Ah, winter, the season during which it is 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 on backlogs, eh? Well, if you have any backlogs, by all means go through them, but if not, and you're looking for a spectacular open world to get lost in during these colder months, read on.
26 Best Open World PS5 Games, Ranked (2025)
The best open world games on PlayStation 5 push the system to its absolute limits and offer players some of the most amazing gaming locations.
There are a few games I recommend catching this winter. A few were on sale during the Steam Winter Sale, but keep an eye out for more sales on these titles after the holidays. Not necessarily snowy or wintery 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're likely to find something that appeals to you.
Subnautics
Since the sequel has been shelved, it's time to jump back into the first one
2025 brought bad news Subnautica fans: Subnautica 2 was hit with a delay. More drama has been swirling around the franchise for some time now, with KRAFTON claiming to be an AI-first company and three founding members Subnautics games were burned.
All of this means that the fate of the franchise hangs in the air, which is a great shame considering how fun and addictive the first entry is. Even Below zero it has its merits, though in my books it will never have the same magic as loading into your first game for the very first time. If you're still on the fence about jumping in Subnautics but they're kind of into open world exploration and survival gameplay, just do it. Be prepared that this is not just a cute and cozy sandbox game. There are some truly terrible 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
Amazons Fallout series is currently airing its second season, even if you're not a Fallout fan, this is a really fantastic show to jump into if you like any sci-fi or post-apocalyptic entertainment. The Fallout the series is also now in a bit of a dead zone and Bethesda has no real say in it Fallout 5 and when we can expect to see something, but in the meantime I highly recommend jumping into Obsidian Entertainment's best entry in the series: New Vegas.
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By simply following the main quest line in these open world games, players will miss out on incredible locations.
Sure, it might be a bit old and showing its age, and if you're playing it on Steam you'll probably need to quicksave often as crashes are bound to happen with an older game like this, but the level of role-playing this game has and the freedom to create exactly the type of courier you want is so ahead of its time that it's easy to overlook the aging graphics. Plus the mods are great. If there's one place you can get into the franchise, I'd say it's here if you don't mind playing an older game. Otherwise, Fallout 4 will also be a nice introduction.
Where the winds meet
The hottest MMORPG right now
If you haven't already jumped into the Where the winds meet hypetrain 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've had in 2025, despite a bit of localization and UI, set in 10th century China. The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, 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 walk all over it Assassin's Creed style. Everywhere you go there is something new to see and experience as the game is full of side quests. You could say it's almost too much. It is an MMORPG after all. That means lots of buildcrafting, combat, and yes, co-op gameplay with PVP thrown into the mix. I highly recommend jumping in with friends to see what it's all about, but give it some time to cook because a new MMORPG is always going to be a little overwhelming at first.
Go-To Bethesda RPG for winter atmosphere
If you're the type of gamer who likes to choose games based on seasonal themes and winter is the time when you enjoy games with plenty of snow, then The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim it is simply an obligation to play. An Open World RPG Hall of Famer, the game has come a long way with several releases and is still a favorite that many people return to. The main quest isn't its biggest offering, of course, but some of the DLC and side quests are so good that they justify returning to the game without relying on mods in my opinion. In true RPG mode, you build your character from the ground up.
Want to be a ferocious Nord who smashes his enemies with a two-handed axe? You can do it. Want to cast spells on your enemies while a companion takes care of the melee? Quite possible. Or maybe you're the stealthy type who'd rather defeat your enemies before they even realize what's going on? Stealth archer is the way to go. And if the combat wears you down, don't worry, the game also lets you farm, fish, get married, and settle in a house that you either buy or build. All this in a picturesque, Nordic open world with many biomes from snowy mountains to autumn forests. Really, it's the perfect winter RPG.
No Man's Sky
The game is the best ever
As for games that have turned it around significantly, two examples come to mind: Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man's Sky. Both games had downright disastrous releases that could have put the final nail in their coffin, but they rose from their own ashes with hard work. No Man's Sky has expanded a lot since its release, and if you're one of those people who was disappointed by how shallow it was at launch, then this winter is the time to finally get back into it.
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For those looking for DRM-free open world games, these titles provide incredible experiences without the need for an online connection.
Whether you like to play this game as a laid-back, 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. All you need is curiosity as you travel from planet to planet, collecting resources, building bases and outposts, and constantly upgrading your equipment. There are quests and quests to complete, and of course expeditions, which are a nice and challenging touch for those who want something not so open-ended. And that's really the magic No Man's Sky: you decide what you want to do and how you want to do it.
Long darkness
Enjoy the grueling winter in the virtual world as well
Back to the topic of winter if Skyrim is just too fantastic and would you like to test your real survival skills from the safety of your cozy room, I highly recommend you to try Long darkness. Now a warning: this is a survival game that tests your limits, including permadeath. It's not all sunshine and rainbows as you also have to deal with cold, hunger and cabin fever. There's a lot of ground to cover in this world too, with large expanses of frozen wilderness that you'll need to hunt and clear if you're going to make it out alive.
In true survival game mode, you have a variety of activities to choose from: hunting, trapping, fishing and more. Just make sure you have all the gear you need and enough food to fill your belly, as calories are a real thing to consider here and will severely limit your activities if you don't have enough. For players who love a real challenge and really like the survival genre, it's the perfect combination of challenging exploration and strategic survival that will get you hooked.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
An open world RPG from 2025 that needs more love
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an RPG that many have probably heard of, but not as many have actually tried. You might feel a little intimidated at the prospect of playing a game that's basically a sequel, but I promise you, the first one is still worth it these days. As for the sequel, it's a game that I think deserves a little more love than it's currently getting. His combat can also be something that players find a little scary at first, but incredibly rewarding once mastered.
The sheer depth of role-playing features is also really impressive and it's very clear that a lot of love and passion has gone into creating the world and all the systems. It's hard to find titles that have this level of detail, from NPCs that actually respond to you, to a world that's truly alive and immersive enough. The fact that you can become an alcoholic, participate in horse races, and have the villagers comment that you stink up the place already proves to me that this game is on another level of medieval immersion. Remember: fighting requires training.
