If you want an open world that rewards detours, these ten games offer very different kinds of discovery: a procedural galaxy, a layered version of Hyrule, dangerous dungeons, a living-feeling frontier, and more. This is an editorial selection, not a ranking by map size; there are no comparable area figures for these games. Pick by the kind of exploration you enjoy, not by the promise that one world is objectively biggest.
How to choose an open world for discovery
“Gigantic” can mean a lot of ground to cross, but it can also mean layers to revisit, systems that create unexpected situations, or many side paths away from the main story. The recommendations below focus on those different forms of breadth. They also differ in genre, combat pressure, solo or cooperative play, and activity structure; liking one does not guarantee you will like the others.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Open World: Video Games and Contemporary Art | $53.94 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Ghost of Tsushima - PlayStation 4 | $22.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Mad Max - PlayStation Hits (PS4) | $18.74 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Just Cause 4 - PlayStation 4 | $11.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Elden Ring - PlayStation 4 | $33.32 | Buy on Amazon |
Ten open-world games to explore in 2026
1. Red Dead Redemption 2 — a frontier full of incidental encounters
Its expansive Wild West setting rewards wandering between story missions, where side stories, simulation details, and encounters can turn a ride across the map into an unexpected diversion. It is a strong choice if you want exploration to feel like time spent in a world rather than a checklist of icons. GameSpot highlights this mix of setting and incidental discovery in its open-world games guide.
2. Dragon’s Dogma 2 — a journey shaped by danger and NPCs
Roaming monsters, interacting NPCs, and a responsive world make the journey itself central to the experience. The trade-off is that its systems can introduce friction; it is less suited to players who want a relaxed tour or a tidy checklist. GameSpot discusses the game’s journey-focused design and its potential friction in its open-world games guide.
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3. Forza Horizon 5 — exploration at driving speed
This open-world take on Mexico ties discovery to driving and racing. You can look for secrets and race events across the landscape, while expansions add environments such as a Hot Wheels area. Choose it if you want an open world organized around cars and events rather than walking, combat, or a conventional story adventure. GameSpot covers its landscape and expansions in its open-world games guide.
4. No Man’s Sky — a procedural galaxy of planetary discoveries
Hello Games describes a procedurally generated galaxy where you can travel between planets, catalogue life, find artifacts, gather resources, and set your own direction. The studio’s description says, “Every planet’s landscape is different from the next, and populated by species never before encountered.” That scale is procedural, not a guarantee of the hand-authored depth found in a carefully designed story location. GameSpot’s 2026 guide notes that free updates continue to arrive; Hello Games explains the game’s exploration premise on its official No Man’s Sky page.
Rank #2
- Available Now - Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, a new cooperative multiplayer experience inspired by Japanese folk tales and mythology.
- Beyond war, ancient beauty endures: Uncover the hidden wonders of Tsushima in this open-world action adventure.
- The rise of the Ghost: Forge a new path and wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima.
5. Sea of Thieves — pirate exploration with a crew
Island and ship exploration, quests, and loot make this a natural fit for players who want a social pirate adventure. Cooperative crews are central to its appeal, and a PvE mode offers an option for players who prefer not to face hostile players. GameSpot describes its exploration and play options in its open-world games guide.
6. Genshin Impact — a growing world of quests and puzzles
Expect a large world built around regions, quests, puzzles, and enemies, with areas added after launch. It is free-to-play, and character acquisition uses a gacha system—an important part of the experience to understand before committing. GameSpot discusses the world and its development in its open-world games guide.
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Rank #3
- Be Mad Max - Become the iconic post-apocalyptic warrior, crafting and upgrading Max's equipment and weapons to survive by combining melee combat, gunplay and tactical techniques. Gamers must form alliances as they work towards the goal of building their "Magnum opus."
- Immersive savage Wasteland - Explore the gritty, dynamic world while braving the treacherous landscapes, hostile weather patterns and deadly marauders.
- survive the open-world landscape - Staying alive isn't easy. Players clash with deadly factions and gangs through scores of dangerous side-missions and quests in the dynamic open-world full of exploration.
- intense vehicular combat - Engage in dynamic inter-vehicular combat, taking down enemy vehicles with a range of powerful weapons. Car combat is entirely physics-based, so no two battles are ever the Same.
