13 New Best Open World Games of 2023

Open-world games are popping up more and more, and many franchises have even tailored themselves to be more like an open-world game to bring in more fans. As such, you can expect a lot of these titles in 2023. The real question becomes though…which ones should you get?

#13 The Crew Motorfest

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: September 14, 2023

Epic | PlayStation | Xbox

Do you love car games but don’t love how they’re sometimes “too focused” on one aspect of it? If so, then The Crew Motorfest is a title you’ll want to check out. Ubisoft’s latest entry in the series promises to bring you to a place where all aspects of car culture can be truly appreciated.

For example, if you wish to do some campaigns to get your bearings on the world, multiple ones are awaiting you. If you wish to go straight into racing others, you can do that too! Or if you wish to roam around the beautiful Hawaiian landscape the title places you in, the world is yours to explore.

#12 Sons of the Forest

Developer: Endnight Games
Publisher: Endnight Games
Platform: PC
Release Date: February 23, 2023

There must be a pretty great reward here, as in Sons of the Forest, players will be venturing into a desolate island in search of a billionaire. Of course, if you played The Forest, you know this island is also home to a mutated cannibalistic tribe. Players will receive a similar gameplay experience as from the past game installment. The game has an open-world environment to roam in alone or with friends. You’ll have to make do with whatever the forest provides to survive. This means building shelter or weapons to deal with the hostile tribe. Likewise, this game installment will bring in seasons for players to endure, so get ready to deal with the bitter cold as winter rolls in.

#11 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS5
Release Date: October 20, 2023

Many titles are anticipated in 2023. But Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is easily one of the most anticipated. Why? Because the previous two titles from Insomniac Games were incredible. They dove deep into the lives of Peter Parker and Miles Morales and delivered adventures that fans couldn’t get enough of.

That makes the wait for the game so hard. We’ve seen one trailer for the title, and it only teased a few things. Granted, one of those things was Venom, and that’s exciting, but it’s not enough!

Hopefully, we’ll hear more from Insomniac about the title soon. That way, we can get even more hyped for the game to come.

#10 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc.
Platform: PC XSX|S PS5
Release Date: April 28, 2023

Cal Kestis is back. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the highly-anticipated sequel to the hugely successful title from Respawn Entertainment.

Years have passed since Cal Kestis, and his allies destroyed a Holocron containing potential future Jedi. Since then, Cal has become a fugitive that does what he can to disrupt the Empire and help those in need.

But soon, he’ll face a war on many fronts. A mysterious villain has come into the fold, and the Inquisitors are hunting down Cal with every breath. He must push his force abilities to new heights and battle against all foes to survive the darkness to come.

#9 Hogwarts Legacy

Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PC XSX|S PS5 10 February 10, 2023 (PS4 Xbox One April 04, 2023)
Release Date: Switch July 25, 2023

Are you ready to return to a certain school of magic? If so, then check out Hogwarts Legacy. The game allows you to “live the unwritten” so you can journey even deeper into the magical world of Harry Potter.

You’ll be a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and learn magic from the professors in the castle. Speaking of the castle, you’ll be able to roam inside it and outside it. Explore to see its secrets, interact with magical creatures, and more!

There are many ways to play the title, so see what kind of witch or wizard you want to be!

#8 Dead Island 2

Developer: Sumo Digital / Deep Silver Dambuster Studios
Publisher: Deep Silver
Platform: PC XSX|S PS4 PS5 Xbox One
Release Date: April 28, 2023

Here is a title that many people have been expecting for years. Dead Island 2 made waves with a hilarious reveal trailer, but development setbacks prevented the game’s launch. However, here in 2023, things are finally different.

The game will take you to Los Angeles, where the zombie apocalypse continues! You’ll work alone or with friends to survive the hordes of the undead and stay in the realm of the living.

The title’s fun comes from the weapons you use to take down zombies. You can even use the environment to do the damage for you! So strike first, and stay alive!

#7 Season: A Letter to the Future

Release date: January 31, 2023
Developer: Scavengers Studio
Publisher: Scavengers Studio
Platform: PC PS4 PS5

Season: A Letter to the Future puts you in a mysterious world where life begins and ends with the “seasons.” When a season ends, so too does the history that was built up in it. One such season is about to end, and that’s where Estelle comes in.

