26 Best Xbox Series X|S Open-World Games

When it comes to single-player story-driven narrative adventures, there’s a fair few out there to obsess over. If that’s what you’re looking for, fantastic–but sometimes, players just want to go off the beaten track and explore. Open-world games are great for that very reason. Given a world to explore, players can just enjoy making their own fun. Be it in war-ravaged future wastelands, modern cityscapes, or the far reaches of space, there’s something for everyone. Here are a few of our picks for the best available Xbox Series X/S open-world titles.

#26 7 Days to Die

Platform: PC, PS4, Linux, Xbox One, OS X
Release Date: PC, OS X – December 13, 2013

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

When you’re given certain open worlds to live in, survival is often a task that you’re put to the test. In 7 Days to Die, you’ll have two different kinds of open worlds to survive in. The first is the “Campaign World,” where you can try to survive the game’s story and live in this post-apocalyptic world.

Or, if you want more freedom, you can dive into a randomly generated world and see if you can survive based solely on your own merit.

No matter which world you choose, you’ll need to make key choices to ensure your survival. That includes building shelter, getting weapons to defend against the living and the dead, and seeing if you want to cooperate with other players you meet.

#25 Palworld

Platform: PC Xbox One XSX|S
Release Date: January 19, 2024 (early access)

Steam | Xbox

Are you ready to be the very best, like no one ever was? Oh, wait, that’s the OTHER open-world title that has you catching creatures. Our bad!

In Palworld, you’ll go on a journey of sorts through an open region where you can catch Pals and have them do what you want. On the basic side of things, you can train them, have them fight other Pals, and just be your friends.

Or, you can use them as a workforce to ensure that you have plenty of weapons to use on other Pals. You can also eat them if you feel so inclined. It’s your call!

#24 Star Wars Outlaws

Platform: PC PS5 X/S
Release Date: August 30, 2024

PC | PlayStation | Xbox

When you’re set in a galaxy far, far away that has numerous planets and moons to explore, you know that someone will make an open-world title to explore. With Star Wars Outlaws, that team would be Ubisoft, which puts you in the shoes of Kay Vess, a scoundrel trying to get out of the thieving life she’s in.

To do so, she’ll have to work hard and up her game by traveling to certain worlds, doing jobs for various crime groups and syndicates, learning new skills from experts, and more!

You’ll see familiar and new locations in the game, so go and see how it all looks!

#23 Dragon’s Dogma 2

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: March 22, 2024

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

Look, when it comes to RPGs, especially ones made in the modern era, you absolutely expect them to have an open world. Then, when you think about how it took around ten years or so to get Dragon’s Dogma 2 out, you know the team at Capcom isn’t going to skimp on the world itself.

As such, you’ll have a wide fantasy world to explore, full of beings to fight, influence, bring into your party, or kill with extreme prejudice.

Plus, you’ll meet others in cities and other places that could heavily affect your journey. So, head out into this world and see where you want to go next.

#22 Hogwarts Legacy 

Release Date: 10 Feb 2023 | Platform: PC PS5 Xbox Series X|S
(PS4 Xbox One April 4, 2023) Switch (July 25, 2023)
Camera: Third Person
Multiplayer: No
Co-op: (Local: No | Online: No)
Genre: Open World, RPG, Fantasy, Action RPG

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

When you read the books or watched the movies featuring Harry Potter and his friends, your greatest desire was likely wanting to be in that world and see all it has to offer.
The good news is that Hogwarts Legacy gives you that desire in spades. You’ll transfer to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and be able to explore the grounds therein. You can wander the castle and seek out its many hidden rooms.
Then you can head to the grounds, fly on hippogriffs, or delve into the Forbidden Forest! You can even go to Hogsmeade and have unique adventures there! So jump in and wander to your hearts’ content!

#21 Slime Rancher 2

• Developer: Monomi Park
• Publisher: Monomi Park
• Released: September 2022 Early Access

PC | Xbox

Slime Rancher 2 is an open-world game set on a planet far, far away. The main character, Beatrix Lebeau, left our dear planet Earth to become a slime rancher on an alien planet.

If raising and breeding slimes take a big part in Slime Rancher 2, so does exploring this new alien world. Beatrix and her little friends have to explore the mysterious Rainbow Island,  a land filled with ancient technology, and unknown natural resources. Several new slimes are roaming across this island, such as the bouncy cotton slime or the aquatic angler slime.

#20 The Ascent

• Developer: Neon Giant
• Publisher: Curve Digital
• Released: July 2021

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

A slightly different take on the open-world genre, The Ascent is still worthy of an entry. By all appearances, it looks like an isometric/top-down shooter akin to Ruiner, but that’s not all there is to it.

Rather than a single track of progression, The Ascent encourages players to actively explore its dystopian, cyberpunk world. Emphasis is on the grind, which in turn makes it one of the smallest open world (read: dense) games available. Party up with some friends and start exploring.