- build the ultimate survival machine - Players design, customize and upgrade their ultimate vehicle-the Magnum Opus-choosing from different car chassis and a slew of upgrades including mounted weapons, armour and engines to survive another day
7. Elden Ring — hidden paths with combat pressure
Caves, dungeons, and hidden bosses make exploration feel like a risk: uncovering a new route may lead to a hard fight rather than a peaceful view. Bandai Namco describes vast maps and meticulously designed dungeons on the official Elden Ring page. If you are considering the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, it requires the base game. Bandai Namco also lists a Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026; check the publisher’s current listing for regional edition details.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — familiar Hyrule, expanded vertically
The game revisits Hyrule but opens up new ways to explore it, including sky and underground areas and player-built traversal tools. Nintendo’s developers describe direct dives from sky to ground and explain that familiar geography was deliberately used to create new discoveries. Producer Eiji Aonuma said, “After finishing development on the previous title, we wondered if we could make it possible for players to continue exploring the world after they’ve reached the game’s ending.” The result is exploration built around seeing a known setting differently, not simply replacing it with a new map. Read Nintendo’s developer interview and GameSpot’s guide. The supported product phrase is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch game; verify current regional listings and availability before buying.
Rank #4
- Day One Edition includes Neon Racer Pack with these DLC items Neon Racer Supercar, Neon Racer Wingsuit, Neon Racer Parachute; see description for full details
- Bring The Thunder Soar through the skies with your wingsuit Skydive, Base Jump and Free Dive, as you fight your enemies harnessing extreme weather to your advantage
- Rico’s Ultimate Mission Spearhead the rebellion and defeat a hi tech private military organization; Face off against the most capable adversary yet; Uncover the mystery behind Rico’s Father’s past
- Huge South American World 100 square kilometers to explore from rainforest to desert, and across snowy mountain peaks as you explore the world of Solis from bustling cities to rural grasslands
- Creative destruction at its best Customize your new grapple hook with evolved and new capabilities; Experiment with military jets, helicopters, turbo fueled sports cars, and construction vehicles
9. Cyberpunk 2077 — urban exploration in Night City
Night City offers side activities alongside the main story, and the Phantom Liberty expansion adds a distinct story set in Dogtown. This is the pick for a dense urban setting, rather than wilderness or terrain designed around natural landmarks. GameSpot describes the city and expansion in its open-world games guide; PlayStation also presents Night City and Dogtown in its game overview. Platform and edition availability can vary by region, so confirm the current listing for your system.
10. Grand Theft Auto V — Los Santos, with a separate online playground
For single-player exploration, the recommendation is the story mode’s Los Santos setting. GTA Online is a separate mode with activities including property, vehicles, and heists; it offers a different, ongoing way to use the world. GameSpot describes both the city and online activities in its open-world games guide. Decide whether you want the authored story or the online activity structure before choosing.
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- ELDEN RING is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki—creator of the influential DARK SOULS video game series; and George R.R. Martin—author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire
- Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to-date
- HIDETAKA MIYAZAKI: President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls
- GEORGE R. R. MARTIN: the #1 The New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire—A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons
Which exploration style fits you?
| Game | What discovery feels like | Best fit | Pressure or play style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | Side stories and incidental encounters across a frontier | Wandering between story missions | Solo story exploration |
| Dragon’s Dogma 2 | NPC interactions and roaming monsters shape a journey | Players who welcome a less predictable trip | Danger and system friction |
| Forza Horizon 5 | Secrets and race events across a driving landscape | Car-focused exploration | Driving and racing |
| No Man’s Sky | Procedural planets, life, artifacts, and resources | Self-directed planetary discovery | Procedural scale; not equivalent to hand-authored story depth |
| Sea of Thieves | Islands, ships, quests, and loot | Pirate adventures with friends | Co-op crews; PvE mode available |
| Genshin Impact | Regions, puzzles, enemies, and quests | Players who want a free-to-play world with continuing additions | Free-to-play; gacha character acquisition |
| Elden Ring | Hidden caves, dungeons, and bosses | Finding secrets through exploration and combat | Risk-forward and combat-heavy |
| Tears of the Kingdom | New routes through familiar Hyrule, including sky and underground spaces | Traversal experiments and layered exploration | Solo adventure; build tools to move through the world |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Side activities in Night City; Dogtown in Phantom Liberty | Urban exploration and story-led activities | Solo story setting |
| Grand Theft Auto V | Los Santos story exploration or a range of online activities | Choose between authored story and GTA Online | Single-player and online modes are distinct |
What “gigantic” does—and does not—tell you
These games offer different kinds of breadth, but there is no comparable map-area dataset here to rank them by square miles. No reliable cross-game comparison of completion times or secret counts is established either. A procedural galaxy, layered traversal, a dense city, and a network of side stories are different kinds of scale, not interchangeable measurements.
For a purchase decision, check the current platform and edition listing for your region. Expansion requirements matter: Shadow of the Erdtree needs Elden Ring, while Phantom Liberty is a distinct Cyberpunk 2077 story expansion. Availability and editions can change, including Bandai Namco’s listed 2026 Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2.
Quick Recap
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