When it comes to capturing a sense of adventure, open-world games can certainly deliver that in spades. From fantastical landscapes to sprawling sci-fi environments and historical backdrops, there are so many new games across various genres on the horizon that promise to transport us to other universes both new and familiar. With so many publisher partners taking part in the Summer Game Fest schedule this year, I can't help but wonder what new games we might see during the big event. And with lots of exciting and intriguing open-world experiences coming our way in the near and distant future, I've been thinking about which adventures I would absolutely love to see more of.
While it's not always clear what games are actually open-world – I'm looking at you Pokemon Legends Z-A (which could be open zones like the game that came before, or build on the open world set up of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet) – I've tried to take a stab at which ones we might see that are on my personal bingo card. So, join me as I explore the most anticipated open-world games coming our way that I really hope we get to see more of at Summer Game Fest 2024.
GTA 6
Okay, so everyone is chomping at the bit to see more of Rocktar's open-world in GTA 6. Set to bring us back to Vice City for a taste of the studio's take on Floridian life, we've been briefly introduced to the twin protagonists. It would certainly be exciting to get a more in depth look, or start to get a clearer picture of what's in store - let's face it, it would be exciting to see anything GTA 6-shaped this year after the initial reveal dropped. Will we see it at Summer Game Fest, though? Well, that's the big question isn't it. Rockstar tends to do its own thing - after all, it doesn't need any help drawing attention to the new GTA game - but we can still put it on our bingo card all the same. It would certainly be exciting to get a look at its world.
Monster Hunter Wilds
As the follow-up to Monster Hunter World, the recently revealed Monster Hunter Wilds is the next big open-world adventure from Capcom. While we got a first proper look during the PlayStation State of Play May 2024 showcase - following its initial announcement during the Game Awards last year - it's not entirely outside the realms of possibility that we could see it pop up again during the big summer event. It may be best to temper expectations given the fresh trailer drop, but I certainly wouldn't be mad about seeing more of the "living world" Wilds promises to transport us to, with its vast open regions that we'll get to explore on the back of a new mount.
Star Wars Outlaws
As the "first-ever" open-world Star Wars game, Star Wars Outlaws is one of the biggest upcoming Ubisoft games on the way, and with a Ubisoft Forward coming our way, the studio has revealed we can expect to see more of scoundrel protagonist Kay Vess' adventure. With previous trailers showing off some of the crime syndicates of the Outer Rim, and a look at how Kay and Nix work together during stealth and combat, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing more of what's in store. Given the game's place in the Star Wars timeline - which wedges it right between the events of Star Wars Empire Strikes back and Return of the Jedi, I'm dying to see more of the setting developer Massive is bringing to life. This is certainly one open-world I can't wait to get swept up in.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Alongside Star Wars Outlaws, we're also set to get another look at Assassin's Creed Shadows, the next big flagship upcoming Assassin's Creed game. Previously known as codename Red, Shadows is set to take us to feudal Japan as dual protagonists: the first Black samurai Yaskue - who was a real historical figure - and the shinobi, Naoe. With each having their own particular strengths when it comes to combat, I'm keen to see more of Ubisoft's recreation of Japan and its open-world which is said to be around the same size in terms of scale as Egypt in Assassin's Creed Origins. With our first proper glimpse of the game just last month, it'll certainly be exciting to get a better picture of its long-awaited setting as the next big RPG experience in the long-running stealthy series.
Everwild
Now, this pick is a little left of the field, since there's a lot of mystery surrounding Everwild and whether it actually is open-world strictly speaking. But from what we've seen of Rare's new IP in the past, a lot of emphasis has been put on the world it's set to take us to as an Eternal - a being who has a symbiotic relationship with nature. In a trailer back in 2020, art director Ryan Stevenson described the natural world the team is making as "fantastical and interesting", with some insight into the creatures that inhabit it. So much is still uncertain when it comes to Everwild - with a report alleging it had been rebooted since we last saw the game - but as one of the most intriguing upcoming Xbox Series X games, I hope to manifest its appearance during the Xbox Game showcase this year.
