Biggest Upcoming Open World Games of 2021 & Beyond

Imagine if Biomutant actually came out this year.

Open World Games 2021

Along with stunning visuals and immersive audio, the next generation of gaming has brought worlds that are larger than ever. Whether you wish to fight monsters in far away lands or look for hidden secrets deep under the sea, open world games give you the freedom to choose your own path, make your own story. 2020 has brought us gems like Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and the next year is going to be even better as both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S get more releases. Here are the biggest upcoming new open world games of 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and Switch.

Open World Games 2021 Release Schedule

GamePlatformsRelease Date
Biomutant PC, PS4, Xbox OneMay 25th, 2021
Dying Light 2 PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | STBC 2021
Far Cry 6 PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, StadiaTBC 2021
Gotham Knights PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | STBC 2021
Horizon Forbidden WestPS4, PS5TBC 2021
New WorldPCTBC 2021
Skull and BonesPC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | STBC 2021
Atomic HeartPC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PS4, PS5TBA
Breath of the Wild 2SwitchTBA
Crimson DesertPCTBA
EverwildPC, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox OneTBA
FablePC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | STBA
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2PC, Xbox Series X | STBA
State of Decay 3PC, Xbox Series X | STBA
Hogwarts LegacyPC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | STBC 2022

Biggest New Open World Games of 2021

Biomutant | May 25th, 2021

Biomutant
Biomutant

Developer: Experiment 101
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One

A “post-apocalyptic Kung-Fu fable”, Biomutant is an action RPG set in an open world that is filled with mutated animals. The players will take control of a customizable animal, create their own weapons, and improve their abilities through biomechanical body parts or mutations. The in-game world is massive and can be explored on foot, in an air balloon, or even a jet ski. The game will have branching plotlines, with your decisions shaping the story.

 

Dying Light 2 | TBA

Dying Light 2
Dying Light 2

Developer: Techland
Publisher: Techland Publishing
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S

Set 15 years after the original game, Dying Light 2 features Aiden Caldwell, who is trying to survive in the zombie apocalyptic land of The City. Improved parkour skills and tools such as the paraglider will help you navigate the open world, which is now four times bigger, and its sections are controlled by different factions. The players will get to decide how they want to work with each group, fundamentally affecting the game’s world and the non-playable characters’ view of Aiden.

 

Fable | TBA

Fable
Fable

Developer: Playground Games
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S

Revealed with a brief trailer at the Xbox games showcase, the fourth Fable game has been finally confirmed, although there is still no release date. Until now, the Fable games have been set in Albion, in which the character’s development is at the center of the gameplay. A massive Fable 4 leak has revealed that the latest instalment will be radically different from its predecessors, featuring multiple planets, time travel and the choice to never follow the main quest at all!

 

Far Cry 6 | TBC 2021

Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6

Developer: Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, Stadia

The sixth game in the Far Cry series is set in Yara, a fictionalized version of Cuba. The Caribbean island is ruled by the dictator Antón Castillo, who is raising his son to follow in his footsteps. In this first-person adventure game, players will take the role of guerrilla fighter Dani Rojas, who is attempting to overthrow the dictatorship. Described as the “largest Far Cry playground to date”, the massive open world will let you use makeshift weapons, find vehicles, and hire mercenaries to carry out your goal.

 

Horizon Forbidden West | TBC 2021

Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS4, PS5

“There is nothing I wouldn’t do to save this world, no depth I won’t explore, no secret I won’t unlock…”, says Aloy, and surely, players would spend innumerable hours experiencing the breathtaking world of the new Horizon open world game. Aloy is on her journey to the Forbidden West and is trying to find the source of a mysterious plague that kills everything it infects. This third-person RPG is set in post-apocalyptic America, which is filled with dangerous machines and ruins left by the Old Ones.

 

State of Decay 3 | TBA

State of Decay 3
State of Decay 3

Developer: Undead Labs
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X | S

State of Decay 3 was announced back in June 2020, showing a female survivor on a snowy tundra as she aims at an infected deer. There aren’t many details yet, not even a release date, but we can expect that the game, like its predecessors, will test players’ leadership skills as they manage diminishing resources, group trust, and attacking zombies (as well as other infected beings) — a mix of shooters, RPGs, and strategy games.

