This year's iteration of the Gamescom trade fair and gaming showcase is just a couple of weeks away, which sets up the time between now and then as a great opportunity to clear out the backlog or play through some old favorites ahead of looking to the future for what's coming. Weekends are one of the best times to hunker down for an extended gaming session, and open-world games are some of the perfect titles to get lost in for hours at a time. So what better way to check all the aforementioned boxes than to scour through the backlog and choose any number of great open-world games to revisit, try for the first time, or start a new playthrough while waiting for what comes next?
Between new releases, major content updates, and increased interest thanks to performance enhancements, the following titles are ones that we'd like to highlight as some ideal options for your weekend gaming plans. Whether planning on playing solo or in multiplayer, trying out something new, or returning to a beloved favorite, these are some of the best open-world games to dive into between now and Sunday.
Street Fighter 6
Capcom's Street Fighter 6 punched its way into open-world territory with the new World Tour single-player story mode, and it happens to be one of the best ways to brush up on your skills before taking on opponents in its highly competitive online multiplayer. After having one of the best showings at Evo 2025, player counts for Street Fighter 6 are back up to an impressive 50% of their all-time peak on Steam, and console numbers are likely not far behind. If you're interested in a fighting game with an open-world story mode, Street Fighter 6 is your best bet, and now is one of the better times to get into it.
Street Fighter 6
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 91 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- RE Engine
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
Titan Quest 2
Nearly 10 years since the launch of its predecessor, Titan Quest 2 arrived in Early Access this week and is already getting a positive reception from players. It's currently sitting at an impressive 85% "Very Positive" on Steam, where according to players, Titan Quest 2 features some great build variety, a compelling Greek mythology-inspired setting, and sits at a nice middle ground between the accessibility of Diablo 4 and the complex stat and ability juggling of a game like Path of Exile 2. As far as open-world ARPGs go, Titan Quest 2 is a safe bet.
- Developer(s)
- Grimlore Games
- Publisher(s)
- THQ Nordic
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Prequel(s)
- Titan Quest
- Number of Players
- Single-player
WHERE TO PLAY
Elden Ring Nightreign
Open-world action roguelikes aren't all that common, and it's arguably even less common to get one based on one of the most successful AAA games of the last decade. While it may have fallen sharply from its all-time peak player counts, thousands of players are flocking back to Elden Ring Nightreign in droves right now to test their mettle against the latest Everdark Sovereign fight for the Fissure in the Fog — Caligo, Miasma of Night. Plus, with the rumored "Deep of Night" endless mode coming down the pike, now is one of the best times to either familiarize or reacquaint yourself with Limveld.
Elden Ring Nightreign
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 78%
- Released
- May 30, 2025
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Soulslike, Roguelite
Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Auto 5 has been an unstoppable juggernaut for the last 12 years, and it's still one of the most-played and streamed games, even with Grand Theft Auto 6 right around the corner. Recent rumors suggesting that there could be another last-minute delay for Grand Theft Auto 6 position Grand Theft Auto 5 as the best option players have for engaging in some open-world heists and crime sprees to soften the blow. A price drop for the Enhanced edition (which also includes the Legacy edition) and a sale on the PlayStation store make this weekend a great time to pick up GTA 5 if you've somehow avoided it all this time.
Grand Theft Auto 5
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 92%
- Released
- September 17, 2013
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Rockstar Advanced Game Engine
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Rust
Open-world survival game Rust is still one of the best and most popular genre entries on Steam, and the recent Harder-Core update that went live yesterday completely revamps the popular Hardcore mode while also bringing a slew of performance tweaks. Better yet, Rust is half off for the next week, down to just $20 until August 14. This weekend might be one of the best times to dive into this thrilling and challenging PvEvP survival experience.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 67 /100 Critics Rec: 30%
- Released
- February 8, 2018
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Facepunch Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Facepunch Studios
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival