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If you love open-world games, check out this article for a list of the most anticipated games in this genre for 2025.
Open-world games often draw a large crowd thanks to their highly-detailed worlds, which feature hours worth of content. While there has been an oversaturation in the genre recently, some developers are finding new ways to make their open-world titles stand apart. If you love to explore massive open-worlds in video games, 2025 might just be your year.
We’ve got several major titles coming in, such as GTA 6, The Witcher 4, Ghost of Yotei, and more. So, we’ve listed some of the best games from this genre that are about to come out in 2025.
Best Upcoming Open-World Games in 2025
1. Grand Theft Auto VI
Grand Theft Auto VI is, without a doubt, the most highly anticipated game in history. Rockstar Games is releasing a new Grand Theft Auto title after almost 12 years, so the hype is understandable. Besides, GTA games have a tendency to break records, and the upcoming game has the potential to become the most popular entertainment product in history.
The game takes place in a fictionalized version of Florida called Leonida, with two protagonists. Rockstar is bringing back Vice City, but on a much larger scale and in a modern setting. There’s only been one trailer so far, but it gave us a glimpse into the wild world and people of Leonida, the playable characters — Lucia and Jason, and Vice City. An exact release date isn’t out yet, but the official release window is Fall 2025.
2. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Death Stranding is probably one of the strangest open-world titles you’ll ever play. You’re basically a porter in a post-apocalyptic world, evading otherworldly beings, bandits, and even terrorists. Not much is known about Death Stranding 2 at the moment, apart from the fact that it will feature some returning characters and some newer ones and will come out on the PS5 in 2025. The trailer reveals a bit of the story and setting, and the game world seems to be much more visually impressive than before.
3. Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the next major installment in Ubisoft’s highly popular open-world action-adventure series. The game is set in Japan and features two playable characters — Naoe and Yasuke. So far, the reception to the game has been mostly negative, with the historical accuracy of the game being questioned.
The gameplay revealed so far has also drawn some criticism, as it seems to be a bit janky and unoriginal. The monetization system has also been criticized. However, Assassin’s Creed games tend to sell well, so only time will tell if the game lives up to the expectations that fans expect from it. You’ll be able to play Assassin’s Creed Shadows on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, macOS, and iPadOS, starting from February 14, 2025.
4. The Witcher 4
CD Projekt RED’s next big project seems to be a sequel to The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, and as of now, a title hasn’t been confirmed. The game has been in development since around 2022, and it’s expected to launch in 2025. However, this isn’t final, and the exact release date hasn’t been revealed either. In fact, this new game is part of a new trilogy, and for now, it has the codename The Witcher: Polaris.
CD Projekt RED has created some exquisite open-world environments in The Witcher series as well as in Cyberpunk 2077. Hopefully, the next game features a much more detailed world that offers a completely different look.
5. Dune: Awakening
Dune: Awakening is being touted as an open-world survival MMO where you play on the titular desert planet. The game description seems to suggest that this is not the same Arrakis as seen in the novels and the movies. Paul Atreides was never born, and Lady Jessica gave birth to a girl instead. Duke Leto is alive and well, but a “War of Assassins” is being raged between the houses of Atreides and Harkonnen.
Arrakis is a harsh desert planet, so this being a survival game makes perfect sense. You can craft different tools and vehicles and even build bases. There’s no exact release date yet, but you can sign up for the beta.
6. Gothic 1 Remake
The Gothic 1 Remake has been described as a faithful recreation of the cult-classic 2001 RPG. The game takes place in a mining colony simply known as The Colony, which is completely blocked from the outside world. So, you’re basically a prisoner, sent to mine magical ore for a war between humans and orcs. The game has its own unique lore, multiple interesting factions, and some memorable NPCs.
The remake is being done in Unreal Engine 5, so the graphics are obviously the biggest change. However, you’ll also find modernized gameplay mechanics, as the original game mechanics are way outdated. The game is expected to come out within the first quarter of 2025, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
7. Ghost of Yotei
Ghost of Yotei is a sequel to Sucker Punch’s highly successful open-world action-adventure game from 2020, Ghost of Tsushima. The new game will feature a completely different environment, along with a new protagonist and setting. Instead of Jin Sakai, you’ll be playing as Atsu, and instead of Tsushima, you’ll be exploring the region around Mount Yotei in the Ezo region (modern-day Hokkaido).
So, fans who expected Jin Sakai to return might be a bit disappointed. The story takes place 300 years after the events of Tsushima, in 1603, and the region the game is set in wasn’t under Japan at the time. So, you can’t expect the typical samurai setting here. Ghost of Yotei is coming out exclusively for the PS5 in 2025.
8. Subnautica 2
Subnautica scratches a very specific itch you might have when it comes to playing open-world games. No other game can capture the feeling of thalassophobia and calmness at the same time so well. So now, Subnautica 2 is expected to take it even further, with a new planet, new gameplay mechanics, and co-op multiplayer.
As expected, there are new creatures, new vehicles, and what looks like a new mechanic where you can modify your own DNA. Other than that, the game is largely similar, in that you explore a massive ocean world and build your own base. Subnautica 2 will come out on PC and Xbox Series X|S in 2025, but in early access.
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