GTA 6 How Long to Beat — Story, Side Missions & 100% Times

The time investment required to complete the state of Leonida is a key question for players, with the GTA 6 how long to beat metrics setting a new standard for open-world games. Whether you plan to rush through the main story campaign or pursue a 100% completion run, this guide outlines the verified hours needed for each playstyle.

How Long Is GTA 6 Story Mode?

The main story campaign takes approximately 35 to 45 hours to complete. This time frame assumes you are focusing entirely on the 68 main story missions, skipping optional dialogue and minimizing free-roam exploration.

The narrative is pacing-heavy, featuring heists that require you to complete multiple setup missions beforehand. Travel times across the state also add to the runtime, especially during the early chapters when fast travel safehouses are not yet unlocked.

To see the complete order of the main campaign chapters, visit our GTA 6 missions list and order guide.

100% Completion Playtimes: The Full Checklist

Achieving 100% completion requires you to clear every activity on the game's checklist. This run takes between 80 and 100+ hours, depending on your familiarity with the map's secrets:

• Main Campaign: Complete all 68 story missions.
• Stranger Quests: Complete all 42 optional character missions. For details on these tasks, check our GTA 6 side missions guide.
• Collectibles: Find all hidden street art, locate all stunt jumps, and capture all invasive snake specimens.
• Hobbies & Pastimes: Win all off-road races, clear all shooting range challenges, and buy all safehouse properties.

This extensive list ensures that completionists have enough content to explore for weeks. The high density of activities prevents the open world from feeling empty after you complete the main story.

How Playtime Compares to Previous Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games has scaled this entry to sit between the pacing of GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2:

The table shows how the game length compares. While the mission count is similar to GTA 5, the individual missions in Leonida are longer and feature complex prep tasks, resulting in a higher main story runtime.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of each act, see our GTA 6 story walkthrough.

Speedrun Records and Pacing Tips

For players looking to complete the game as fast as possible, speedrunning communities are already mapping out optimized routes:

The current estimated "Any%" speedrun target is around 12 to 14 hours. Achieving this requires you to skip all cutscenes, utilize fast sports cars for travel, and use Jason’s Combat Focus ability to clear shootout segments in seconds.

You can learn more about how Jason’s combat perks can speed up your missions in our GTA 6 Jason character guide.

Is GTA 6 Worth the Time Investment?

The game's high level of detail, dynamic random events, and cooperative character mechanics make it highly rewarding for players. Instead of featuring repetitive procedural content, every mission and side activity is hand-crafted, ensuring the experience stays fresh throughout the 40-hour campaign.