Open worlds are losing their magic – and gamers are noticing

The boundless horizons once representing the pinnacle of game development ambition are now a ubiquitous sight. What once demanded bleeding-edge hardware is today’s industry standard. But a growing fatigue is setting in, as developers grapple with the diminishing returns of sheer scale. The era of 'bigger is better' is facing a reckoning.

The illusion of endless exploration

For years, the open-world formula has dominated RPGs, from the sprawling landscapes of Assassin's Creed to the near-infinite expanse of titles like Crimson Desert. Yet, according to Nicholas Lives, founder of Night Signal Entertainment, this approach can quickly unravel. “If the world’s magic fades fast, players are left with a sense of emptiness,” Lives stated, highlighting a growing trend among discerning gamers.

The shift is palpable. After a decade of open-world saturation, players are increasingly drawn to smaller, more focused experiences that deliver immediate satisfaction. It’s a shift away from endless checklists and towards carefully crafted, impactful moments. As Lives puts it, “Either the magic captivates and the player is lost in it until the very end, or the 'surprise' disappears, leaving behind tedium and exhaustion.” The recent Assassin's Creed Odyssey, with its vast but often empty map, exemplifies this pitfall.

Quality over quantity: a new demand

Yura Zhdanovich, founder of Sad Cat Studios and creator of the upcoming Replaced, echoes this sentiment. “The idea of a 500-square-kilometer world isn't new or exciting anymore. To grab attention, you need to do something exceptionally well.” Zhdanovich argues that player engagement is earned through meticulous polish and compelling design, not just sheer size. The industry is starting to realize that the allure of endless exploration diminishes when the world itself feels hollow.

While the desire for freedom and discovery will always have a place, as demonstrated by titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, there's a growing recognition that the pursuit of massive scale shouldn't come at the expense of quality. The challenge for developers now is to escape the trap that transformed open worlds from a thrilling novelty into what Lives and Zhdanovich describe as a “problem.” It's about finding that elusive balance—a harmony between scope and substance—and solidifying it as the new standard.

The current landscape reveals a clear message: the size of the world matters far less than the stories it holds.