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The Best Games to Play After The Witcher 3: Open-World RPGs for Every Kind of Player

There is no single replacement for The Witcher 3. Find your next open-world RPG based on whether you want story, a fantasy sandbox, challenging combat, or huge monster battles.
Length4 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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The Witcher 3 has a rare mix of a memorable central character, story-led quests, exploration, and a huge world. No single game reproduces all of it. For another open-world RPG, start with Cyberpunk 2077 if you want the closest broad follow-up from the same studio; pick Skyrim for a fantasy sandbox, Elden Ring for demanding exploration and combat, or Dragon’s Dogma 2 for fights against enormous monsters.

Which game is the closest follow-up to The Witcher 3?

Cyberpunk 2077: for another story-focused open-world RPG

CD PROJEKT RED describes Cyberpunk 2077 as an open-world role-playing game set in a future city, with V as its protagonist. The shared studio and broad open-world RPG framing make it the most natural first stop if what you want is another large setting built around a central character and a role-playing adventure.

The big change is the setting: The Witcher 3 is dark fantasy, while Cyberpunk 2077 takes place in science fiction. That makes it a close match in broad approach, not a promise that its tone, quests, or characters will feel identical. Try it if you want a new world and story-led RPG structure more than another version of Geralt’s journey.

Which game is best for a beautiful open world and exploration?

Skyrim: for roaming and a fantasy world you shape yourself

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim suits players who want to wander, find secrets, encounter monsters, and follow their curiosity at their own pace. Its key distinction from The Witcher 3 is who you play: Skyrim lets you create your character, while Geralt is the fixed protagonist of The Witcher. Choose Skyrim if the freedom to define your role matters more than following a specific hero through a tightly framed story.

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#1 Best Overall
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Monster Hunter: World - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition
  • Welcome to the new world: taking on the role of a Hunter, players are tasked with going on a research expedition to a newly discovered continent known only as “new world”.
  • Living and breathing ecosystem: utilize the surrounding environment and wildlife to your advantage;Subgenre:Action role-playing game (RPG)
  • Online drop-in multiplayer: when the battle is too daunting to take on single-handedly, hail up to three other hunters to assist during quests by sending up a sos flare to a worldwide server.
  • Hunt to craft new Gear: defeat monsters and collect loot from fallen foes to craft equipment and weapons styled after the monsters that have been slain.
  • SEAMLESS gameplay: players and monsters can move from One map area to another freely and without loading screens whilst gameplay also dynamically transitions between night and day.

That makes it a strong fit for someone looking for a “beautiful open world RPG” with “lots of exploration and loot,” but it is a different kind of role-playing experience rather than a direct substitute for Geralt’s character-led adventure.

Which game is best for challenging real-time combat?

Elden Ring: for exploration with demanding action fights

Bandai Namco describes Elden Ring as an action RPG set in a dark-fantasy world. It is the pick here for players who want exploration paired with difficult action combat. Its combat emphasis and difficulty make it a sharper change of pace than the story-led questing many players associate with The Witcher 3.

Rank #2
The Outer Worlds Playstation 4
  • The outer worlds is a new single-player first-person sci-fi rpg from obsidian entertainment and private division
  • In the outer worlds, you awake from hibernation on a colonist ship that was lost in transit to halcyon, the furthest colony from earth located at the edge of the galaxy, only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy it. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all-vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable

There is also a difference in how the world communicates its stories: Elden Ring offers less direct NPC interaction than The Witcher 3. If well-written characters, dialogue, and relationships are what you want most, consider Cyberpunk 2077 first. If you mainly want to explore a dark-fantasy world and test yourself in combat, Elden Ring is the better match.

Dragon’s Dogma 2: for monster fights and combat variety

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a combat-first adjacent pick. It emphasizes direct action against varied monsters, including the spectacle of climbing large creatures during a fight, alongside different loadouts. That makes it a good candidate if you want real-time combat and encounters that feel like a physical struggle against huge foes.

