The best open world games in 2025

5 months ago, by Thibaut

Open-world games have become the norm among today's AAAs. All studios and publishers are eager to create huge maps while offering maximum freedom to players. While bugs can sometimes get in the way when the playing field turns out to be gigantic, some titles can also hide some very nice surprises.

In this selection, we've compiled the open world games that deserve to be discovered in 2025. Some were released recently, others several years ago. Whatever the case, the selected few offer unforgettable experiences for gamers.

While open worlds sometimes mean having to make concessions on the technical and graphical fronts, some studios manage to work wonders. Guerrilla Games is a case in point, with Horizon Zero Dawn and its colorful post-apocalyptic universe. Death Stranding is also a slap in the face in terms of graphics, as is Read Dead Redemption 2, which showcases the full range of Rockstar Games' expertise.

Other developers have succeeded in recreating some emblematic eras of our history with their open world games, just like Ubisoft did with Assassin's Creed Oddyssey, Warhorse Studios with Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Sucker Punch with Ghost of Tsushima, which reflect Ancient Greece, 15th century Czechia and 1274 Japan.

Nintendo is not to be outdone either, thanks to the incredible The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This takes advantage of its open world to give players almost total freedom. You can go anywhere, anytime, and discover the map at your own pace. Skyrim already offered this in 2011, with an open world that was admittedly more traditional in its approach, but devilishly detailed and effective.

Finally, games with a huge open world like No Man's Sky offer virtually unlimited possibilities. In fact, we'd go so far as to say that the lifespan of Hello Games' title is infinite, given the amount to be discovered. And for fans of dark fantasy and challenge, Elden Ring is an absolute must-have.