Oh, winter, the season when it's time to slow down, hibernate, take it easy. It's a time when we may not feel as motivated to go out and the days are shorter and darker. What better way to spend that time working through your gaming backlog, eh? Well, if you have a backlog, by all means go through it, but if you don't and are looking for a grand, open world to get lost in during these colder months, read on.
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There are a few games I recommend picking up this winter. Some of these were on sale during Steam's Winter Sale, but keep an eye out for any additional post-holiday sales for these titles. They aren't necessarily snowy or wintry games, but rather games that I think are relevant right now or just fit the current vibes and trends. There are RPGs, survival games, and sandboxes in the mix, so you'll probably find something here that speaks to you.
Subnautica
With the sequel overdue, it's time to jump back to the first one
2025 had bad news in store Subnautica fans: Subnautica 2 suffered from delays. There has been other drama circulating around the franchise for some time now, with KRAFTON declaring itself an AI-first company, and the three founders of Subnautica game fired.
All of this is to say, the fate of the franchise is up in the air, which is a huge shame considering how fun and addictive the first entry is. Also Below zero has its merits, although in my books it will never have the same magic as loading into the first game for the very first time. If you're still looking to jump in Subnautica but is a bit fascinated by open world exploration and survival crafting, just do it. Just be prepared that it's not just a cute cozy sandbox game. There are some truly awful things lurking beneath the surface of the alien sea, and chances are you'll come out of this game with a newly developed and diagnosed thalassophobia.
Fallout: New Vegas
The new show brings more love to the franchise
Amazon's Fall-out The show is airing its second season right now, and even if you're not one Fall-out heck, it's a really great show to jump into if you're into any kind of sci-fi or post-apocalyptic entertainment. The Fall-out series is also in a bit of a dead zone right now, with no real word from Bethesda about Fallout 5 and when we can expect to see something, but in the meantime, I highly recommend jumping into the best entry in the series, from Obsidian Entertainment: New Vegas.
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Sure, it might be a little old and it's showing its age, and you'll probably have to quick save often if you play it on Steam because crashes will happen with an older game like this, but the level of role-playing this game has and the freedom to make exactly the kind of Courier you want is so ahead of its time that it's easy to look past the aging graphics. Also, the mods are excellent. If there's one place to start getting into the franchise, I'd argue it's here if you don't mind playing an older game. Other, Fallout 4 will be a nice introduction too.
Where winds meet
The hottest MMORPG right now
If you haven't already jumped in Where winds meet hype train back in november 2025 well what are you waiting for? Try it now, it's free! It's easily one of the more unexpectedly impressive games we had in 2025, despite some localization and UI horrors, set in 11th century China. The visuals are absolutely beautiful, and it's the perfect open-world adventure game for players who really value character customization.
It also helps that the world is the perfect backdrop for aesthetically pleasing photos, and you can get through it all Assassin's Creed style. Wherever you go, there is something new to see and experience, as the game is full of side missions. You could say it's almost too much of it. It is an MMORPG after all. That means lots of building, combat, and yes, co-op play with a sprinkling of PVP in the mix. I highly recommend jumping into this with friends to see what it's all about, but give it some time to cook, as a new MMORPG is always going to feel a little overwhelming at first.
Go-To Bethesda RPG for winter vibes
If you're the type of player who likes to choose their games based on seasonal themes, and winter is the time when you like games with a lot of snow, then The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is just a must play. A game that sits in the hall of fame of open world RPGs, it has come a long way with multiple releases and continues to be a favorite for many people to return to. The main quest isn't its biggest offering, of course, but some of the DLC and side quests are so good that, in my opinion, it justifies jumping back into the game without relying on mods. In true RPG fashion, you build your character from scratch.
Want to be a fierce Nord who beats his enemies with a two-handed axe? You can do that. Want to throw spells at your enemies while a companion takes care of the melee? Completely possible. Or maybe you're the sneaky type who'd rather defeat your enemies before they even realize what's happening? Stealth Archer is the way to go. And if you get exhausted from combat, don't worry, the game also lets you farm, fish, marry, and settle in a house you either buy or build yourself. All this in a picturesque, northern open world with several biomes, ranging from snow-capped mountains to autumnal forests. It really is the perfect winter RPG.
No Man's Sky
The game is the best it has ever been
When it comes to games turning it around, there are two examples that come to mind: Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man's Sky. Both games had outright disastrous releases that could have put a final nail in their coffins, but through hard work they rose from their own ashes. No Man's Sky has expanded a lot since launch, and if you're one of those who was disappointed by how shallow it was at launch, this winter is the time to finally get back into it.
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Whether you like to play this as a casual, cozy game in creative mode and just explore freely or as a grueling survival game where death is permanent, there is something for every type of player here. All you need is curiosity as you travel from plane to plane, gathering resources, building outposts and bases, and continuing to upgrade your equipment. There are tasks and quests for you to complete, and of course expeditions, which is a nice, challenging touch for those who might want something that isn't quite as open-ended. And that's really the charm of it No Man's Sky: you decide what you want to do and how you want to do it.
The long darkness
Enjoy the hard winter in a virtual world too
Back to the theme of winter, if Skyrim is a bit too amazing and you would like to test your true survival skills from the safety of your cozy room, I highly recommend you to try The long darkness. Now, a word of warning: this is a survival game that tests your limits, permadeath included. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, as you have to deal with cold, hunger and cabin fever as well. There's a lot of ground to cover in this world too, with vast expanses of frozen wilderness that you'll need to hunt and clear through if you plan to make it through alive.
In a true survival game, you have a good range of activities to choose from: hunting, trapping, fishing and more. Just make sure you have all the gear you need and plenty of food to fill your stomach, as calories are a real thing to consider here and severely limit your activities if you don't get enough of them. For gamers who love a good challenge and are really into the survival genre, this is the perfect combination of gritty exploration and strategic survival gameplay to get stuck into.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
2025 Open-World RPG that needs more love
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an RPG many have probably heard of, but not so many have actually tried. You might feel a little intimidated by the prospect of playing a game that is essentially a sequel, but I promise you, the first one is still well worth its salt in this day and age. As for the sequel, it's a game that deserves, in my opinion, a little more love than it's getting right now. Its combat can also be something that players find a little scary at first, but it's incredibly rewarding once mastered.
The sheer depth of the RPG features is also really impressive, and it's very clear that a lot of love and passion went into creating the world and all the systems. It's hard to find titles that have that level of detail, from NPCs that really react to you, to the world actually feeling alive and immersive enough. The fact that you can become an alcoholic, participate in horse races, and that villagers will comment that you stink up the place already proves to me that this game is on another level of medieval immersion. Just remember: combat requires training.