#19 Lost Judgment

• Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
• Publisher: SEGA
• Released: September 2021

Xbox | PlayStation

Not the first Yakuza game spin-off, 2018s Judgment put players on the other side of the law. A strong title, it gave rise to a sequel, Lost Judgment.

Slipping back into the shoes of police detective Takuya Kimura, Lost Judgment retains that same wackiness the first game, and by extension, the Yakuza series, brings to gaming. Players are encouraged to take in the sights and sounds of realistic Kamurocho and its surrounding areas. The team at Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio are masters of fine detail and action, so if fans of Shenmue were disappointed with its third installment, they might want to take the leap to SEGA’s other Japanese-centric series.

#18 Subnautica: Below Zero

• Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
• Publisher: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
• Released: May 2021

PC | Xbox | PlayStation | Nintendo

Open-world and survival games go hand in hand, and while there are many to pick from, Subnautica: Below Zero easily takes a spot on our list. What better way to show off the depth of the Xbox’s power than by showing off the depth of the sea?

Subnautica: Below Zero, a sequel to 2018’s debut, is more of the same–but better. Stranded on another planet, players will have to build bases and scavenge resources to survive both harsh climates and harsher monsters. There’s a lot to take in, as you start off with very little, but in time, you’ll be building Seaquest-worthy operating bases. It’s tough, like the weather conditions you face, but so worth it when it all comes together.

#17 Sea of Thieves

• Developer: Rare
• Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Released: March 2018

PC | Xbox

From below the sea to sailing the high ones, Rare’s exclusive pirate party has only gone from strength to strength with each update.

A massively online multiplayer title, Sea of Thieves eschews standard plot progression for the freedom of the seas. Players are set loose to set sail, living whatever pirate’s life is for them. Fancy looting and scuttling other ships? Go for it. Want to act out your childhood Jim Hawkins fantasies? Go for it, me boy!

With constant updates and expansions, it’s never been a better time to get into Rare’s Microsoft exclusive.

#16 Mafia: Definitive Edition

• Developer: Hangar 13
• Publisher: 2K Games
• Released: September 2020

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

If one were to separate the Mafia series from obvious Grand Theft Auto comparisons, there’s a rich universe to explore here. Mafia III brought the series back to prominence, leading the way for the first entry to be remade. And what an impressive remake it is.

Definitive by name and nature, the game’s complete overhaul benefits from the Series S|X’s processing power to deliver a realistic-looking New York. Whilst there may be some restrictions on the open world formula, it doesn’t matter so much when the level of content makes up for it. Also, the infamous Fairplay mission has been much improved on as well.

#15 No Man’s Sky

• Developer: Hello Games
• Publisher: Hello Games
• Released: 2016 (PS4), 2020 (Series S|X)

PC | Xbox | PlayStation | Nintendo

One of the “it got better over time” games on this list, No Man’s Sky is a fine example of a team making good on its promise. What started off as a relatively simple and bare-bones space sim has finally gone on to be something much, much bigger.

Cruising through space, building your own spaceport, or leading expositions on different planets have never been more seamless, thanks to massively improved loading times. Heaps of content, including mech suits and more ship options, not to mention multiplayer, make No Man’s Sky a much more improved experience than its hollow launch in 2016.

#14 Flight Simulator

• Developer: Asobo Games
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• Released: July 2021

PC | Xbox

Coming back down to the Earth’s atmosphere, you can’t get any more open-world than our world itself. The Flight Simulator series has been popular on PC for a while now, but with the power behind the Series consoles, Xbox fans can now get involved too.

It may be fiddly to start with (hence why becoming a pilot in real life takes a while), but once you’re up in the air it’s worth it. Flying a wide selection of commercial aircraft, there’s no rushing each trip. Keeping a plane in the air requires constant attention, all the while taking in a meticulously crafted landscape. It takes some concentration, but it’s surprisingly satisfying.

#13 Cyberpunk 2077

• Developer: CD Projekt Red
• Publisher: CD Projekt Red
• Released: February 2022

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

Forget all the discourse about its release then, this is about how the game is now. An ambitious title that, much like No Man’s Sky, has benefited from more time and attention put into it from CD Projekt Red, the Xbox Series update has finally been released.

While it still needs work, these quality of life upgrades are a vast improvement on its bare launch. Gorgeous visuals, complete with ray tracing, and a whole bunch of new content make this closer to the lofty vision that CD Projekt Red may or may not have promised. It’s going to be hard to sway the naysayers, hence why it’s so low on this list, but there’s no better time to play.

#12 Nier: Automata

• Developer: Platinum Games
• Publisher: Square Enix
• Released: June 2018 (Xbox version)

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

Much further into the future than 2077, Nier: Automata is a tale about the decline of civilization as we know it. Based on Nier, which is itself based on the Drakengard series, it’s probably best not to try and piece it all together.

