How Long is Red Dead Redemption 2: Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) is an expansive open-world game, rich with content and varied gameplay. The time required to complete the game depends on how much of the content you aim to experience—whether it’s just the main story, side quests, or the numerous optional activities available throughout the vast game world.
Here’s a breakdown of the different ways you can play RDR2 and the estimated time it takes to complete each category:
| Category | Estimated Time | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Main Story | 40-60 hours | Completing only the main storyline without focusing much on side quests or exploration. The length can vary based on the player’s playstyle. |
| Main Story + Some Side Quests | 60-80 hours | A mix of the main narrative along with some side missions and optional objectives, offering a more balanced experience. |
| Completionist (100%) | 150-200+ hours | Includes completing the main story, all side quests, challenges, collectibles, hunting, fishing, and other optional content. |
| Exploration & Open-World Activities | 100+ hours | Focusing on exploration, discovering hidden locations, wildlife, and interacting with the world outside of structured missions. |
| Red Dead Online | Unlimited | Red Dead Online offers continuous multiplayer content, including missions, PvP, events, and updates that can keep players engaged indefinitely. |
Detailed Explanations
1. Main Story (40-60 Hours)
The primary storyline of Red Dead Redemption 2 follows the character Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang through their struggles in a rapidly changing world. This part of the game offers a cinematic experience with high-stakes missions, deep character development, and emotional storytelling. Depending on how fast you proceed with missions and whether you engage in any optional activities, you can expect this portion of the game to take between 40 to 60 hours.
- Factors Affecting Time: Playstyle, mission retries, and cutscene watching can affect total time.
- Example: Rushing through missions might clock closer to 40 hours, but a more methodical player who takes time with exploration and completing optional objectives can push closer to 60 hours.
2. Main Story + Some Side Quests (60-80 Hours)
For players who want a well-rounded experience, mixing the main storyline with a good portion of side quests can extend gameplay time. Red Dead Redemption 2 offers a vast array of side missions, ranging from bounty hunting to helping strangers in the wilderness.
- Activities Included: You’ll also encounter random events, legendary animals to hunt, unique strangers, and encounters that all add to the overall immersion.
- Why It Takes Longer: Side missions and activities often come with their own narratives and objectives that can be time-consuming, but they are highly rewarding in terms of world-building and immersion.
3. Completionist (100%) – 150 to 200+ Hours
For those who aim to experience everything the game has to offer, completing Red Dead Redemption 2 to 100% requires a massive time investment. To achieve full completion, you’ll need to finish the main story and all side missions, but also complete challenges, find all collectibles, and partake in various activities such as hunting, fishing, crafting, and more.
- Activities Required for 100%:
- All side missions
- All challenges (including survival, hunting, shooting)
- Collectibles (cigarette cards, dinosaur bones, legendary animals, etc.)
- Exploring every map region
- Earning all possible achievements/trophies
- Time-Sink: This mode of play involves a lot of backtracking and searching for rare items or completing difficult challenges.
4. Exploration & Open-World Activities (100+ Hours)
Even without focusing on the structured missions, Red Dead Redemption 2 has a massive open world to explore. Players who prefer wandering through the world, hunting wildlife, fishing, crafting, and simply soaking in the world’s beauty will find endless hours of content.
- Dynamic Events: The game features random encounters, secret locations, and environmental storytelling that you’ll only find by exploring off the beaten path.
- Optional Activities: You can spend time tracking down legendary animals, seeking treasure, and interacting with NPCs that bring the world to life.
5. Red Dead Online (Unlimited Time)
Red Dead Redemption 2 also includes an online multiplayer mode called Red Dead Online, which allows players to team up with others, partake in cooperative missions, participate in competitive events, and explore a shared open world.
- Endless Content: Since Red Dead Online receives updates with new missions, events, roles (like Bounty Hunter or Trader), and cosmetics, there’s virtually no limit to how long you can keep playing.
- Multiplayer Dynamics: In addition to PvP and PvE modes, Red Dead Online encourages continuous engagement through player progression, unlocks, and social interaction, offering countless hours of gameplay.
Factors That Affect Playtime
Several factors can influence how long it takes to complete Red Dead Redemption 2, including:
- Playstyle: Players who prefer a methodical approach, exploring every nook and cranny, will take longer than those who stick strictly to the main storyline.
- Difficulty: If you’re retrying missions or encounters due to difficulty, this can add extra hours.
- Exploration: Taking time to engage in the many open-world activities can drastically extend playtime.
- Skill Level: Familiarity with open-world games and combat mechanics will affect the speed of progression.
- Cutscene Engagement: RDR2 has many long, cinematic cutscenes that enrich the story. Players who take their time to watch these can spend more time in the game.
FAQs
1. How long does it take to beat Red Dead Redemption 2‘s story? On average, it takes 40 to 60 hours to complete the main story, depending on how much time you spend exploring and engaging in side activities.
2. Is Red Dead Redemption 2 longer than the first game? Yes, Red Dead Redemption 2 is significantly longer, especially considering its expansive open world, multitude of side quests, and activities compared to the original Red Dead Redemption.
3. How many chapters are in Red Dead Redemption 2? The game has 6 main story chapters followed by 2 epilogue chapters. Each chapter contains multiple missions and progresses the story.
4. How long does it take to 100% Red Dead Redemption 2? Completing the game to 100% can take anywhere from 150 to 200+ hours, as it requires finishing all main and side missions, challenges, collectibles, and other optional content.
5. How much time can you spend exploring the open world? You can easily spend over 100 hours just exploring the open world, hunting, fishing, discovering hidden locations, and engaging with dynamic world events.
6. Is Red Dead Online part of Red Dead Redemption 2? Yes, Red Dead Online is included and offers an endless multiplayer experience where you can engage in various activities with other players.
Conclusion
Red Dead Redemption 2 is an incredibly vast game, offering a mix of deep storytelling, rich character development, and immersive open-world gameplay. Depending on how you choose to play, your time investment can range from 40 hours for the main story to 200+ hours for full completion and endless multiplayer possibilities.