She’s determined to learn more about the world she’s never seen and record the truth for the future citizens of the world, whoever they may be.

As you explore, you’ll use various tools to unlock the truth. But what is the truth of this world? How will it be used to prepare those that come next? Start your journey and find out!

#6 Diablo IV

• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment, Vicarious Visions
• Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Release date: June 5, 2023

The Diablo title we should’ve gotten instead of Immortal, Diablo IV is finally here for you to dive into.

Diablo IV is a dark RPG is all about dealing with Lilith’s return to the Sanctuary. Another reign of terror has begun, and it’s a battle to fight off the new age of darkness and horrors that come with it. This installment has plenty to explore and environments to take in when you’re not digging through new dungeons and cellars. Likewise, you have new seasons to dive into with new storylines to progress through so you’ll be logging into this game regularly.

#5 Atomic Heart

• Developer: Mundfish
• Publisher: Mundfish
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, X/S
• Release: February 21, 2023

Atomic Heart is set up in an alternative 1955 timeline where the Soviet Union has advanced dramatically with new technological wonders. Players are stepping into a KGB special agent named P-3, who is tasked with visiting a factory that’s gone silent. To discover what’s going on with this factory, players will need to venture into an area ruled by robots and oddity creatures. You’ll have to go through the many levels of this “utopia” to find the truth about what happened and who set events in motion. But be warned! Many obstacles stand in your way. So load up with all the weapons and powers you can to take them on!

#4 Assassin’s Creed Mirage

• Developer: Ubisoft
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Release date: October 5, 2023

Easily one of the bigger problems that some fans have had with the Assassin’s Creed games as of late is their massive worlds that kind of “defeated the purpose” of the original games in terms of them being about stealth and assassinations. Do you remember how big Valhalla was?

If that was indeed a gripe you have then Assassin’s Creed Mirage will help ease your pain a little. In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, things are getting scaled down in a good way while still letting you have plenty to explore. You’ll roam around the city of Baghdad during its peak and have to use the city’s construction to your advantage to get out of danger.

You’ll take on numerous jobs to help the people and free them from their oppressors, so always be on the lookout for those in need.

#3 Avatar Frontiers of Pandora

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Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: December 7, 2023

Epic | PlayStation | Xbox

We all know that Ubisoft loves making open-world games. Seriously, they can’t get enough of it, and pretty much all of their franchises have open-world elements in one form or another. But in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, they might just be taking it to the next level.

First and foremost, yes, you are on the same Pandora as the two James Cameron movies. But just as important, you’re in a section of Pandora that the films haven’t touched. You’ll meet an entirely new Na’vi tribe and get to explore their world while helping them fight off the humans who captured you and are trying to invade.

There’s plenty to see, so don’t be afraid to venture far and wide!

#2 Starfield

• Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
• Release date: September 6, 2023

Boy, Bethesda loves to string us along and then drop something masterful on us, don’t they? They’ve been teasing Starfield for literal years, and even when we thought we were going to get new information on the game…we didn’t. Then they delayed the game to 2023 and now we have to wait even LONGER for information. But now the game is here and you can enjoy this new science fiction RPG.

We all know that Bethesda is good at making games that take a long time to complete. They’ll put you into realms or countries with plenty of space to put things in and numerous side quests to complete.

But things are about to be taken to a whole new level in Starfield because you will be exploring outer space and the planets that fill it. Bethesda there are legions of planets to check out, many of which have cities or key areas for you touchdown in and see what they’re like.

Who knows what you might find as you explore? The one way to find out is to jump into your ship and set a course for adventure.

#1 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

• Developer: Nintendo
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Release date: May 12, 2023

What made the previous entry in The Legend of Zelda franchise so special was that it was the first game in the series to embrace the open-world aesthetic. Previous titles had dabbled in being open-world but never committed.

But now, with Tears of the Kingdom, we’ll get the next evolution of that. The Hyrule from before is where we are in the sequel, but it won’t be the same Hyrule. After Ganondorf reemerges, he rips the realm apart with his power. This creates Sky Islands and underground chambers for gamers to explore!

With so much to do in Hyrule, you’ll happily get lost while trying to see all the game offers.

Disclaimer: This article was updated on 10/18/23 as we continue to adjust this list with new entries or remove games due to delays or failure to captivate audiences.