'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Open-world games have come a long way since the early 1990s. Forebearers of the genre, such as the Elder Scrolls: Arena (1994) and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), were among the very first games that gave a taste of an immersive 3D landscape dotted with hundreds of towns to explore.
By the beginning of the 2000s, Rockstar Games, with its GTA series, and Ubisoft, with its Far Cry games, re-defined the genre through immersive role-playing never seen in a vast open world. Soon enough, open-world games became the most popular genre, and gamers worldwide were treated to one epic title after another.
Yet, in the decade that followed, games such as Skyrim, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the recently released Elden Ring stand out, as they seem to have taken role-playing in an open world to the next level.
The games mentioned above are more player-driven, where players are thrown into the open world. This laidback approach, where players decide when to finish a certain quest or discover a hidden location, has become very popular among gamers.
Here are a few upcoming open-world titles inspired by the likes of Elden Ring and Skyrim. These upcoming games are under development and rumored to outsize the existing open-world games by a long margin.
Note: This list is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
5 upcoming open-world games that might dominate the 2020s
1) Final Fantasy XVI
- Initial release date: Summer of 2023
- Developer: Square Enix
- Platform: PlayStation 5
Final Fantasy XVI is one of the most anticipated upcoming action adventures, which will be the sixteenth mainline entry of the fan-favorite Final Fantasy series. However, there are no fixed dates of release. Fans can expect Final Fantasy XVI to be out by summer 2022.
This time, the game will be centered around the open world of Valisthea – an enchanting land filled with glittering mother crystals. Some of the most popular creatures from previous Final Fantasy games will be back in Final Fantasy XVI as Eikons, this includes the likes of Odin and Bahamut, among others.
The open-world world of Final Fantasy XVI is inhabited by deadly creatures called Eikons. Each Eikon resides within an individual known as Dominants. The combat in Final Fantasy XI will feature intense, fast-paced fighting instead of being turn-based. Players will get to control the protagonist Clive as they hack and slash their way through the storyline.
2) Zenless Zone Zero
- Initial release date: Beta version out on August 5, 2022 (registration closed)
- Developer: miHoYo
- Platforms: Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows
From the creators of Genshin Impact comes another anime fantasy survival adventure, Zenless Zone Zero. This is a game that Genshin Impact lovers can relate to. Zenless Zone Zero is set in a near future scenario, where the vast open-world town has been hit by an unusual natural disaster called the Hollows.
It’s a fast-paced, action-packed shooter-based adventure where players must defeat all the beasts coming out of the Hollows. The game focuses more on emotions and sensations in its open-world interactions, and it’s turning out to be another creative masterpiece from miHoYo when it comes to storytelling.
3) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
- Initial release date: First half of 2023
- Developer: Nintendo
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
Sequel to the legendary game Zelda: Breath of the Wild, this one is yet another highly anticipated open-world game on the list. Released in 2017, it’s incredible how Breath of the Wild inspired so many games to crop up in open-world space within a span of only five years.
Fans of The Legend of Zelda can finally relive the polished dreamy landscape of Hyrule, which feels like medieval Europe. As of now, developers Nintendo have been very quiet about what’s to follow in Breath of the Wild 2. However, during a recent Nintendo presentation, the vast and expansive landscape of Hyrule was revealed.
Developers have also added additional gameplay features, such as the ability to navigate the skies through paragliding. From the looks of it, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild promises to be yet another masterclass.
4) Starfield
- Initial release date: First half of 2023
- Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
- Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
Starfield is Bethesda Game Studios’ highly anticipated role-playing action-adventure space thriller. The sheer size of Starfield’s open world is massive. The game encompasses over 1000 explorable planets in the Starfield universe. Starfield is rumored to be at least twice the size of Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest ever open-world game to date.
Starfield is more than just a shooter adventure. At its core, the game is said to be deep and philosophical, with many in-game interactions and RPG elements inspired by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The upcoming space adventure is more about the players’ ability to craft one’s unique voyage in deep space.
Initially about to be released by the end of 2022, developers Bethesda Studios had to push it back a little. Gamers can expect to get their hands on Starfield by the first half of 2023.
5) Diablo IV
- Initial release date: Summer of 2023
- Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
Blizzard Entertainment will make a bold move in 2023 by bringing the timeless warrior classes of its RPG classic, the Diablo series, into a brand-new character customization format. As the fourth major installment, Diablo IV will feature a shared online open world.
However, gamers will not constantly be around other online players. The open world of Diablo is said to have a location known as Fields of Hatred specifically for PvP combat. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the gameplay mechanics pan out in what promises to be the next big MMORPG.
