There Are Some Upcoming Open World Games That Fans Will Absolutely Gobble Up In The Same Way They Destroyed The Classics The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. For example, Crimson Desert and Dawnwalker blood looking expansive and full of potential for player expression and creativity.
The Witcher 4 it's still in the early stages of development, but it looks amazing too. Then they exist upcoming games it can be open world, or just sandboxes, and they are residing in sprawling cities. Some of these games can take place exclusively in these cities, and that's even better. Let's take a look at what sets these games apart and how their cities are unique.
Grand Theft Auto 6
The biggest game of 2026
- Planned release date: 26.5.26
- Planned systems: PS5 and Xbox Series X/S
Grand Theft Auto 6 in 2026 it will have the largest traversable urban landscape. Players will return to Vice City for the first time since the PSP spin-off game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Storieswas released in 2006. The city looks full of things to do, from shops to pop into, pool halls to visit with friends, nightclubs to dance to, and more.
Outside of Vice City, players can enjoy the swamps with some speedboats. There is also a national park that offers hiking and kayaking. Although the tone is probably dark like most Rockstar games, the activities look quite inviting. Vice City almost seems like a nice place to visit, aside from all the crimes that are probably going on behind the scenes.
LEGO Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight
I was born in the dark
- Planned release date: 2026
- Planned systems: PC, PS5, Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is the first correct one LEGO Batman game in over a decade, and Traveler's Tales seems to be going all out with it. It's not just a celebration LEGO Batman games, will be full of references to all the movies, cartoons, games and more that have featured the caped crusader over the years. In other words, it looks like the ultimate fan letter to Batman fanatics.
The fight looks more intense than most LEGO games, and Batman won't be the only playable character. Players can explore the vast streets of Gotham on foot, glide over them, drive the signature Batmobile, and more. It's unclear if there will be any cool side quests in Gotham, but either way, LEGO and Batman fans should be pumped to play it in 2026.
Decapolice
Detective RPG
- Planned release date: 2026
- Planned systems: PC, PS4, PS5 and Switch
Decapolice is another crime game but this time with an anime influence and is developed by Level-5. Players will be able to explore locations using VR to overlay crime scenes, similar to Detective Vision in the game. Batman: Arkham games. The detective aspect of the game feels intense, something of a hybrid Phoenix Wright and LA Noire.
The city doesn't look like it's bursting with activity, but the futuristic landscape is inviting, as any proper cyberpunk setting should be. In addition to solving cases, players can engage in turn-based combat with their small group. Hopefully this RPG will come out in 2026 and offer more than what was previously shown.
Ananta
Anime Grand Theft
- Planned release date: TBA
- Planned systems: Mobile, PC and PS5
Ananta it looks like it will have a diverse set of mechanics and may also launch in 2026, though no timeline has been set at this point. It will be a free-to-play style game Grand Theft Auto with a heavy anime influence in its design. Players can roam the city as part of an elite task force, so there will be no criminal angle to the story.
Players can drive a variety of cars and motorbikes, but the more interesting aspect is the Spider-Man-like rope that the team captain wields. It is unknown how many characters players can have active at the same time, but the ability to switch between them will also be a feature. In addition to the main crime-fighting story, there will also be side activities in the city, from racing to slapping opponents in arenas to playing basketball.
Stranger than the sky
A century in the making
- Planned release date: TBA
- Planned systems: TBA
Stranger than the sky is another big project from Yakuza team, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, at Sega. The big gimmick of the game is that players will play a drifter who goes through different time periods in the same time-changing city. So far this town, Sotenbori, has been shown in 1915, 1929 and 1943. It looks like another crime infested game with lots of brawling that RGG is best known for.
Yakuza fans can always count on plenty of weird side stories and mini-games to occupy their time, so hopefully these features will return Stranger than the sky also. While there aren't that many, few games can boast of being set in multiple time periods, and if anyone can do it, it's the team at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. No platforms or release date has been announced yet, which could mean Stranger than the sky is the way out, or could Sega just wait for the big showcase to be revealed soon.
DokeV
Kingdom Hearts meets Pokemon
- Planned release date: TBA
- Planned systems: TBA
DokeV it may be far off, but it's still worth discussing here. It is one of the few monster catching games that takes place in one large city, with the only other large example being Pokemon Legends: ZA. DokeV may have environments to explore outside of its metropolis, but for now it looks like most of the action will be urban.
The footage shown so far suggests that players can ride a bike as well as monsters, rollerblade, skateboard, and even carry a magical umbrella that allows them to glide. Humans and their monsters can fight side-by-side in action combat that looks like this The heart of the kingdom in terms of its design. From bouncing sacks that turn into big boxing gloves and giant hammers, the combat looks more intense than most monster catching games.
