Summary
- Bethesda's largest map goes to Starfield, offering over 1,000 planets to explore.
- Fallout 76's map has grown over the years, offering diverse challenges and locations.
- Daggerfall is Bethesda's second-largest game with a procedurally generated massive map of 62,000 mi².
Open-world games tend to be very popular. Players love exploring vast areas and discovering all of the references and Easter Eggs therein. The bigger the world, the more there is to explore. Bethesda is very well-known for creating large open worlds that give players lots of freedom to explore. From Skyrim to Starfield, most of Bethesda's largest titles give players access to huge maps.
8 Most Iconic RPG Open Worlds Ever Made
Open-world games are the shining star of the gaming industry. Of the many settings found within this genre, these are the most timeless and iconic.
As of today, the title of largest map/world in gaming goes to No Man's Sky. That said, Bethesda has released some pretty large games over the years. This list will go over Bethesda's biggest maps and rank them in order of size.
Keep in mind that the map sizes are estimates. There are lots of conflicting sources around the exact sizes.
7 Fallout 3
A Well-Made Map With Plenty To See And Do
Fallout 3
- Released
- October 28, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Estimated Size: 3 mi² (Figure Disputed)
Unfortunately, there are many conflicting sources regarding the overall size of Fallout 3's map. One thing that is for sure is that the map in Fallout 3 is smaller than the map in Fallout 76.
Best Open-World Games With Aggressive Enemies
Combat is key in any open-world game, and these titles take it up a notch with enemy aggression.
Fallout 3's map depicts a post-nuclear Washington. However, the locals refer to the area as the Capital Wasteland. The map is large enough to keep players engaged for a long time. In fact, it may take more than a couple of playthroughs to discover all that the Capital Wasteland has to offer.
6 Fallout 4
A Highly Successful Fallout Game
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Estimated Size: Estimates Vary, But Most Agree That It Is Larger Than Fallout 3 a nd Smaller Than Fallout 76.
Fallout 4 was a major success for Bethesda. Despite being released in 2015, many players continue to play it today. From its storyline to the many side characters that the player meets along the way, there's a lot to love about this now iconic post-apocalyptic game.
The events in Fallout 4 take place in The Commonwealth, formerly known as Boston, Massachusetts. Not only is the map quite large, but it's full of secrets, unmarked locations, and more that help to keep players engaged. It's very easy to get sidetracked while attempting to complete the main storyline due to how much there is to explore.
5 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Most Popular Elder Scrolls Game
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Estimated Size: 14-15 mi²
Skyrim is by far the most popular game within the Elder Scrolls series. Players can explore a large region within Tamriel. The whole map is filled with dragons, bandits, and a host of other foes that the Dragonborn will need to take down.
Released in 2011, more than 60 million copies of the game have been purchased, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time. While players can fast travel after visiting a region, they will still need to find their way around largely on foot or horseback. From Whiterun to the Throat of the World, there are plenty of places that the player will explore during a playthrough.
4 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
The Game Has Received Renewed Interest Thanks To Its Recent Remaster
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
- Released
- April 22, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Open-World, Adventure
- Estimated Size: 16 mi²
Upon its release, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion was received positively for its graphics, storylines, and expansive map. Thanks to its recent remaster, the game has been given a new lease on life. Players who were too young to appreciate this game at the time of its initial release can now enjoy Oblivion in much more detail with this new release.
The map's overall size is estimated to be around 16 mi², making it about the same size as the map in Fallout 76. While the main storyline can be completed in around 25–30 hours, all of the additional content in the game can take that number to well over 100 hours for a playthrough.
3 Fallout 76
A Big Map That Has Become Fuller Over The Years
Fallout 76
- Released
- November 14, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Estimated Size: 16 mi²
Fallout 76 is one of Bethesda's more controversial titles. Upon its release, it was missing a lot of core features, including NPCs and narrative quests. That said, while it was rather empty during the early days, it has grown to become a highly populated world with plenty to see and do.
Each of the map's regions has its own set of unique challenges to overcome. Also, thanks to regular updates, the map just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Not only that, but players can also venture outside of the main map and explore various other areas, such as The Pitt and Atlantic City.
2 The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall
A Huge Procedurally Generated World
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
- Released
- September 20, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Estimated Size: 62,000 mi²
The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall is largely randomized, meaning that the majority of the map is procedurally generated. Thanks to this type of world creation, Bethesda was able to make a truly enormous map. It is the second-largest game from Bethesda in terms of overall map size, and exploring all of the areas found within is an almost impossible task.
Best Mods For The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall
Players who want to set out on another adventure in The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall shouldn't start without some of these mods!
Since most of it is procedurally generated, there are lots of huge areas that are pretty barren. However, there are still plenty of places to explore, quests to find, enemies to battle, and secrets to uncover.
1 Starfield
Travel Through Space And Explore Hundreds Of Planets
Starfield
- Released
- September 6, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Estimated Size: 1,000,000 mi² (Over 1,000 Planets To Explore)
Starfield is by far the largest Bethesda game in terms of map size. Players can explore over 1,000 planets as they travel through space. While the game didn't get off to the best start, over the past couple of years, it has received some pretty large updates that have helped to turn the game into a more immersive experience.
This open-ended map gives players almost unlimited possibilities when it comes to exploration. For those wanting to focus on the game's main objectives, Starfield can be completed in around 24 hours. But for those who enjoy exploring, this game is very open-ended and can easily fill 100 hours' worth of playtime.
8 Bethesda Games With The Best Side Quests, Ranked
Bethesda's games are known for their side content, and these titles have quests aplenty to keep players entertained.