In recent years, video game enthusiasts have noticed a significant shift in the gaming landscape: games are getting longer. Analyst Rhys Elliott describes this trend as an "insidious creep over time," with notable titles requiring extensive hours to complete. Of the top 10 best-reviewed games since 2020, half demand at least 60 hours of a player's time. This has sparked ongoing debates within the gaming community about whether longer games are truly better or if they simply overwhelm players with limited time.
The Assassin's Creed series epitomizes the trend, with some installments taking over 100 hours to finish. Meanwhile, Spider-Man 2 fans expressed disappointment upon discovering the game could be fully completed in just under 30 hours. As games extend in duration, they also become costlier to produce, yet the prices players pay have not increased proportionately. Consequently, many console or PC owners find themselves with an ever-growing library of unfinished or untouched titles. This phenomenon mirrors the Japanese term "tsundoku," referring to shelves filled with unread books.
Rhys Elliott has previously published research suggesting that companies might benefit from developing shorter games. He argues, "If game developers cut the length of a game like Assassin's Creed by 20%, most players would never notice." Despite the prolonged designs, some estimates indicate that as few as 10% of players reach a game's conclusion. With RPGs typically demanding dozens of hours to complete, it’s clear that player engagement varies significantly.
The release of Avowed by Obsidian, a Microsoft-owned studio, on Xbox and PC this week brings this issue into sharp focus. Reviewers predict a quick playthrough of Avowed will take approximately 15 hours, while completionists aiming for every piece of optional content might spend over 40 hours. The studio has made efforts to cater to players who prefer shorter gaming experiences. Carrie Patel, the game director of Avowed, emphasized this approach, stating, "We know everybody has plenty of options, plenty of things to do with their time."
Patel elaborated on the studio's philosophy: "So we want everything that they find in our games to feel worth their time." For those who prefer a direct experience, she assures, "If you just want to blast through it, you can go for it, and you still get the full experience." This design choice reflects a growing awareness among developers about respecting players' time constraints.
Yet, not all fans welcome shorter games. Some players relish the challenge and immersion provided by extensive narratives and expansive worlds. However, Patel remains optimistic about the industry's future direction: "And I think we'll probably see a little bit more of this kind of experimentation going forward."
Elliott concurs with this sentiment, noting that the gaming industry has witnessed an extraordinary increase in game length over the past decade: "Games got bigger each year, and then, over the span of 10 years it's been an insane jump in game length." As developers continue to explore diverse formats and experiences, players may soon find more options catering to varying preferences.