Red Dead Redemption 2 had an impactful story spread out through six chapters, and its length has been the cause for several concerns over Grand Theft Auto 6s own plot. RDR2 took the player on a heavily emotional journey throughout the events that preceded the original Red Dead Redemption’s story, in a game that surpassed the length of even Grand Theft Auto 5. And while the game was critically acclaimed for its plot, which allowed the player to connect on a deep level with Arthur, this style of storytelling within a game can be very exhausting, and the possibility of it reappearing in GTA 6 is concerning.

According to howlongtobeat.com, the average finishing time for someone completing the main story and some extras in GTA 5 is 48.5 hours, whereas comparatively finishing RDR2’s complete story rings it at an average of 80 hours. This can lead to greater player exhaustion, given it forces them to spend several days only completing the game, which can become a greater problem in GTA 6.

Related: Red Dead Redemption 3 Is Already More Exciting Than GTA 6

GTA 6 Potentially Being Longer Than RDR2 Is Concerning

Arthur and John riding horses through a field of wheat in RDR2.

The Grand Theft Auto franchise is known for its explosive and high-paced mechanics, with wild shootouts and police chases; but if they were spread out through a longer story, they could become very repetitive, which can frustrate players and drive them away from the title. Not only that, but while having an extensive plot isn’t necessarily a factor that could make GTA 6 more exhaustive, it needs to achieve a proper balance between the story, the open world, characters, and core game mechanics, like in Red Dead Redemption 2, or the story itself can become an impediment to players’ enjoyment of the game.

GTA 6 Should Avoid Common Issues With Longer Games

A person with a pig mask drilling a hole to open a safe in the bank in GTA 5.

One of the biggest issues that longer games can face is their mechanics becoming very repetitive as their story progresses. Mafia III, which had a similar plot length to GTA 5, had an interesting story with a powerful ending, but it would have benefited from being shorter, as in many missions players had to use the same mechanics and strategies over and over to achieve their goals. GTA 6 could have a similar problem as a longer game has more missions and side-quests for players to get involved in, and core parts of the title, such as driving iconic vehicles and getting involved in wild shootouts, could become tiresome and repetitive.

Not only that, but part of what made RDR2 better than the original RDR1, was how its story mixed so well with its mechanics. It’s a naturally slow-paced game, and while this could have made it more exhausting, it masterfully balanced high-action moments with long patches of rest. Red Dead Redemption 2’s missions differ from one another, with some focusing on character development and backstories, while others focus on the Van der Linde gang acting as a unit. If Grand Theft Auto 6 doesn’t achieve this balance, its story could become too dragged out, with even its most dramatic and emotional moments falling flat.

More: GTA 6's 2024 Release Date Just Got A Whole Lot Likelier

Source: howlongtobeat.com (1), (2)