Convolution aside, Nier: Automata tells a powerful story about love, death, and robots (in a non-linear way) set across several open-world hubs. Each biome is large enough to explore, with many side quests and secrets abound. Featuring Platinum’s premier style of fast-paced action, the title also includes one of the best game soundtracks in recent memory.

#11 Kingdom Come: Deliverance

• Developer: Warhorse Studios
• Publisher: Deep Silver
• Released: February 2018

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

On the other end of the timeline spectrum, we have Kingdom Come: Deliverance. No flashy flip-about combat, no living with dead rockstars in your brain, just dirty, peasant life in pre-Czech Republic Bohemia. But just because you won’t find robots debating morality doesn’t make this a bad title.

Deliverance offers a more humane, grounded affair. You play as a commoner, a lowly son of a blacksmith, who just happens to get caught up in a bit of royal drama. What makes Kingdom Come great is its more realistic, first-person combat. Faithfully replicating ye olde sword fighting, Deliverance makes the most of the latest hardware by bringing Warhorse Studio’s wonderful replication of Bohemia to life.

#10 Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

• Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Released: November 2020

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

By this stage in the series’ lifetime, you’re probably quite familiar with Assassin’s Creed. The twelfth main entry in a once-flagging franchise, Valhalla was the kick-up the Norse that it rightly needed.

Set against the backdrop of the Viking occupation of England, Valhalla tweaks the series slightly to make it fresh enough to get back into. Tthe real beauty of the game comes from, well, the game’s beauty–exploring Britain has never looked so good, especially when utilizing the power of the Series X. It’s never been a more vibrant time to be a Viking/Assassin hybrid.

#9 Metro Exodus

• Developer: 4A Games
• Publisher: Deep Silver
• Released: June 2021 (Series version)

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

The first two Metro games were great, but largely on rails (pun intended). By the time the third game came around, 4A were looking to expand, and an open world setting seemed to be the next progression. It’s not completely open world, mind you– think more Mass Effect hub areas as your train takes you on to the next plot area.

4A made a good-looking game the first time around. Yet with its Series S|X upgrade, they went further. It’s honestly one of the best-looking post-apocalyptic games ever, and that’s not hyperbole. The threat of radioactive death feels paltry when you want to go exploring in the nuclear wastelands.

You don’t have to have played the first two (although it wouldn’t go amiss), as Exodus recaps them both and tells its own contained story. It’s hard to feel despair when the apocalypse looks this good.

#8 Far Cry 6

• Developer: Ubisoft Toronto
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Released: October 2021

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

Far Cry, Ubisoft’s premier sandbox series, has covered many locales in its lifetime. From jungles and beaches to middle America, each place gave players plenty of things to do. In its sixth main installment, players are greeted with the beauty of the Caribbean.

While the general tone of each game is similar, Far Cry 6 adds a new leveling system to encourage players to get out and do more, rather than just cruise through the story. Considering how good the fictional island of Yara looks, why wouldn’t players want to go out and blow everything up?

Gunfights, explosions, car chases, and everything in between look absolutely vibrant, offering a massively manic playground to sink hours into against the backdrop of Giancarlo Esposito’s brutal dictatorship. Lovely.

#7 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

• Developer: Konami
• Publisher: Konami
• Released: September 2015

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

Metal Gear Solid. Open world. Not something we ever thought we’d see, but Konami and Kojima did it–and it cost them their relationship. The end result, besides the much-publicized spat, is one of the best open-world stealth games to grace consoles.

It’s not perfect, in terms of its convoluted base building/equipment grind, not to mention its story. Metal Gear games are head-scratchers at the best of times, but Phantom Pain takes it to a whole new level. That its third act went unfinished says a lot.

Focusing on the gameplay, The Phantom Pain is a masterclass in one-man army-ing. Multiple ways of approaching missions, either sneakily or with Rambo-esque flare, complete with an arsenal to boot, make MGSV one of the most fun open-world experiences. Enemies adapt in real-time to your efforts, and a dynamic weather system can either hinder or help Snake on his mission. Considering you can get Ground Zeroes and Phantom Pain for pennies now, what better way to conclude the Metal Gear Solid saga?

#6 Dying Light 2 Stay Human

• Developer: Techland
• Publisher: Techland
• Released: February 2022

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

Parkour. Zombies. Parkour-ing over a ledge to dropkick a zombie over a ledge. Vaulting off of a building to land axe-first onto a zombie. These are just several of hundreds of creative ways to kill the undead in Dying Light 2.

This sequel to 2015’s open-world undead-fest Dying Light 2 incorporates the power of new consoles to offer lush, expansive regions in which to go nuts. It has a fairly rote story, sure, but when players are taking out both hostile humans and nighttime nasties with electrified swords, who cares?

