As years go by, more and more developers are rethinking their approach to the scope of virtual worlds. Long gone are the days when boasting about the sheer size of a map drew extra attention to an upcoming game. In fact, it can sometimes have the opposite effect now. As many players grow tired of enormous maps filled with repetitive content, the focus has shifted toward what fills these worlds — offering more reasons to explore and keeping the journey engaging for longer.
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Looking at the upcoming games below that promise truly expansive worlds, it’s clear most of them follow this new approach. The focus now is on how detailed these worlds are and how much there is to see and do, rather than on size alone. Of course, that doesn’t mean fans of truly gigantic maps are out of luck. Large worlds aren’t going anywhere — they’re just becoming more condensed, layered, and filled with memorable locations, characters, and activities.
Light No Fire
No Boundaries in a World the Size of a Planet
Light No Fire
- Developer(s)
- Hello Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Light No Fire is one of the rare examples where the emphasis truly lies on the size of the game’s world, promising no boundaries at a scale never attempted before. However, considering it comes from the developers of No Man’s Sky, it could actually be seen as a step back. Instead of hundreds of explorable galaxies filled with countless planets, Light No Fire offers a single, procedurally generated world “just” the size of Earth.
In every other sense, though, Light No Fire is shaping up to be deeper and more detailed than No Man’s Sky, blending the depth of an RPG with the freedom of a survival sandbox. Driven by exploration, building, and crafting, players will be able to meet and unite with others in this vast, richly varied planet — packed with diverse biomes, valuable resources, unique enemies, and plenty of lore and mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
Crimson Desert
Fantasy World of the Pywel Continent Awaits
Crimson Desert
- Released
- March 19, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World, Exploration
The highly anticipated open-world fantasy action-RPG Crimson Desert has been in development for years and is finally set to take the genre by storm in early 2026. Brimming with gameplay features, mechanics, and activities, the vast world of Pywel is a continent of divided regions and rare beauty, featuring large settlements and towns, towering castles with intricate architecture, and even destructible environments.
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Beyond the traditional vast and breathtaking landscapes typical of fantasy RPGs, Crimson Desert also intrigues with its impressive traversal options already showcased. Given the scale of its world, players will need more ways to move quickly than just horseback riding. For that, protagonist Kliff of the Greymane can not only mount dragons, much like in Skyrim, but also use magical abilities to glide, allowing for fast descents from high places or quick travel across wide stretches of land when needed.
Hunting Simulator 3
Explore Diverse and Vast Real-World Wilderness Maps
Hunting Simulator 3
- Released
- 0000
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
Despite being a rather niche subgenre, hunting simulator games often impress with their beautiful and expansive maps based on real-world locations, allowing players to explore tranquil hunting grounds and take in the surrounding natural beauty. Hunting Simulator 3 follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, promising an even grander and more detailed wilderness experience.
The game will also let players use all-terrain vehicles for faster navigation, emphasizing just how large its explorable areas are. So far, only two maps have been confirmed, the Colorado and Texas wilderness, but more are expected, each with its own distinct biomes and ecosystems. Combined with unique animal behavior and more visually stunning environments than ever, Hunting Simulator 3 could become a true paradise for virtual hunters and fans of digital tourism who simply enjoy soaking in gorgeous nature.
State of Decay 3
Zombie Apocalypse at Its Largest
State of Decay 3
- ESRB
- m
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
State of Decay 3 remains largely in the shadows, but thanks to last year’s footage from Undead Labs, its shape is slowly but surely coming together. There are still some concerns about the lack of regular updates after nearly five years of development, but hopefully, the long-awaited title will make it through. After all, it also took five years for the studio to produce the sequel, so the current gap doesn’t seem too unusual.
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A vast sandbox environment has always been at the heart of the State of Decay series, so even without many details revealed, it’s safe to assume State of Decay 3 will be the biggest yet — fully powered by new technologies and hardware. And, as shown in the latest teaser, driveable vehicles will make a return, further expanding the sense of scale and survival freedom the series is known for.
The Witcher 4
Explore New Corners of the Iconic Fantasy Universe
The Witcher 4
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
The Witcher 4 will be CD Projekt Red’s first game powered by Unreal Engine 5, following the studio’s shift away from its own Red Engine — for better or worse. So far, the developers have only showcased a technical demo, offering a glimpse of how the upcoming open-world RPG might look and feel, though the final version is unlikely to match the footage exactly.
Still, it’s clear that The Witcher 4 aims to deliver a truly expansive world to explore as Ciri, likely surpassing its predecessors while taking fans to previously unseen regions of the Continent, including Kovir and its vast cities of Valdrest and Lan Exeter. With such an ambitious scale, one can only hope the studio manages to avoid the technical pitfalls often associated with Unreal Engine 5, especially in seamless open-world environments.
Grand Theft Auto 6
The Biggest and Most Detailed GTA Map Ever
Grand Theft Auto 6
- Released
- November 19, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto 6 promises the biggest and most detailed map ever seen in the legendary series that helped define the open-world genre. From sprawling cities filled with hundreds of NPCs, diverse biomes teeming with realistic wildlife, and stunning day-night cycles with dynamic weather, to countless enterable buildings — GTA 6’s Vice City is set to have it all.
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Based on the limited footage shown so far (where’s Trailer 3, Rockstar?), the level of detail in GTA 6 is truly staggering, one that may remain unmatched for years, if ever. A dense, lifelike virtual world that mirrors reality like never before, Grand Theft Auto 6 is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious games ever created.
Forza Horizon 6
Gorgeous Japan Explorable at Breakneck Speeds
Forza Horizon 6
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rating Pending
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
Forza Horizon 6 will likely be the first in the series to move on completely from the Xbox One’s 2013 hardware, which should positively impact both the map size and the world’s level of detail. Considering that even four years later, Forza Horizon 5 still stands unmatched for its visuals in the arcade open-world racing genre, it’s exciting to imagine just how far Forza Horizon 6 might push that bar.
Aside from the confirmed setting in Japan, few details have been revealed so far. However, it’s reasonable to assume that Forza Horizon 6 will feature the largest map in the series yet — something expected from an open-world racing game where vast, explorable environments are a huge part of the appeal, especially when players are tearing through them at breakneck speeds of over 250 mph.
The Elder Scrolls 6
So, Is It Hammerfell After All?
The Elder Scrolls 6
- Released
- 2026
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Another strong contender that’s impossible to ignore among upcoming games with gigantic maps, The Elder Scrolls 6 is expected to feature an expansive and richly detailed open world, continuing the series’ tradition of unmatched freedom to explore. A vast world is essential to the franchise, so it’s hard to imagine TES 6 disappointing in that regard.
However, fans still don’t have official confirmation of the game’s setting (though many believe it’s Hammerfell), and it may be several more years before Bethesda is ready to share anything substantial about its most anticipated project yet. There was a five-year gap between Fallout 76 and Starfield, and it could take even longer before TES 6 is ready, meaning fans will have to remain patient a while longer.
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