Upcoming Open-World Game That Looks Too Good To Be True

As we approach the end of the current generation, the games become more ambitious and impressive with each passing year. Many titles that began development before or shortly after the arrival of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are finally nearing release. They promise to fully exploit the potential of current generation hardware, delivering levels of scope, visual effects, freedom and immersion that we've never seen before.

It's safe to assume that the next few years will be even more exciting for fans of all genres, including open world. Some games may still be quite a ways off, but they're already becoming incredibly ambitious, combining top-notch graphics with cutting-edge gameplay. Today we look at upcoming open world games that sound like a dream and are topping the lists of the most anticipated titles for millions of gamers. Note that just because the games below might look too good to be true, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll live up to the hype and deliver everything promised — so let's not get our expectations too high just yet.

Grand Theft Auto 6

Quite simply in a league of its own

Now there are upcoming ambitious open-world games that sound incredible, and then there's that Grand Theft Auto 6. The game is easily in a league of its own, defined by the studio's expertise and reputation, its unmatched budget for the entire entertainment industry, sheer scale, years in development, and simply stunning execution across the board (judging by the early trailers alone). If no further delays occur, it's safe to assume GTA 6 will soon raise the bar for the entire industry for years to come, just like its predecessors GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2.

The current levels of hype around GTA 6 are inscrutable, unhealthy even, with the fan community's hunger for new information constantly producing new theories and speculations about the game based on the tiniest of hints, like patents. However, Rockstar is one of the few modern developers known for being able to exceed even the wildest expectations, over-delivering with titles that often look even better at launch than in the early trailers. In any case, it's better to just be patient — GTA 6 (and Trailer 3) will come when it's ready. Now the question is: how do you even avoid spoilers for such a massive game?

The Witcher 4

A new Dark Fantasy Saga begins

The Witcher 4 is another upcoming game backed by one of the best open world titles ever made, The Witcher 3: Wild Huntso the expectations are quite high. While CD Projekt Red has specifically mentioned that it's not aiming to outdo its own magnum opus, the ambition for The Witcher 4 is really on display. Based on the tech demo alone (since we haven't seen the first game yet), The Witcher 4 aims to become the definitive open-world fantasy title with a long-lasting legacy. It will open a whole new chapter in the beloved universe and serve as the first part of a trilogy of games built around Ciri.

The Witcher 4 apparently aims to continue the studio's streak of delivering some of the best stories in the open-world genre, while tackling new areas like a reactive world and NPCs that truly feel alive. Given that the studio has hopefully learned its lesson with Cyberpunk 2077 launch, The Witcher 4 probably won't be released too soon. With that in mind, the biggest concern for some fans is the switch to Unreal Engine 5, as some of the engine's notorious problems continue to remain, along with whether Ciri will be as compelling a protagonist as Geralt of Rivia.

Do not light a fire

Bold ambition to push the boundaries

While all we have about Do not light a fire so far the reveal trailer, just this, combined with Hello Games' reputation from No Man's Skywas enough to instantly put the game on the map as one of the most ambitious and anticipated upcoming open world games. The idea behind it Do not light a fire is both simple and brilliant: combining the depth of an RPG with the freedom of a survival sandbox – all set on a fantasy planet the size of Earth. I bet the concept of the game is basically the definition of a dream game for millions.

Now, with strong past experience, the studio seems to know what it's doing here. Still, there are many concerns when it comes to how Do not light a fire will end up in practice, especially given that a very small team is currently working on the title. Will the world be as interesting to explore as you might expect, given its scale? Will the lore and world building be as rich as teased so that it can truly take you on a memorable journey, rather than offering yet another survival/building sandbox? Anyway, Do not light a fire sounds a little too good to be true, so fingers crossed that the team's attempt to create a truly borderless world won't end up being its biggest flaw.

Assassin's Creed Hex

A breath of fresh air for the series

Undoubtedly, Assassin's Creed codename Hexe is the most mysterious upcoming open-world game on the list, given that Ubisoft hasn't even officially revealed the game or its final name yet. All we have are a few small glimpses, along with rumours, speculations and leaks. And yet even this is already enough to make the game the most anticipated in the series for quite some time. From everything we have learned so far, AC Hex is definitely shaping up to be a major shift for the franchise, one that could be a long-awaited breath of fresh air for its fans.

Assassin's Creed Hex described as the darkest entry in the series, set amid the troubled times of the witch trials in the Holy Roman Empire (Central Europe) in the 16th century. The game has also been teased to have a much stronger emphasis on story than previous entries, bringing the signature Assassin-Templar conflict back into the spotlight. Overall, Ubisoft has promised that AC Hex is a very different and unique view of Assassin's Creed formula compared to the recent titles which AC Shadows. Based on inside information, everyone in the company seems to want to work on the project, based on how promising it looks to be. Of course, given the lack of any real showcase yet, it's best not to set expectations too high right now.

Project Wind still

Exotic in more ways than one

To me, Project Wind still looks almost like the next one Crimson Desertwhich promises an original fantasy world unlike any other, along with truly massive battles that we still don't get too often these days. And that's not even mentioning the game's completely unique protagonist, a mighty bird warrior of the Rekon race, who slaughters countless enemies with ease for some really strong one-man army fantasy potential. Based on the game's first trailers, everything from the graphics, music, combat and the world itself are simply top-notch, reflecting Krafton's heavy investment in the title and Project Wind still one of the most exciting upcoming games in the genre.

To top it off, Project Wind still is not just something out of the blue: the game's rich and exotic world is taken directly from the acclaimed Korean fantasy novel The Bird That Drinks Tears, although the game takes place thousands of years before the book. Its original story revolves around the ancient conflict between the Rekon and Nhaga species. Potentially rich in lore, fictional history, fresh fantasy elements you won't encounter anywhere else, and fierce, cinematic combat, Project Wind still definitely looks pretty exciting, and hopefully it will deliver on everything promised so far.