Couple that with co-op multiplayer, and Dying Light 2 lets players run rampant across the rooftops in one of this year’s biggest (and longest) games.

#5 Forza Horizon 5

• Developer: Playground Games
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• Released: November 2021

PC | Xbox

Before you read this and yell “It’s a driving game,” yes, you’re right–but it’s also set in a pretty huge and explorable space. That technically makes it an open-world game, as players are free to explore with any of the luxurious vehicles they have to hand.

What started as a spin-off from the stricter Motorsport series, Forza Horizon has continued to grow with each iteration. From America to the UK and right back to Mexico (albeit fictionalized versions of each), Horizon boasts some of the lushest graphics and realistic interpretations of era-defining cars for petrolheads to play around with. There’s also plenty to see and do, taking in gorgeous views as you find hidden cars, coves, and collectibles along the way.

#4 Red Dead Redemption 2

• Developer: Rockstar Studios
• Publisher: Rockstar Games
• Released: October 2018

PC | Xbox | PlayStation 

Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar’s other massive open-world series, still delivers on content today. The 2018 sequel is packed with so much detail that players are still discovering things that many continue to overlook–like bodies decomposing in real-time, for example.

Such is the level of attention in Arthur Morgan’s prequel story that it’s easy to forget the main quest. Countless citizens and side missions against some of the most detailed and good-looking Western landscapes will never make players lose interest.

Rockstar’s impressive gunplay, not to mention its meticulousness in character maintenance, makes this one of the most engaging sandboxes to play in. Just don’t look too closely at your horse’s undercarriage.

#3 Elden Ring

• Developer: FromSoftware
• Publisher: Bandai Namco
• Released: February 2022

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

The most recent entry on this list, Elden Ring is just as worthy as the oldest game here. Could we call it “open-world Dark Souls” and be done? Sure, but that doesn’t do it credit.

While it follows a similar template to Dark Souls in terms of the basics, that’s only a small part of it. The bigger picture is that Elden Ring is huge; a massive world that players can get lost in for hundreds of hours. While there are certain boss restrictions at points, the game encourages you to explore.

This isn’t a dumbed-down Souls game, either. The challenge is still there and the bosses are still gigantic and fearsome. But all that does is encourage players to go off and ‘get good’ while exploring beautiful landscapes. That, and you get a double-jumping horse to sightsee with. What more could you want?

#2 The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

• Developer: CD Projekt Red
• Publisher: CD Projekt Red
• Released: Q2 2022 (Series version)

PC | Xbox | PlayStation | Nintendo

The Witcher, on its debut, was a niche PC RPG. Full of story but not the most accessible, it didn’t manage to reach millions. Two sequels later and it’s not hard to see why The Wild Hunt comes up on many Game of the Year lists.

Boasting some of the most impressive world-building ever–especially in the Blood and Wine DLC–The Witcher 3 is a tale to get lost in. A fine-tuned crafting, combat, and leveling system sees many a different character build, as players guide Geralt through the many trials and tribulations of this fantasy world.

It’s high fantasy, and with an actual Series S|X upgrade coming later this year, it’s going to be a beautiful experience to dive back into.

#1 Grand Theft Auto V

• Developer: Rockstar North
• Publisher: Rockstar Games
• Released: March 2022 (Series version)

PC | Xbox | PlayStation

You can’t have a current open-world list without mentioning a Grand Theft Auto. GTAV was originally released nine years ago and still shows no signs of slowing down.

With one then-next generation upgrade under its belt, it can only get better with the upcoming improvements. Exploring Los Santos again as Michael, Franklin, and Trevor looks to be every bit as fun as it did back in 2013.

New visual improvements like ray tracing and 4K visuals are all supported on the Series X, and GTAV looks set to wow us again when it comes out this month. If Grand Theft Auto VI is a while off yet, what better time to jump back in than with this update?

Bonus Entry

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

• Developer: Bethesda Softworks
• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
• Released: 2011, 2016, 2018…

PC | Xbox | PlayStation | Nintendo

Skyrim transcends ranking, but not because it’s the best open-world game. Or even the worst. It is, in a way, just Skyrim. Anyone who’s ever sunk hours into this will always have an anecdote or a glitch story to tell.

When released in 2011 (making it the oldest on this list), Skyrim was a massive, messy affair. It’s what Bethesda became known for, alongside Fallout. After many years and enough ports to rival Resident Evil 4, The Elder Scrolls V has become the open world of legend.

No two stories are ever the same, which in turn makes players want to explore to find new adventures. It’s not for everyone, but with a strong modding community offering up constant improvements (and Thomas the Tank Engine dragon mods), Skyrim continues to be a sandbox juggernaut. Now that it’s in its best (well, current) state, get sucked into the Xbox Series upgrade.