Apart from shooters, perhaps no other genre has seen as many AAA entries in recent years as open-world games. Usually manifesting themselves as RPGs, open-world games often manage to develop dedicated followings because of the seemingly limitless opportunities fans are often provided and the long waits for sequels.
While many open-world games are household names with each entry awaited by millions of fans, other series have disappeared in history. While the reasons for the absences vary, fans have plenty of other open-world titles to ease the pain.
10 Thriving: Red Dead Redemption
Eight years after its hit predecessor, Red Dead Redemption II was released to universal acclaim in 2018. The prequel gave fans an immersive world set in the Wild West, with a world designed with too much detail for anyone but Rockstar to have produced it.
Although the PC launch had some issues at release, no one could deny that the game was a masterpiece. Unfortunately, as the first new Rockstar game since Grand Theft Auto V in 2013, it will likely be the last title from the publisher for a while. More than likely, it will be worth the wait.
9 Dead: Burnout
While many racing games encourage you to focus on winning, Burnout encourages you to cause chaos. Criterion, the EA studio behind most of the games, focused on driving stunts and wreckage as players explored open worlds filled with loads of potential havoc for drivers to discover.
Long overshadowed by fellow struggling EA production Need For Speed, the series might be the dormant franchise most likely to return. After the recent remaster of Burnout Paradise, fans have reason to hope.
8 Thriving: Grand Theft Auto
Few franchises have ever reached the heights that Grand Theft Auto has. The latest, and arguably greatest, entry proved capable of competing with games such as Tetris and Minecraft for the best selling game of all time. The higher price, shorter timeframe, and fewer platforms that GTA V overcame in this race are a testament to its permanence and versatility.
Like Red Dead, we still could be several years away from the next GTA game. Considering the amount of content packed into the last game, however, that might not be a problem after all.
7 Dead: Mad Max
Loosely based upon the 2015 film, Mad Max is an entertaining addition to the overarching universe of the same name. Anyone who has ever wanted a chaotic driving adventure through the post-apocalyptic wasteland needs to look no further than this video game.
The game is very mature and certainly not for those easily offended. Those braving the wastes will find a world ripe with quality vehicular combat, although there is little evidence for another game to be released any time soon.
6 Thriving: Elder Scrolls
Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls franchise has never slowed down. After the first several games, Morrowind featured a massive open world that is still renowned for its detail. Oblivion showed what was possible on the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles early in their lifecycles. Skyrim became one of the largest and most popular open-world games of all time. Elder Scrolls Online brought multiplayer to the franchise, despite some early problems.
We have no idea when Elder Scrolls VI will come out, although it has been officially announced that it is currently in development. Considering the debacle that was Fallout 76, most fans would prefer to wait until the game is ready.
5 Dead: Batman: Arkham
There are rumors that another Arkham game is in the works, so the Arkham series may not be shelved yet. The open-world Batman games have a wide appeal; in addition to gamers who would normally be interested in the style of the games, Batman is nearly unrivaled in popularity among comic book and movie characters.
Whether or not the Arkham games ever return, fans can rest assured that there are other virtual adventures to explore as the dark knight. Telltale released two Batman games before shutting down, Lego-based games love the caped crusader, and there is plenty of potential for mobile and VR titles.
4 Thriving: Assassin’s Creed
Perhaps Ubisoft’s most successful franchise ever, the Assassin’s Creed games have left few historical stones unturned. Exploring everything from ancient Egypt to the American Revolution, the franchise has maintained remarkable quality considering the frequency that titles are released.
After Origins gave the series a soft reset, the franchise has been as good as its ever been. With new combat and other improved mechanics, fans should be excited for the next-gen Ragnarok.
3 Dead: Dead Rising
After the first thrived on the Xbox 360 as an entertaining hit, the Dead Rising series has been one of Capcom’s many struggling franchises for several years. Once praised for its creativity, ridiculousness, and humor, Dead Rising 4 saw the return of the original protagonist, Frank West. While the game was not bad, the title was felt uninspired.
With the publisher focused largely on milking cash cows from classic franchises, Dead Rising could eventually be brought back to life. If Capcom does resurrect it, care must be taken to avoid another undead failure.
2 Thriving: Forza Horizon
The casual counterpart to the Forza Motorsport series, the Horizon series may be the least serious of any of Microsoft’s tentpole franchises. Halo, Gears of War, and Motorsport are less inclined towards arcade mechanics or performing stunts. The antics and open-world keep the game fresh, and the continued excellence of the series impresses players and reviewers with every release.
With the expected release of Motorsport coinciding with the Xbox Series X, we will likely see the next Horizon in 2021. After titles exploring Colorado, France, Australia, and Great Britain, we can only imagine where we might get to explore next.
1 Dead: Bully
Rockstar may be best known for Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, but the publisher has released some other great titles. Among the most requested series to return is the PS2 classic Bully. The controversial game, following a teenager,enrolled in a private school against his will, received praise for its strong narrative and characters.
The game, despite all its acclaim, is unlikely to ever return with a sequel. With fourteen years since its initial release in 2006 and no credible rumors of anything but Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead, and rereleases on the horizon, don’t expect the franchise to come back.
NEXT: 5 Influential FPS Franchises That Are Still Going Strong (& 5 That Died Out)
