What Do the Different Game Length Categories on HowLongToBeat Mean?

Updated

HowLongToBeat breaks each game's playtime into four categories so you can match the estimate to your own play style. Main Story covers just the required objectives needed to reach the credits. Main + Extra adds optional quests, collectibles, and side content. Completionist assumes you chase every achievement and unlockable for 100% completion. Combined blends all play styles into a single estimate. Pick the category that describes how you actually play, not the one that sounds most impressive.

The four categories explained

Category What it assumes you do Best for
Main Story (Required) Complete main objectives, just enough to see the credits roll Players who want the core experience and move on
Main Story + Additional Quests/Medals/Unlockables Take your time, discover and complete optional tasks Players who do some side content but skip the grind
Completionist (100%) Every achievement, every medal, everything the game offers Completionists and trophy hunters
Combined All play styles considered in one estimate A rough overall sense of the game's length

How to read the numbers on a game card

Each game card shows the three play-style estimates side by side, plus a Combined figure. For example, the site lists The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt at 51½ hours for Main Story, 104 hours for Main + Extra, and 175 hours for Completionist. Red Dead Redemption 2 shows 51 hours, 84½ hours, and 195 hours respectively. The gap between categories tells you how much optional content exists — a large jump from Main Story to Completionist means the game rewards exploration heavily.

Which category should you use?

  • Short on time or trying a genre: Use Main Story to judge whether you can finish before your interest runs out.
  • You like side quests but not collect-a-thons: Main + Extra is usually the closest match.
  • You hunt achievements: Completionist is your number, but expect it to be the least predictable since it depends on skill and RNG.
  • Comparing two games: Compare the same category across both. A 20-hour Main Story versus a 60-hour Completionist is not a fair fight.

Why the estimates vary

These numbers are community-submitted and averaged, so they reflect real player experiences rather than developer claims. A game with few submissions may show "--" for some categories, meaning there isn't enough data yet. The Combined figure smooths out outliers, but it can understate or overstate your personal time if your play style sits at an extreme.

Practical tips

  • Click into an individual game page for a fuller breakdown of the stats behind each category.
  • Treat Main Story as a floor and Completionist as a ceiling; your actual time will usually land somewhere between.
  • If a game shows no Completionist estimate, that often means the achievement list is new or the game is too recent for enough data.
  • Use the categories to plan a backlog: sum the Main Story times for a realistic "how long will this take" answer, or the Completionist times if you plan to 100% everything.