Given their expansive nature, open-world projects tend to be some of the longest games in existence. It's possible to pour hundreds and thousands of hours into a single open-world game without exploring every nook and cranny. They are meant to keep someone engaged for weeks or months, and when done right, they can be absolutely spectacular. Now, longer does not always mean better, but when a project hits the mark, that can certainly be the case.
While there are short open-world games out there, Shadow of the Colossus and Mafia immediately come to mind, most entries in the genre require a significant time investment. That's part of the reason these titles are so popular – they reward commitment with content and immersion. These titles are designed to be played for weeks or months on end, taking players on an epic journey across (usually) expansive worlds. Let's take a look at the longest open-world games.
The listed times are taken from HowLongToBeat. The included range covers from the time required to finish a game's main story to a completionist playthrough. The former will be used as the primary metric, while the latter will be used in the case of a tie.
Also, only one game per franchise, although other entries will be mentioned as notes. Finally, a game must have at least 4 input times to be considered.
Updated November 8, 2025 by Mark Sammut: As no new games have come out that warrant inclusion, we have updated the images for each long open-world game mentioned in this article.
47 No Man's Sky
31–156 Hours
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Hello Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
No Man's Sky had an incredibly rough launch. When it was first released back in 2016, it was met with ire by much of the community. Players cited the lack of content and a failure to deliver on promises made by the developer as the biggest issues, with a general feeling that the game was unfinished. Thankfully, developers listened to the community and stuck with the project, pouring extra work into creating the game that they envisioned from the start.
No Man's Sky: Mistakes To Avoid When Building A Base
No Man's Sky offers a pretty intuitive and entertaining base-building mechanic but it's easy to make mistakes when crafting your own.
Nowadays, No Man's Sky is much improved and has seen a couple of DLC releases to help pad out its content even further. In fact, there is not so much to do in the sci-fi exploration and action release that deviating from the main story and doing all the side content will take over 100 hours. There is replayability here too.
46 Skull And Bones
32–47 Hours
Skull and Bones
- Released
- February 16, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Singapore
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Ubisoft created one of the definitive pirate games in Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, a project that was so successful that a spiritual successor removed from that franchise seemed inevitable. Skull and Bones took a very long time to materialize, and it went through a rather notorious development cycle; by the time of its 2024 debut, the game had lost most of its momentum following an array of underwhelming reports and previews. While not without positives, Skull and Bones was undeniably a disappointment, particularly its limited gameplay, which felt more restrictive and one-note than the much older Black Flag.
Despite technically containing a main story, this title follows a live-service structure that is meant to encourage indefinite sessions, sort of similar to something like Sea of Thieves. Even if it is not the focus, the campaign is fairly lengthy, and it mostly revolves around targeting specific pirates (who have very little personality).
45 Divine Divinity
32–70 Hours
Divine Divinity
- Released
- September 22, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Open-World
Thanks to Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Baldur's Gate 3, Larian is well-established as one of the best modern RPG developers. While both of those games provide room for exploration and free roam, they are not open-world in the traditional sense but rather feature open areas. However, 2002's Divine Divinity is a more standard representative of the concept, even if it is fairly dated in a lot of ways.
Blending Diablo-style combat with classic PC RPG elements, Divine Divinity does a pretty good job balancing out the two subgenres, delivering a fairly accessible hack and slash system alongside stat-fueled progression and builds. Players are free to explore the world as they see fit, tackling side quests at their leisure. While a bit rough around the edges, this title still has plenty of charm.
44 Dysmantle
32–73 Hours
Dysmantle
- Released
- November 6, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Survival
An indie open-world survival game, Dysmantle establishes a gameplay loop that is irresistibly addictive. Set in a post-apocalyptic world featuring zombies, this title's bare-bones sound rather unspectacular, but everything comes together quite seamlessly for one main reason: progression is constant and highly enjoyable.
Players spend the majority of their time in Dysmantle destroying everything around them, and each action grants XP points that can then be used to forge better tools to cause even more devastation. It is a cycle that works brilliantly and ensures that grinding never feels pointless. The world is reasonably large too, even if the isometric camera angle makes the map seem smaller than it is.
43 Grand Theft Auto 5
32–88 Hours
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
- September 17, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Rockstar's latest adventure was so well-received by the community that it continues to see updates and re-releases on consoles. Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the largest and most ambitious releases in Rockstar's franchise, with a main campaign that spans three separate playable characters.
