A focused playthrough of Fallout: New Vegas that sticks mainly to the main quest takes about 27 hours. Add side content and the estimate is roughly 61 hours; aiming for completionist play takes about 131 hours. These are approximate player-reported estimates, not guaranteed completion times.
Estimated playtime by playthrough
| Playthrough scope | Estimated time |
|---|---|
| Main story | About 27 hours, according to HowLongToBeat figures relayed by IsThereAnyDeal and Deku Deals. |
| Main story plus side content | Roughly 61 hours on IsThereAnyDeal; Deku Deals lists 60½ hours for Main + Extra. |
| Completionist | About 131 hours, according to both aggregators. |
The main-story and completionist estimates match across the two pages, while the side-content estimate differs by half an hour. Treat the figures as broad guides rather than exact targets: the pages do not state the underlying submission year, a title-specific sample size, or a methodology for these estimates.
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What the categories mean
Main story
The roughly 27-hour figure is the relevant estimate if you plan to prioritize the main quest and finish the story. It is not the same as the time required to see most optional content.
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Main story plus side content
Allow around 60 hours if you expect to mix the main quest with optional activities. The two reported estimates—60½ and 61 hours—are close enough that a rounded figure is more useful than treating either as a promise.
#1 Best Overall
- Beyond the Wasteland: The world of New Vegas is more expansive than ever. Each new distinct area presents a fresh set of branching-quests, remarkable personalities and more chances to play the Savior or the Pariah to the natives of New Vegas.
- Dead Money: Lured into a trap masquerading as the Sierra Madre Casino, you are thrown into a high stakes game where you'll have to work with three other lost souls if you want to survive.
- Honest Hearts: An expedition into Utah's Zion National Park goes horribly wrong and you become embroiled in a war between tribes and put into a conflict between a New Canaanite missionary and the mysterious Burning Man.
- Old World Blues: Transported to the Big MT research crater, you are enlisted by the Think Tank to save them from their own science experiments that have gone horribly out of control.
- Lonesome Road: Ulysses, the original Courier Six, contacts you and promises to answer why he refused to deliver the Platinum Chip at the start of Fallout: New Vegas, but only if you make one last journey into the treacherous canyons of the Divide.
Completionist
The completionist estimate is about 131 hours. It describes a much broader run than finishing the main quest; it should not be used as the average for a focused story playthrough.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you keep playing after the ending?
No. Bethesda Support says, “Fallout: New Vegas has a definite ending.” Completing the main quest brings up the end credits. To continue exploring, Bethesda Support advises loading a save made before the Battle of Hoover Dam: Why can’t I play beyond the main quest in Fallout: New Vegas?
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Fallout New Vegas: Ultimate Edition (Playstation 3 All BONUS Content) NEW
Rank #2
- Feel the Heat in New Vegas: Not even nuclear fallout could slow the hustle of Sin City. Explore the vast expanses of the desert wastelands from the small towns dotting the Mojave Wasteland to the bright lights of the New Vegas strip
- Feuding Factions, Colorful Characters and a Host of Hostiles : A war is brewing between rival factions with consequences that will change the lives of all the inhabitants of New Vegas
- New Systems : Enjoy new additions to Fallout: Special melee combat moves have been added to bring new meaning to the phrase "up close and personal"
- An Arsenal of Shiny New Guns : With double the amount of weapons found in Fallout 3, you'll have more than enough new and exciting ways to deal with the threats of the wasteland and the locals
- Let it Ride : In a huge, open world with unlimited options you can see the sights, choose sides, or go it alone. Peacemaker or Hard Case, House Rules, or the Wild Card, it's all in how you play the game
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