Top 20 Open World Video Games of All Time

Top 20 Open World Video Games of All Time

How much more freedom could you want? For this list, we’re looking at the best of the best when it comes to letting players roam freely in massive, sprawling landscapes. Our countdown includes “Nier: Automata” (2017), “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015), “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017), “Batman: Arkham City” (2011), Grand Theft Auto V” (2013), and more! What’s YOUR favorite open world game of all time? Let us know in the comments!

Watch more great videos here:
Top 10 Open World Games: https://youtu.be/ho9HLdZeffQ
Another Top 10 Best Open World Games!: https://youtu.be/MB5oIvkud7w
Top 10 Open World Video Game Maps: https://youtu.be/-mHxZaK5PsM

Disagree with our rank? Check out the voting page for this topic and have your say! https://watchmojo.com/suggest/Top%2010%20Open%20World%20Games
Special thanks to our users Jack Morris, ThePrinceKurama, DeiCntrl, Element, Sam Moloney, james geraghty , John Crawford, EThantv, downhollowfication, Matt Laska, utube-VvVLuffyM2, Mcheetah, batman65, and Will Morton for suggesting this idea!

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50 Comments

  1. DCA 1 on January 8, 2021 at 12:30 am

    So just fuck AC 2 and Brotherhood, huh?



  2. Riccardo Tucci on January 8, 2021 at 12:34 am

    Hey everyone, thank you all for checking out the list and sharing your favorite open world experiences! Looking forward to 2020 with games like CyberPunk, Dying Light 2 and FF7 Remake to scratch that adventuring itch!



  3. Michael Montgomery on January 8, 2021 at 12:35 am

    Wow. No love for days gone????



  4. Matt Fox on January 8, 2021 at 12:36 am

    Glad to see Morrowind on here. I dont think BotW is the second best open world of all time though. :/



  5. Anzejjj on January 8, 2021 at 12:37 am

    imagine writing "odyssey is the best ac" and 10 people that check the scrip say ok.



  6. Ajmal S on January 8, 2021 at 12:41 am

    The mass effect(whole)should be in it, it’s basically an open universe.



  7. Miha 6644 on January 8, 2021 at 12:41 am

    "I love the freedom and detail that open worlds offer"

    Chooses one of the most restrictive and static open worlds as the #1. What a joke.



  8. Jack Torrent on January 8, 2021 at 12:44 am

    Honourable mention Saints Row 4 oh and 3 oh and 2 oh and 1



  9. Jonathan on January 8, 2021 at 12:45 am

    When did dark souls become open world?



  10. nh3trick on January 8, 2021 at 12:46 am

    wooot saw number 1 b4 list started. I wonder if cyberpunk2077 will be on a 2020 goty



  11. Darshan Gopaul on January 8, 2021 at 12:47 am

    To behonest red dead 2 desverves to be in the top 3 not seven



  12. Titan Pro Gaming on January 8, 2021 at 12:48 am

    Lol , rdr2 should be number 1



  13. Olive A on January 8, 2021 at 12:48 am

    Botw is my number 1.



  14. JeremyRD LaMaxima on January 8, 2021 at 12:52 am

    Zelda breath of the wild is a way better crafted game than witcher 3. The people who worked on Witcher also worked on cyberpunk and cyberpunk sucks in terms of physics and animation. GTA IV is better Cyberpunk and it came out in 2008. Botw should be on the top spot for best game in terms of open world. I know you guys make bad lists but this one is definitely bad ass hell. Spider-Man PS4 and Horizon Zero Dawn should definitely be higher too.



  15. Astha Singh on January 8, 2021 at 12:53 am

    Rdr2 should be first



  16. Haseeb thaaha on January 8, 2021 at 12:54 am

    Agreed Its
    witcher 3



  17. iamMaffy on January 8, 2021 at 12:56 am

    10:21 damn that boar got owned



  18. Sahil Singh on January 8, 2021 at 12:58 am

    Rdr2 is #1 for me



  19. a german n00b on January 8, 2021 at 12:59 am

    I’m disliking Bc minecraft isn’t 1



  20. Jack Sparrow on January 8, 2021 at 1:00 am

    Better to check Metacritic grades for open world games than this arbitrary list.



  21. Γιωργος Γαβριηλ on January 8, 2021 at 1:00 am

    I don’t understand why GTA V is higher than red dead redemption 2



  22. master goromaki on January 8, 2021 at 1:01 am

    Come on witcher not that great zelda and dark souls waaaay better than witcher



  23. Jakob 2020 on January 8, 2021 at 1:07 am

    1. Red dead redemption 2
    2. The Witcher 3
    3. Red dead redemption
    4. Ghosts of tsushima
    5. AC black flag



  24. MiniRusty01 on January 8, 2021 at 1:07 am

    I came here to see Minecraft then I left



  25. Mu Di Tar on January 8, 2021 at 1:07 am

    Rdr2 should undoubtly be in top#3 at least



  26. amirreza hajihosseini on January 8, 2021 at 1:08 am

    Gta v up rdr2 ???????
    Are you fucking kiding me ?????



