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The time to complete Diablo 4 varies from player to player depending on their playstyle. But there is a clear difference between the time it takes to finish the campaign and the seasonal leveling runs. For any newcomer, the campaign sets up the tone of Sanctuary and introduces the deep history that entangles the world. For players looking into getting into Diablo 4 solely for climbing the season progression, the campaign becomes merely a formality before the real grind begins.This guide will break down the time it takes for a new player to complete the campaign, the factors that determine playtime, and how long it generally takes to progress through seasonal leveling.First-timer’s playthrough (campaign only)Playing an agile class and build can drastically reduce the time it takes to finish Diablo 4's campaign (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)Base gameFor any first-timers in Diablo 4, the main campaign will take you anywhere from 25 to 30 hours. This estimation is solely based on the completion of the main questline across all five acts, without touching any world events and dungeons you may encounter in the game.Diablo 4's main campaign spans five acts spread across the Fractured Peaks, Scosglen, Dry Steppes, Kehjistan, and Hawezar regions of Sanctuary. Most of the acts take four to six hours of gameplay if you skip the cutscenes and dialogues. But if you are new to the game, you will want to dive into the lore, and that adds a few more hours.If you rush through the content of the campaign, ignoring side quests, dialogues, and cutscenes, you can easily finish the game in under 20 hours. However, that's not recommended for a first-timer, since the campaign is a tutorial for what comes in the endgame of Diablo 4.Vessel of Hatred DLCWhile not as lengthy as the base game, the Vessel of Hatred expansion takes you to the forests of Nahantu in search of your dear friend Neyrelle. This campaign will take you 7-10 hours if you focus only on the main campaign.Also read - Diablo 4: What to do with Legacy ItemsExplorative gameplay: Main campaign plus side contentExploring the world is a way to get accustomed to Diablo 4's systems, and it prepares you for the endgame (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)Base gameFor the majority of first-timers, exploring the world, getting to know the lore, looting every chest, and finishing every side quest and dungeon are very important in a game like Diablo 4, where the lore is too good to ignore. Doing so can easily take anywhere between 40 and 55 hours of gameplay.The world of Sanctuary is packed with world boss encounters, random events, and strongholds that grant you experience that's crucial for growing your character. Furthermore, exploring everything in the world grants you Renown points, which offer bonus skill points and much more.This is the most recommended approach to Diablo 4. This way, you get accustomed to the mechanics of the world and gain a true sense of progression while hunting down Lilith. This playstyle leads to players being over-leveled for the final encounter with Lilith, often finishing her off in mere seconds. So, if you are the completionist type, expect a lengthy run of 50 hours or more before you finish the game.Vessel of Hatred DLCThe main campaign and side content of the Vessel of Hatred DLC of Diablo 4 can take around 13-16 hours to complete. There are quite a few bosses and dungeons in the DLC.Also read - Diablo 4: 5 best Rogue builds to try in Season 11How long does it take for seasonal leveling (skipping the campaign)?Endgame progression and leveling up your paragon boards can take more than 100 hours (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)Once you have completed the main campaign of Diablo 4 on an account, you can completely skip the campaign if you start again with another character in the same account. This drastically cuts down the time investment, allowing you to reduce almost 25 hours of tedious gameplay. During the seasonal grind, you can easily get from level 1 to 60 in around 14-18 hours.The pace of your progression in Diablo 4 also depends on the build and class of your character. Players running high-agility builds will always finish faster than slower tanky builds, while players who have grouped up will progress much faster, as a group can finish up dungeons and bosses much faster than a solo player can.The campaign is still available to players who want to go through it again, especially when running new and different classes. But most seasonal veterans tend to focus entirely on their Paragon progression and endgame gear optimization.Also Read: Diablo 4: Is the Paragon 300 grind worth it?The endgame mechanics of Diablo 4Diablo 4 doesn't end once you have finished the main campaign; it's merely the beginning of a much larger system. Upon finishing the main campaign and reaching the level 60 cap, you will unlock the Nightmare and then later the Torment difficulties. These introduce much more powerful loot, higher-difficulty enemies, and many endgame systems.Going through all the new systems in Diablo 4 and mastering/leveling your paragon boards can easily push your total gameplay time to over 100 hours.Also Read - 6 most nerfed builds in Diablo 4 Season 11SummaryBase game main campaign: 25-30 hoursDLC campaign: 7-10 hoursBase game main campaign + all side content: 50-60 hoursDLC campaign + all side content: 13-16 hoursSeasonal content (skipped campaign): 14-18 hoursComplete endgame progression: 100+ hoursFor first-timers in Diablo 4, it is recommended to dive into the main campaign and lore. The campaign is perfectly sized, with just the right amount of length to keep you intrigued throughout the playthrough.Check out our other guides:Diablo 4: How to get and use Tribute of AscendanceBest Barbarian leveling build in Diablo 4 Season 10How to get Kilt of Blackwing in Diablo 4 and its unique effects5 best low-APM lazy builds to chill in Diablo 4Diablo 4: Best Companion Druid endgame build guideDiablo 4: How to farm Scrolls of RestorationDiablo 4 Evade Spiritborn build guide