Grand Theft Auto 5: 8 Ways To Shake Up A Second Playthrough
Looking to play through GTA 5 for a second (or third) time? Here are a few ways to keep things interesting.
Although the main story is engrossing enough, there are tons of sidequests and stranger-style missions to complete. It'll take players quite a bit of time and effort to see all there is to see in Los Santos and all the surrounding areas. From there, players can also hop into Grand Theft Auto Online for even more stories and side content to tackle.
Obviously, GTA Online is almost endless.
42 Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
32–90 Hours
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
- Released
- November 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Following in Pokemon Legends: Arceus' footsteps, Scarlet and Violet were the first main entry projects in Game Freak's franchise to go down the open-world route, a decision that attracted excitement and trepidation in equal measure. The ninth-generation games got a decisively mixed response, particularly due to bad performance and bugs. Visually, Scarlet and Violet also leave quite a bit to be desired and are fairly rough around the edges.
Pokemon Scarlet And Violet: Every Legendary Pokemon Encounter, Ranked
The ninth generation Pokemon games offer plenty of legendary encounters, but some stand out for a number of reasons.
Still, they are Pokemon games that, for the most part, manage to preserve the traditional loop that has proven popular for the best part of three decades. Sure, the story might be reluctant to provide any significant challenge or try anything new, but neither of those things is a game killer for Pokemon. The simple excitement of catching and training monsters will seemingly never grow out of fashion.
41 Space Rangers HD: A War Apart
32–173 Hours
Space Rangers HD: A War Apart
- Released
- October 17, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
Although it certainly shows its age nowadays, Space Rangers 2: Dominators was an impressive sci-fi title when it debuted in 2004. The Russian game blends a surprising number of genres, from trade simulators to shoot 'em ups and RTS. The base game launched with hardly a shortage of content, but 2013's Space Rangers HD: A War Apart adds even more material to it, expanding this title to enormous lengths.
Space Rangers HD takes place in a universe where evil robots called Dominators are trying to take over everything. The player steps into one of the game's various civilizations and must set out to complete faction missions, take a few trips to hyperspace, and make enemies and friends along the way. Not everything about Space Rangers HD: A War Apart has aged gracefully, but the game's open-ended nature is admirable and greatly enhances its replayability, making it one of the longest open-world games ever.
40 Outward
33–98 Hours
Outward
- Released
- March 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Usually, fantasy RPGs cast players as prominent figures, heroes summoned by the stars to change the course of history. Outward opts for a different take as its protagonist starts as a common adventurer who is merely trying to pay off a debt, and it takes a while for them to become involved in a more important narrative.
While Outward has plenty of issues, such as unsatisfying combat, the game nails its open-world. Players are allowed to explore the map to their hearts' content, and the game opens up very quickly. Sure, some routes lead to death, but that is to be expected in this sort of fantasy world.
39 Fallout: New Vegas – Ultimate Edition
34–144 Hours
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- RPG
When it comes to main stories, Fallout: New Vegas is the longest entry in Bethesda's franchise, although most of the 3D games are similar in length. Obsidian's spin-off is generally hailed as the best post-Fallout 2 entry, particularly due to its implementation of actions and consequences that make the player's decisions seem important.
As with most Bethesda games, New Vegas' content and longevity go well beyond the base content, at least on PC. These titles are kept alive for years through active modding communities that add a plethora of fresh material, including stuff like quests.
Fallout 4 – Game Of The Year Edition has a very similar length to New Vegas, with its story being roughly 34 hours. However, completionist runs are longer at 224 hours. Fallout 76 is similar at 35 hours, with 340 hours for everything.
38 Starpoint Gemini 2
35–58 Hours
Starpoint Gemini 2
- Released
- March 17, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Little Green Men Games
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Sandbox, Simulation, Action, RPG, Tactical
Humanity seemed destined to always gaze at the stars, dreaming of a future when they may fly freely through space's endless expanse. While that reality is still far off, games present a way to experience a slightly similar thrill, all from the comfort of a gaming chair. While not lacking a story, Starpoint Gemini 2's main appeal is the freedom it grants players, allowing them to jump into their spaceship and explore to their hearts' content.
A true sandbox experience, the game shines in its ability to reward aimlessness, crafting unique scenarios that can only be found if somebody is willing to just go where few have gone before. While not always smooth sailing and occasionally succumbing to repetition, Starpoint Gemini 2 is generally an impressive outing, especially for a relatively small release that is more than a decade old by this point.