  27. lazy-gabriel on January 8, 2021 at 1:08 am

    MARVEL SPIDER-MAN CAME 14?!?!



  28. Duckmandude on January 8, 2021 at 1:09 am

    What Happened to Spider Man PS4? Seriously, No Offence But IMO That is something that should be remember as soon as you say "Open World."



  29. Breaking Benjamin Fan on January 8, 2021 at 1:09 am

    Red dead redemption 2 is the best game ever



  30. DemonModder_YT on January 8, 2021 at 1:11 am

    I only ever play open world games



  31. Kyle Mills on January 8, 2021 at 1:11 am

    Morrowind and New Vegas in there over their more popular franchise versions? Much respect. This is a great list.



  32. Woosh Karen on January 8, 2021 at 1:12 am

    I just want a city RP game Ik there is GTA servers that already do that but I want an actual game where you go in a city and buy and apartment maybe start a business or get a job I can only sit and hope someone has the same mindset as me 🤷🏽‍♂️



  33. Logan Orochi on January 8, 2021 at 1:13 am

    Hethemmmmmm god of war cough cough



  34. Nick Foxsnowpaws on January 8, 2021 at 1:15 am

    Red dead redemption 2 really awesome and great western game all time to



  35. MeCrumbly429 _ on January 8, 2021 at 1:15 am

    Where
    Is
    No
    Man’s
    Sky?



  36. the Dude on January 8, 2021 at 1:17 am

    Crazy to think the top 2 and 1 you can play on Nintendo switch!!!!



  37. Ben Groff on January 8, 2021 at 1:18 am

    Umm… most would argue that BOTW is the best open world game



  38. Jamel Greaves on January 8, 2021 at 1:20 am

    simpsons hit n run is nostalgia on another level…



  39. Joel Turner on January 8, 2021 at 1:20 am

    What if the real world is just a open world game for aliens



  40. KYLE CARDENAS on January 8, 2021 at 1:20 am

    Horizon Zero Dawn is for sure a Top 5



  41. KYLE CARDENAS on January 8, 2021 at 1:21 am

    Nah Middle Earth SOW was better



  42. Viral Toxicity on January 8, 2021 at 1:21 am

    Dying light , Shadow



  43. joana quinones on January 8, 2021 at 1:21 am

    I bought The Witcher at the beginning of the year and I still haven’t finished it. Mind you I got stuck in a part that won’t let me get out, so now I have to play it from the start lol. I don’t mind since I wasn’t that far into the game and it is an AMAZING game.



  44. Hubert Tarnowski on January 8, 2021 at 1:21 am

    I think that in this list you put to much "most influencal games" than "the best". TES Morrowind may be the most influencal in the series but pales in comparison to Oblivion or even more to Skyrim. Also AC series should be consider two seperate series. It would save much pain in the ass for "classic" Assassins Creed fans and save them much time arguing with people (who like me) loves new games more. In truth I dont want to explore secrets of Horizon: Zero Dawn (you want to hear this). Witcher 3 on first spot is great pick for me, but I trully love that you include Subnautica. This game have unique setting and it is the scariest underwater game of all time (far more than boring SOMA or unfinished Debris). You should also include Gothic 2 video game, this tittle create great dark fantasy world, with "living characters" far before Witcher 1 was relased and with Gothic 1 strongly inspired CDP Red to create Witcher series.



  45. Adam Eľko on January 8, 2021 at 1:22 am

    Kingdom come ?



  46. KYLE CARDENAS on January 8, 2021 at 1:22 am

    Subnáutica should be higher for sure



  47. Nidhi Sharma on January 8, 2021 at 1:23 am

    Mafia 2 also deserves in this list



  48. Alyssin Williams on January 8, 2021 at 1:24 am

    First off, I disagree that New Vegas is the best Fallout, when its Fallout 3
    That being said, I have 4 of the top-5 games and 8 of the top-10 so I apparently really like open world games. Of the ones I *dont* have, I want: Horizon Zero Dawn, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Zelda BOTW



  49. Zbulwersowany Kebab on January 8, 2021 at 1:25 am

    3 Wiedźmin 3 najlepszy



  50. Flynn games on January 8, 2021 at 1:28 am

    Maybe Skyrim get all of the credit but it should be at least named in the top 10 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