What are the biggest open world maps in video game history?
Technology has provided almost every individual in the world with optimum entertainment at its maximum quantity; from music to movies and video games.
Video games might have existed since the 20th century, but it has come a long way in the electronic sports-entertainment industry as manufacturers now provide their consumers with a perfect blend of fantasy and reality.
These flights of imaginations have been promoted via virtual reality, maps, likeness to movie characters, similarity to actual scenes, and physical and in-game resemblance to actual sports players.
While many might not have paid attention to it, maps seem to be the oldest and mostly used of these game features.
Maps facilitate game play and give clues to players.
Their size and detail depends on the game’s storyline; while some may be small and detailed, others could be very big and summarizing.
In this article the 20 biggest open world maps in video game history will be considered.
You May Also Like:
Biggest Open World Maps in Video Game History
20. Dragon Age: Inquisition
Size: 45 Miles²
EA’s Dragon Age: Inquisition was released in 2014 on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One and was praised for the storyline, voice acting, and soundtrack.
The game features a mystical story of a player character that travels for miles through various challenges to defeat a particular enemy and achieve godhood.
19. Grand Theft Auto V
Size: 49 Miles²
Grand Theft Auto V is a blockbuster released by Rockstar Games in 2013.
It was praised for its detailed game visuals. Having a map size of 49 Miles², players can explore the fictional Los Santos game environment bestowed with well optimized graphics and realism.
GTA V is the revered as the PS4 game with the most commercial success of all time.
18. Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag
Size: 55 Miles²
Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag takes one back to history.
It has 55 Miles² of an ancient Greek environment to cruise around.
Black Flag is an action-adventure video game released for PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox platforms in 2013.
It was praised for its storyline, realism, and gameplay, making it one of the highest-selling video games of 2013.
17. World of WarCraft
Size: 80 Miles²
World of WarCraft is a multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, and released in 2004.
The game was set in the fictional world of Azeroth, a game area of about 80 square miles to explore.
World of WarCraft became the world’s most popular multiplayer online role-playing game, with a player count of almost 10 million.
16. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Size: 84 Miles²
Wild Hunt is an action-role playing game that depicts a continent consisting of humans, dwarves, elves and other non-human creatures at war.
Players have a mouth-watering 84 Miles² of game area to hunt.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is based on a series of fantasy novels by Andrzej Sapkowski.
It was developed by CD Projekt and released in 2015.
Two game extensions were also released later, all earning a net sale of over 28 million copies worldwide.
Following its release, Wild Hunt received over 250 ‘game of the year’ awards and was revered as one of the greatest action-adventure games ever.
15. Xenoblade Chronicles
Size: 95 Miles²
Xenoblade Chronicles is a science fiction action role-playing game released in 2010 for the Nintendo Wii.
It is revered as one of the games that brought the Nintendo Wii in contention with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms.
It had a game area of 95 square miles for players to travel around and an interesting storyline to match.
14. Arma 3
Size: 103 Miles²
Arma 3 is a futuristic shooter game released for the Microsoft Windows console in by Bohemia Interactive 2013.
Although it is a realism-based open-world game, having 103 square miles but lacking sufficient action makes it a mediocre game.
Nevertheless, it was still named the Game of the Year at the PC Gamers simulation.
13. Ghost Recon Wildlands
Size: 105 Miles²
Ghost Recon Wildlands is just mouth-watering.
Not often will a game with about 105 square miles sandwiched with diverse terrains be released.
Ghost Recon Wildlands is a shooter video game that was released in 2017.
Ghost Recon Wildlands won the award for “Best Cooperative Multiplayer” at Game Informer’s Best of 2017 Awards.
12. Operation Flash Point: Dragon Rising
Size: 135 Miles²
Operation Flash Point: Dragon Rising was developed and published by Codemasters and released in 2009.
It is a military simulation video game set in a fictional island name Skira.
It offers 135 square miles of terrain to explore as American and Russian armies ally to fight against the great Chinese army.
