Mass Effect 1 came out in 2007 — even before Dragon Age: Origins. Back then, “open world RPG” wasn’t the buzzword it is today. Games were just… massive.
In 2006, Oblivion dropped. Neverwinter Nights 2 followed, letting you roam the Sword Coast. Worlds felt endless, and players had the time (and patience) to explore every inch.
But it’s not 2007 anymore, and the average gamer has changed.
A Millennial friend at work told me he avoids story-heavy games. He’s got about an hour to play after putting his kids to bed — and honestly, I get it. You can’t start The Witcher 3 if White Orchard alone takes you three weeks.
That’s one kind of gamer.
The other is likely single, Gen Z, and used to quick dopamine hits.
So the question is: is Mass Effect 1 too long for them?
What Changed Over The Years
In one sentence: our attention spans are toast.
Even right now, you probably decided whether to read this based on paragraph size and headers. If you made it here — thank you. Seriously.
With TikToks, Reels, and Shorts conditioning us to think in 15-second loops, long-form storytelling is a tough sell. Only podcasts seem to survive because you can listen passively while doing laundry.
So what does that mean for Mass Effect — a game that wants your full attention?
How Long Is Mass Effect 1, Really?
Main story missions are surprisingly short. You’ve got:
- Feros
- Noveria
- Asteroid X57 (DLC)
- Virmire
- Ilos + the finale
That’s it.
If you focus only on those, you’re looking at around 17 hours.
If you’re a completionist, 44-45 hours.
That's not an assumption, it's actual data from How Long to Beat.
Completionism means scanning every planet, running every Mako mission, and chasing side quests across the galaxy. Not difficult — just time-consuming. You’ll either need a guide or saint-level patience.
So, For 2025… How Long Is It Really?
It depends on who you are.
If you’re the “I want 100% completion” type and you’ve got TikTok attention habits, this game might break you.
If you’re cool with hitting just the main story beats — it’s smooth sailing. You’ll see Shepard’s full arc and move on within a few cozy evenings.
If you're the type of player who goes all in, does every mission, and can spend hours upon hours to create a complete save, you won't be disappointed either. Many of those seemingly small side quests get rewarded in ME2 and ME3.
I’m personally replaying all three Mass Effect games this year, aiming to finish Mass Effect 3 before N7 Day 2025.
Come hang out while I do it live — I’ll be streaming it all on Twitch and YouTube.