10 best open-world games of all time: Grand-scale adventures in 2026

So, you want to play the best open-world games? The basis of this genre is freedom and immersion, allowing you to lose yourself in a virtual world that is non-linear and interactive in more ways than one.

Just like the possibilities in open-world games, the choice of games you have to play in this genre is extensive. All presenting different narratives, vast worlds, and differing levels of player exploration, it can be challenging to find an open-world game that matches your tastes. However, we are here to rank the best open-world games in 2026, so you can make the most out of what this category has to offer.

Best open-world games of all time

There’s no denying that the market for open-world games is stacked. No matter what platform you’re on, you’re going to find some of the best open-world games of all time, each boasting a huge amount of content to sink your teeth into and a reason to stay beyond the main story.

10. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)

This game somehow overshadows its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, to earn its place among the best open-world Switch games. While exploring the fictional world of Hyrule, its floating islands, and even what lies in the darkness below the land, unleash your imagination by using Link’s abilities to interact with your surroundings and fuse items.

Whether you’re familiar with the Legend of Zelda franchise or this is your first rodeo, Tears of the Kingdom shows off innovation in its mechanics and astoundingly layered world, resulting in an open-world game that is unlike any other.

9. No Man’s Sky (2016)

If exploring one open-world game wasn’t enough, how about an entire universe? In total, there are 256 unique galaxies in No Man’s Sky, each containing star systems that are made up of various planets and moons. Explore ancient ruins, gas giants, and see where the procedurally generated galaxy takes you next.

If uncovering mysteries, piloting your very own ship, building bases, and getting lost in outer space sounds daunting, No Man’s Sky supports parties of four and is ranked as one of the best open-world multiplayer games. Despite being almost a decade old, No Man’s Sky continues to receive major content updates, breathing fresh air into a universe that’s already alive.

8. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023)

Set in a larger version of Marvel’s New York than ever before, you don’t have to be a Spider-Man fan to enjoy this game. Simply swinging and using Web Wings to travel across the bustling city, and having the freedom to switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales, makes Spider-Man 2 a standout sequel.

As you put up a fight against Marvel supervillains, you will have a range of abilities and discoverable high-tech equipment at your disposal that makes each fight feel unique. Being a PlayStation exclusive, Spider-Man 2 stormed onto the scene as one of the best open-world games on PS5, before swinging its way to Steam two years later.

7. Ghost of Tsushima (2020)

Traveling all the way back to the 13th century, Tsushima Island is under threat as a Mongol invasion approaches. You play as a samurai warrior, Jin Sakai, one of the last surviving members of the Sakai clan, as he forges a new path in the pursuit of freedom for Tsushima.

The land is as punishing as the Mongols that attempt to infiltrate it, but you will be able to master moves with melee weapons like a true samurai. It debuted to high acclaim as one of the best open-world games on PS4 for its killer combat and jaw-dropping visuals that make you want to explore all that’s on offer.

6. Elden Ring (2022)

Elden Ring is one of the best open-world RPG games due to the element of mystery that engulfs every part of the continent known as The Lands Between. The Souls-like experience itself leaves you wondering what’s coming next, as you traverse six unique open regions that are each ruled by a demigod boss.

The world is unforgiving, so expect deadly dungeons and roaming bosses on the way to beating the game and becoming an Elden Lord. The way you do that is completely up to you. With ten starting classes, over 300 weapons in the game, and magic on your side, you can set yourself up for success on a world map that only gets bigger as you progress.

5. Grand Theft Auto V (2013)

We wouldn’t be able to rank the best open-world games without mentioning Grand Theft Auto V. Whether you’re in story mode or GTA Online, there are opportunities to commit crimes in every inch of San Andreas. Whether you’re completing a large-scale heist, stealing cars, or punching NPCs down in Los Santos, the police will be hot on your heels.

Fans of GTA V have taken the game a step further with the development of GTA RP, making it one of the best open-world games on PC. The GTA RP mod allows players to adopt a character and act out narratives with other players via proximity chat. You’ll still be causing all kinds of mischief, but you can even become a police officer and chase down players who are causing trouble, or take on the role of a doctor at the hospital to heal the injured.

4. Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)

Despite its disastrous launch on console and PC, Cyberpunk 2077 managed to turn it around and now deserves to be ranked highly when it comes to the best open-world RPG games. Night City, also known as the city of the future, is action-packed with people to meet, objectives to complete, and enemies to be made along the way.

Navigate life as V with Johnny Silverhand as your companion in a vibrant world that addresses corporate control, the role of technology in societal decline, and the role of body modifications.

3. Fallout 4 (2015)

A masterpiece when it comes to open-world games, you’re in the depths of a nuclear disaster. Survival is key, and you can forge your own path with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. character system, featuring hundreds of perks to customize your playstyle. Despite being a nuclear wasteland, Fallout 4 is rather colorful, and it’s brought to life by its interesting characters and locations.

Did we mention that you can even build and manage entire settlements with the most advanced crafting system in the series? Playable on all three tiers of the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, Fallout 4 has solidified itself as one of the best open-world games on Game Pass.

2. Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)

After a robbery goes wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee, as federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation are hot on their tails.

The open world is made up of five regions, ready and waiting to be explored as the story unravels, and can be played in both third-person and first-person view. As the winner of over 175 Game of the Year Awards, Red Dead Redemption 2 is in a class of its own and still sits with the best open-world games to play in 2025.

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has a vast open world comprising numerous ecosystems that are all distinct in their own way. The kingdoms and cities that lie in the visually breathtaking environment are under siege by monsters that each have unique hunting challenges.

Luckily, you are Geralt of Rivia, a witcher and mercenary monster slayer who wields superhuman abilities. Every part of the world is interactive, and exploration can take hundreds of hours alone. Raising the bar for the best open-world games, no other title has yet incorporated open-world and RPG elements with a strong main story quite like The Witcher 3 has.