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Rank #3
Cubicle 7 Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game, Player's Guide
  • Explore the grim and thrilling World of Legend with this 192-page full-color hardback RPG book for Warhammer: the Old World, ideal for players and collectors alike.
  • Create iconic characters using six Origins and 30 Careers, from cunning Rat Catchers to noble Knight-Exiles, with full rules for advancement, Skills, Talents, and Lores.
  • Fast-paced, easy-to-learn d10 dice pool system delivers high-lethality gameplay true to the Old World, offering combat, adventure, and peril for every session.
  • Customize your hero with trappings, Assets, Endeavours, magical spells, and improvised spellcasting, plus divine Favours, prayers, and miracles from ten gods.
  • Perfect for players seeking epic adventures, survival, and glory; this book contains everything needed to explore the Old World, complementing the Gamemaster’s Guide.

Choose it for the fights, not on the assumption that its quest writing or narrative will feel like The Witcher 3. It answers the desire for a wide variety of weapons, armor, and builds more directly than the desire for another Geralt-style story.

How should you choose based on what you liked most?

If you want… Try… Why it fits Main difference from The Witcher 3
A new story-led open-world RPG Cyberpunk 2077 It shares a studio and broad open-world RPG framing with The Witcher 3. It moves from dark fantasy to a science-fiction city; a shared studio does not guarantee the same tone or quest feel.
Freedom to make your own character and roam Skyrim It centers player-created character role-play, roaming, secrets, and monsters. You define your hero instead of playing the established character Geralt.
Dark-fantasy exploration and hard action combat Elden Ring It pairs exploration with challenging action RPG combat. It has less direct NPC interaction and is more combat-focused.
Large-monster battles and varied combat loadouts Dragon’s Dogma 2 Its combat includes climbing large monsters and adapting to different foes. It is a combat-first recommendation, not a close match for The Witcher 3’s narrative feel.

Reader discussions sometimes describe a desired follow-up as a “beautiful open world with rewarding exploration,” “lots of loot,” varied weapons and armor, and builds to experiment with. Those are examples of individual players’ preferences, not a survey of the wider audience. Use them as a checklist: Skyrim leans toward free exploration, Elden Ring toward difficult action, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 toward monster encounters and loadout variety. If story and characters matter most, begin with Cyberpunk 2077.

Rank #4
Outriders: Worldslayer PlayStation 4 [Base Game Included] with Free Upgrade to the Digital PS5 Version
  • A Journey Of Death -Humanity’s hope for survival rests on your journey deep into the cradle of Enoch’s civilization
  • Dynamic 1-3 Player Co-Op - Play solo or join up to 2 friends in drop-in drop-out co-op as you take on the horrors of a hyper-evolved planet in an apocalypse
  • 4 Unique Classes - Create and customize your own Outrider and choose from 4 unique powerful classes each with its own deadly array of brutal abilities with Skill Trees and Pax Trees to further define your personal playstyle
  • Guns & Gear - Customize and upgrade your Outrider(s) with countless combos of powerful Epic, Legendary and Apocalypse items with increasing damage potential; Gear can be modified with up to 3 mod slots allowing for full customization
  • Outriders Included - The full experience of OUTRIDERS WORLDSLAYER includes the original OUTRIDERS game, with all the numerous quality of life improvements and Expedition content added since launch
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Platforms and editions to check before buying

Platform lists and edition names can change, and a title appearing on a publisher or roundup page does not guarantee current availability in your regional store. Check the live listing for your platform and region before purchasing.

Best Value
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Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game, Gamemaster's Guide, Ages 14+
  • 192-page full color hardcover packed with tools and guidance to help gamemasters run immersive campaigns.
  • Includes expert advice for new and experienced GMs tailored to the Warhammer The Old World roleplaying system.
  • Features campaign-building tools like Grim Portents, Contacts, and Dark Threads to create dynamic narratives.
  • Expanded setting details for Talagaad with guidance for adapting adventures to other regions and stories.
  • Contains bestiary, magic items, downtime events, and corruption paths to enrich gameplay and surprise players.
  • Elden Ring: Bandai Namco lists PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. The publisher describes the Tarnished Edition as including the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree; the expansion requires the base game. Confirm the current edition name and regional platform availability on the official page.
  • Cyberpunk 2077: GamesRadar’s roundup lists PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2. Treat this as that roundup’s platform information, not a guarantee of current storefront availability.
  • Skyrim: GamesRadar’s roundup lists PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S; check the live store for the edition available on your system.
  • Dragon’s Dogma 2: GamesRadar’s roundup lists PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Verify the current listing before you buy.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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