Whenever you introduce a friend to Final Fantasy 14, it normally goes along the lines of reassuring them that “oh don’t worry, the expansions are really good” and watching as they jump into the base game unaware of what to expect.
A Realm Reborn can be a slog, but it’s undoubtedly worth the commitment given how important its narrative and characters are to the wider picture. I promise, you won’t regret it once Endwalker rolls around.
But exactly how long does it take to beat A Realm Reborn if you decide to focus on the main scenario quests? You’ll need to set aside time for grinding, and the time to reach max level could differ depending on whether you’re playing DPS, Tank, or Healer. TheGamer has provided some decent estimations on how long it will take to beat Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn.
How long is A Realm Reborn – What does it take to beat Final Fantasy 14?
Be warned, A Realm Reborn is a big undertaking. There’s over 400 quests, hours of cutscenes and sprawling world to explore filled with its own mysteries to uncover. However, if you’re on the warpath, the main scenario will take roughly 120 - 140 hours if you are determined to attend to each quest as quickly as possible. A more leisurely playthrough will be far longer, as the internet has tallied in recent years.
That’s a long time, requiring several days of real-world commitment to see through what is arguably the opening moments of Final Fantasy 14. Of course, the option to purchase items that skip over the base game entirely are available to those who wish to experience Heavensward, Stormblood, or Shadowbringers right away - and it’s a perfectly viable method of play.
Be warned, you’ll likely need to read up on the narrative to be fully clued up on certain characters and locations, otherwise a fair amount of guesswork is involved. Additional activities housed inside A Realm Reborn such as the Bahamut Raids and certain trials aren't included in the above runtime, so take that into consideration if you're hoping to march through A Realm Reborn to reach the excellent expansions.