JRPGs are infamous for their astronomical runtime, especially if you want to check off all the boxes. Players wonder whether Final Fantasy 16 still retains this playtime duration (much like its other FF counterparts) even though it has veered from the traditional JRPG formula to a more character-action genre.
On average, a complete playthrough of Final Fantasy 16 should take around 40 hours, and if you add side content to it as well, then it should take around 50 hours.
Let us answer your burning question of how much time you can sink into Final Fantasy 16 and its two DLCs.
Final Fantasy 16 Duration
We have good news for JRPG fans who like their games padded. Clive’s game of throne-inspired base adventure and all the side content in Final Fantasy 16 is able to maintain this genre’s “time-honored” duration. According to howlongtobeat.com, here are the number of hours you can invest in Final Fantasy 16:
- The average runtime of the Main Story is close to 40 hours.
- You can rush through it in less than 30 hours, or if you take time to work through it slowly, it could take up to 50 hours or so.
- If you add some extra side content to the Main Story, then the game could reach closer to 60 hours.
- This type of playstyle can be streamlined within 45 hours. On the other hand, if you take the leisurely route, this could last around 113 hours.
- As for completionists, we have our hands full doing everything FF16 offers, with an average duration of 80+ hours.
- Speeding through the game as a completionist will lower the time to 60 hours, while if you are anything like me and tend to consume everything in a game at a turtle’s pace, exploring every nook and cranny all the while feasting on the visuals, then you better take time off from work cause the playtime could climb to 140 hours.
HLTB FF16: Echoes of the Fallen
Echoes of the Fallen DLC for Final Fantasy 16 was released in December 2023. It is a very concise experience and would not satiate your penchant for content overload. Depending on the player, this could be a good or bad thing. Here are the playtime figures:
- The Main Story of the DLC can be finished in roughly 3 hours on average.
- You can stretch it to 4+ hours, but not more. However, it could be completed in 2.5 hours, too, if you rush through it.
- The casual+side content and the completionist will not move the needle as much, with both averaging close to 3 to 3.5 hours on average.
- The maximum you can squeeze from this DLC is a meager 5.5 hours with a completionist leisurely run.
HLTB FF16: Rising Tide
The final Rising Tide DLC added to Final Fantasy 16 in April 2024 has the best of both worlds. It is still a tight adventure with respectable story beats while cramming in some side content for all of our content-hungry people. Although the side content is a bit lackluster, the main story more than makes up for it. The hours you can put in the DLC are:
- Similar to the previous DLC, the Main Story, on average, can be completed in 4 hours.
- Although you can push through the campaign in around 3 hours, the more serious players out there can extend it to 5.5 hours.
- Those who like to cover only the main quest with a handful of side content can push the average playtime to 6+ hours.
- Rushed playthroughs like this can take under 5 hours, while the more relaxed players can expect 12 hours of playtime.
- Completionists will have a field day with an average runtime reaching upwards of 9+ hours.
- The speedy completionists will complete it in less than 7 hours, while the more meticulous players will take 14 hours or so.
Despite Final Fantasy 16’s change in approach, it still has the JRPG’s DNA. You are looking at a good time sink of a game in this package, particularly if you want to get the complete edition with all the DLCs.
The expansions do seem to put a nice bow to the game, so I highly recommend getting it with the DLCs, especially now that the prices are quite discounted.