kayaking, skydiving, dirt biking, deep-sea diving, playing pool, or sitting courtside watching basketball. The optional goals Nelson mentioned are said to carry actual narrative weight rather than existing purely as padding, influencing character dynamics and mission outcomes depending on what players choose to pursue.
Nelson has said he hopes players take their time with it. "I hope that there will be people that want to get up, have a cup of coffee, shower, get dressed, go out for a little exercise. Interact with some people, explore, and maybe get into some trouble." For completionists, an 80-hour baseline almost certainly points to a total playtime well into triple digits once every side mission, hidden encounter, and corner of the map has been explored.
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GTA 6 launches November 19 on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S at $80.
