The Marathon Games: Unveiling the Longest Video Game Experiences

So, you’re looking for a truly immersive gaming experience, one that will consume your free time for weeks, months, or even years? You’ve come to the right place. When it comes to games that offer seemingly endless content and require significant dedication to fully complete, several titles stand out. The game that takes the longest to 100% complete is Deep Rock Galaxy, with a staggering 538 hours minimum. However, games such as Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, Gran Turismo 4, Harvest Moon: Back to Nature, Persona 3, and Might & Magic: Heroes 6 also offer lengthy campaigns and side content. Let’s delve deeper into the world of gaming marathons.

The Titans of Time Consumption: A Detailed Look

While the simple answer is Deep Rock Galaxy, the truth is that “longest to complete” is a subjective measure. Do you mean completing the main story? Achieving every achievement? Gathering every collectible? Reaching the maximum level? Different games cater to different completionist tendencies, resulting in wildly varying playtimes. Here’s a breakdown of what makes certain games so time-consuming:

• Open-World Sandboxes: Games like The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind aren’t necessarily difficult, but their sheer scale makes them enormous time investments. The freedom to explore, tackle quests in any order, and delve into countless side activities can easily push playtime into the hundreds of hours. No Man’s Sky and Minecraft, although theoretically infinite in size, use algorithms to generate their worlds. This makes them huge, but the experience is different from a handcrafted open-world environment.

• MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games): Games like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV are designed to be ongoing experiences. Leveling up multiple characters, participating in raids, crafting, and engaging in the social aspects of the game can take an astonishing amount of time.

• Collection-Based Games: Titles that heavily incentivize collecting every item, character, or piece of lore can become incredibly time-consuming. Think of games like Pokémon Red & Blue on the Game Boy, where catching all 151 Pokémon was a herculean task.

• Achievement Hunting: Some players are driven to unlock every achievement or trophy in a game. This can involve completing incredibly difficult challenges, playing through the game multiple times, or mastering obscure mechanics.

• Games with Built-In Time Gating: The Longing is a unique example, requiring the player to wait 400 real-time days for the game to progress. This isn’t about skill or dedication; it’s about patience.

Beyond Completion: The Illusion of Endless Games

It’s important to distinguish between games that are “long” and games that are “endless.” Games like ENDLESS™ Legend offer a never-ending cycle of strategic gameplay. While you can technically “win” a match, the game’s replayability and randomized elements encourage players to keep coming back for more. The game Tetris is also a game with a near infinite amount of playtime.

Ultimately, the “longest game ever” is a matter of perspective. Some players may define it by raw playtime, while others may prioritize the complexity and depth of the experience.

Finding Your Perfect Gaming Marathon

If you’re looking for a game to lose yourself in for the long haul, consider the following factors:

• Genre: What type of games do you enjoy? Open-world RPGs? Strategy games? MMORPGs? Choose a genre that aligns with your interests.
• Gameplay Style: Do you prefer fast-paced action or slow, methodical gameplay? Some long games are demanding and require constant attention, while others are more relaxing and allow you to play at your own pace.
• Community: Do you want to play alone or with others? MMORPGs and online multiplayer games offer a sense of community, while single-player games provide a more solitary experience.
• Content: What kind of content are you looking for? A sprawling story? Challenging combat? Endless customization options? Choose a game that offers the type of content that you find most engaging.

The world of gaming is vast and diverse, offering countless opportunities for long-lasting enjoyment. So, take your time, explore your options, and find the perfect gaming marathon for you. You can find more resources and insights on game design and learning at the Games Learning Society website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the absolute longest video game ever created in terms of playtime potential?

Technically, games with procedurally generated or endless elements like No Man’s Sky, Minecraft, and Tetris have virtually limitless playtime potential. You could theoretically play them forever.

2. Which single-player game has the longest main story?

Determining the absolute longest is difficult, but open-world RPGs like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt often boast main storylines that can take 50-100+ hours to complete, depending on playstyle and completionist tendencies.

3. What’s the longest-running MMORPG in terms of continuous operation?

EverQuest, launched in 1999, is one of the longest-running and most successful MMORPGs in history. It’s still actively maintained and updated with new content.

4. Which game holds the record for the longest development time?

Beyond Good & Evil 2 has surpassed Duke Nukem Forever as the game with the longest development period. Duke Nukem Forever held the record at just over 14 years.

5. What’s the shortest video game ever made?

Bertie the Brain, a tic-tac-toe game from 1950, is often cited as one of the earliest and shortest video games.

6. What game is notorious for requiring an immense amount of grinding?

Many MMORPGs are notorious for grinding, but Black Desert Online is frequently mentioned for its extensive and sometimes tedious grind to reach the highest levels and obtain optimal gear.

7. Are there any games that require real-life travel to complete?

Pokémon GO and other location-based mobile games encourage players to travel to different locations in the real world to catch Pokémon, visit PokéStops, and participate in Gym battles.

8. What is the longest video game live stream ever recorded?

According to the article, Kory Breaden played Call of Duty: Warzone for 145 hours, 29 minutes and 41 seconds.

9. What is a good example of a game that gets significantly longer with 100% completion?

Persona 5 Royal is already a long game, but achieving 100% completion, including maxing out all social links and completing every side quest, can easily double or triple the playtime.

10. What games are known for their extremely difficult learning curves, contributing to their perceived length?

Dwarf Fortress is notorious for its complex mechanics and steep learning curve. Mastering the game requires significant time and effort.

11. Is there a correlation between game delay and game quality?

While the saying goes, “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad,” it’s not always true. Some delayed games, like Duke Nukem Forever, ultimately disappointed players.

12. What is the longest Monopoly game ever played?

The longest recorded Monopoly game lasted 1,680 hours, or 70 days.

13. What’s a good resource for learning more about the educational aspects of games?

You can find more resources and insights on game design and learning at the GamesLearningSociety.org website.

14. What games are so big they have theoretically infinite playtimes?

Theoretically, No Man’s Sky and Minecraft are infinite in size, but that’s because the worlds are entirely determined by complex algorithms rather than manual design work.

15. How many hours is considered a lot of hours in a video game?

It’s said that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to excel at something difficult.