11. Star Wars Galaxies
Size: 200 Miles²
The Star Wars movie became popular following its release in 1993.
Ten years later, an action adventure video game based on the movie was released on the Microsoft Windows console in 2003.
Star Wars Galaxies is a multiplayer online role-playing game that has about 10 planets, and 200 square miles of game area to explore in space.
Star Wars Galaxies received critical acclaim upon release, selling about 370,000 copies in the U.S only after three years.
10. Burnout Paradise
Size: 200 Miles²
Most open-world games are action-adventure but it is nice to see Burnout Paradise, an open-world racing video game among the top-ten.
It was first released in 2008 and re-released as a remastered copy in November 2016.
About 200 square miles of roads to race, and players can either play alone or play an online multiplayer mode.
Burnout Paradise was named the Best Driving Game by GameSpot is 2008, and achieved global commercial success.
9. True Crime: Streets of LA
Size: 240 Miles²
True to its name, the realism of the Los Angeles’ streets in aspects of size was cloned in this game.
About 240 square miles of city streets are available to move around and it able to pull off a three-million copy sale worldwide.
8. Just Cause 3
Size: 400 Miles²
Just Cause 3 is the third main episode of the Just Cause series developed by Avalanche Studios and published by Square Enix.
It is a third-person action-adventure game set in a fictional Mediterranean island called Medici.
It was praised for its open-ended gameplay, map size, and concentration on player agency but earned criticism for its boring storyline.
However, it still won the “Cry Havoc And Let Slip the Dogs of War Award” at the Steam Awards in 2017.
7. Asheron’s Call
Size: 500 Miles²
Asheron’s Call is a fantasy multiplayer online role-playing game released in 1999.
Whilst being an old game, it would be remembered for its legacy of priming open-world games, yet having a map size of 500 square miles.
6. Test Drive Unlimited 2
Size: 618 Miles²
Even an auto mechanic test-driving a car won’t go as much as 618 square miles.
Nevertheless, racers in the Test Drive Unlimited 2 have 618 square miles of game area to drive around.
The game is set across to islands and extensively features day and night cycles, weather effects, and vehicle damages.
It was released in 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 platforms.
5. Final Fantasy XV
Size: 700 Miles²
Final Fantasy XV is a Japanese action role-playing game released in 2018.
The game features 700 square miles, magic, vehicle travel, and camping.
It has earned praise for its diverse gameplay, well optimized and detailed visuals, and intriguing fantasy-based storyline.
Over 8.9 million copies had been sold worldwide by October 2019.
4. The Crew
Size: 1,900 Miles²
The Crew is an online-only racing video game that was released in 2004.
Players must be gassed by the thrills of racing across 1,900 square miles of the U.S. The Crew had sold over two million copies worldwide just within a month of release.
3. Fuel
Size: 5,560 Miles²
Imagine driving the whole of Connecticut from your home.
Fuel, a futuristic game depicting a depleted U.S caused by global warming and human activities gives players the opportunity to wander around 5,560 Miles²in free mode.
It was developed by Asobo Studio, published by code Masters, and released worldwide in 2009.
2. Guild Wars Nightfall
Size: 15,000 Miles²
Guild Wars Nightfall is a fantasy game released in 2006.
In an even called nightfall, the player’s character joins the Sunspears’ order to return a long forgotten god.
The biggest pro of the games is its map size of about 15,000 Miles².
Guild Wars Nightfall won the 2006 “Best MMO and “Best Value” award from PC Gamer US.
1. The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
Size: 62,000 Miles²
It might take a while before another game would beat this —The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, a single-player action-adventure open-world map in video game released in 1996.
It features a player character doing two things to please an emperor; free the ghosts of Lysandus and discover what happened to a letter from the emperor.
Players can explore the whole game area using the map feature.
The game features towns, cities, vegetations, and dungeons.
Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall has the biggest open world map in video game history.
Final Words
There you have it!
The top-20 video games in history with the biggest open world maps.
Thibk we missed any game?
Tell us in the comment section.