 

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 | TBA

Stalker 2
Stalker 2

Developer: GSC Game World
Publisher: GSC Game World
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X | S

Xbox Series X | S didn’t really have a great line-up at launch, but S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 could be one of the games that really shows the power of the new console. Described as a unique mix of “FPS, immersive sim and horror”, the game will feature one of the biggest open worlds till date, set in the Chernobyl disaster site. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will also have a non-linear story with multiple-endings, with your decisions affecting both short-term and long-term outcomes.

 

Skull and Bones | TBC 2021

Skull & Bones
Skull & Bones

Developer: Ubisoft Singapore
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S

After creating the amazing ship battle system in Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft has decided to develop a full-fledged naval warfare game. This third-person tactical game will allow players to take control of a pirate and sail in the large open world of the Indian ocean. Adjust your sails to the winds, prepare your mortars, and loot other ships—either solo or along with other players. The multiplayer mode Loot Hunt also features treasure hunting among two groups of players.

 

Gotham Knights | TBC 2021

Gotham Knights
Gotham Knights

Developer: WB Games Montreal
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S

After the death of Batman, it is up to his allies — Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin and Red Hood — to keep Gotham safe. In this action RPG, players will get to play as each of the 4 characters, who have their unique abilities. You can either play solo or team up with a friend in the multiplayer cooperative mode as you fight the Court of Owls, a secret criminal society that is as old as Gotham itself. The open world of Gotham City is massive, and you will be able to use the Batcycle to explore it.

 

New World | TBC 2021

New World game
New World game

Developer: Amazon Game Studios
Publisher: Amazon Game Studios
Platforms: PC

After being delayed in August 2020, Amazon’s upcoming MMORPG is set to be released in early 2021. Set in the mid-1600s, players will get to colonize a fictional island in the Atlantic ocean. Instead of automatic targeting, you will have to actually carry out every attack on your own, and the game’s combat system has been inspired by Dark Souls. While there is a PvE alternative, the heart of the game is the Player versus Player mode, in which players battle for territory control.

 

Hogwarts Legacy | TBC 2022

Hogwarts Legacy

Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S

Delayed in 2021 to 2022

Hogwarts Legacy brings alive the magical realm of our childhood dreams. Set in the Wizarding World of the late 1800s, this role-playing game will let players attend classes of witchcraft, brew potions, and master combat abilities. The reveal trailer also gives a glimpse of a flying broomstick, so perhaps we will even get to play Quidditch. Outside the walls of Hogwarts, you will get to explore the Hogsmeade Village, encounter magical beasts in the Forbidden Forest, and plenty more in the game’s massive open world.

 

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 | TBA

Breath of the Wild 2
Breath of the Wild 2

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch

The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was first revealed in 2019 but Nintendo has not shared any other details yet. In any case, the original Breath of the Wild — in which Link fights Calamity Ganon to save the kingdom of Hyrule — is still considered one of the best games on the Switch, and we can expect that the developers will go beyond our expectations again. There have also been rumors about Nintendo Switch 2, and BOTW2 could be the perfect launch title for the new console.

 

Everwild | TBA

Everwild
Everwild

Developer: Rare
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One

From the creators of Sea of Thieves comes another beautiful game called Everwild. Although the trailer does not show any gameplay, it perfectly sets up the mood of the title, demonstrating “the rhythm of the world” and its evocative painting-like visuals. The game’s world is full of fascinating creatures and supernatural elements. There is no release date yet, but we can certainly expect to learn more about the game in the future.

 

Crimson Desert | TBA

Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert

Developer: Pearl Abyss
Publisher: Pearl Abyss
Platforms: PC

Set in a war-torn realm of the medieval age, Crimson Desert is an open world action adventure game, “a saga written in blood”. Players take control of Macduff, a leader of a mercenary group, who must take the responsibility of his brethren and help them survive in the unforgiving world of Pywel. This divided land is full of mythical beasts, maniacal rulers and mercenaries. There is no release date yet but a gameplay video will be released on 10th December at The Game Awards 2020.

 

Atomic Heart | TBA

Developer: Mundfish
Publisher: Mundfish
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PS4, PS5

Atomic Heart is an action RPG set in an alternate universe during the height of the Soviet Union, where robots, holograms, and the internet have already been invented. Players take on the role of a mentally-unstable KGB agent named P-3, who is sent on a government mission. The landscape is filled with surreal machines, who you must shoot with your guns or attack with improvised weapons. This huge open world game will let you explore the beauty of Russian nature as well as the grimness of Facility complexes, with malfunctioning (and dangerous) machines.

READ NEXT: The Best Xbox Series X | S Open World Games

Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.