10 Best Open-World Games You Need to Play This Summer

Summer is in full swing, and between the Steam Summer Sale and more free time to play longer games, picking what game to occupy you over the long summer days can be daunting. This is the perfect time to pick up any open-world games that have been sitting in your backlog, or discover that game that you never considered that becomes your next favorite.

These open-world games either hit the right atmosphere to play in summer, are extremely long, are convenient to play in any location, or are perfect for large groups. They cover a range of genres, and there's something for everyone here!

10 The Witcher 3

Take Your Time to Experience Greatness

The Witcher 3 is a classic for good reason and if you've found it in your backlog, consider this your sign to play it. The Witcher 3 was really the first open-world RPG to avoid the pitfalls of many open-world games at the time. The Elder Scrolls had been the leader in the space, but it also suffered the problem of having players ignore the main quest entirely, which isn't always what you want from an RPG.

The Witcher 3 is set in a very cold and bleak world, and playing it during winter when it's just as bleak and cold outside is an exercise in misery. Spending hours in the swamps of Valen with the clearly miserable weather is much easier to bear when you're experiencing weather that's far more tolerable.

Nostalgia and a Genuinely Good Story

Despite its flaws, Oblivion Remastered is one of my favorite games. Some of that may be nostalgia, but I can take a step back and still acknowledge that it's a beautiful game with well-crafted questlines and moments that are memorable. I spent so many hours of my summer vacation losing myself in Cyrodiil, and I love that I can do it all over again, even today.

Oblivion is the quintessential game to take over your life over the summer vacation. It's possible to sink hundreds of hours in it, and I recommend doing so. Skyrim may seem like the more obvious option, but I recommend Oblivion over Skyrim as a summer game simply because of the questline. Unlike Skyrim, Oblivion's main questline has a great ending, satisfying payoff, and the Shivering Isles expansion pack that forms an ominous sendoff for our protagonist.

8 My Time at Sandrock

Climate Change? In My Cozy Game?

Summer has been debilitating in many parts of the world, and that brings up worries about climate change and how we can stop it. My Time at Sandrock tackles this theme exactly as it's set in a small desert settlement that's trying to stop the desertification of their town and the loss of their oasis and precious water.

Sandrock's story is ultimately about hope. A lot of cozy games about towns on the decline are all about uplifting them, and you do just that in Sandrock in some pretty fundamental ways. If you want to ease into RPGs and open-world games, My Time at Sandrock is one of the best options as it's a genuinely great game, has amazing humor, and may just help you see the way through the rising temperatures.

7 Ghost of Tsushima

Experience Japanese Summer

Ghost of Tsushima may seem like an odd game to play in summer, but Japan is a country with a culture that is deeply rooted in the seasons. Its summers, including Kyushu where it's set, are infamously brutal, and playing it during the hottest season gives an idea of the conditions Jin experiences during the Mongolian invasion.

Pinpointing the season Ghost of Tsushima takes place in is difficult as there are trees with autumn leaves as well as ones blooming with blossoms, but each part of the map that unlocks progresses the seasons. Ghost of Tsushima opens with lush, green environments, and clearly begins at some point in summer.

6 Starsand Island

A Tourist Hotspot Setting

For cute summer island vibes, Starsand Island is a good choice. It's an open-world cozy game set on a tranquil island with a gorgeous art style and gentle island vacation vibes. Starsand Island not only matches the summer vacation ideal, but can also be played on the Steamdeck, making it perfect for travel.

Starsand Island is set for a 1.0 August 2026 release on consoles including the Nintendo Switch 2, arriving just in time for late summer. It doesn't have any difficult combat or a complex storyline, making it well-suited for whiling away long afternoons.

5 Red Dead Redemption 2

The Great Outdoors Without Going There

Camping is a key part of the summer season everywhere, and very few games replicate the outdoors experience of Red Dead Redemption 2. This game is considered one of the most in-depth and detailed open-world games, perfectly simulating the experience of camping in the wilderness without having to step a foot outside.

Aside from the realistic depiction of the outdoors, Red Dead Redemption 2 is also just a superb open-world game with a heartrending story. It's a long one though, so playing it over the summer is ideal to get through all of it in a reasonable amount of time.

4 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

A True Open-World

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a classic, and there are so many reasons why you should play it this summer. It's an incredible open-world game and a Switch native, so you can play it anywhere. This makes it perfect for travel as you head on to your summer vacation destination, but it's just as good for some quiet time at home.

Breath of the Wild's atmosphere and stunning world gives it a summery feel, and even in-game rain feels tranquil. Its exploration is designed to keep you occupied for hours while its open world truly embodies the term, with freedom of exploration and a non-linear questline. Tears of the Kingdom is also a good contender, but Breath of the Wild is my personal pick for this summer.

3 Mario Kart World

A Party Game for Everyone

Mario Kart World may seem like an odd choice, but it's technically an open-world game and works as both a solo and party game. Because of its multiplayer mode that can accommodate up to 24 racers, it's ideal for party and barbecue entertainment for groups, while also being fun and engaging for solo players. It has a ton of modes and courses that avoid any repetitive gameplay.

Its multiplayer mode also makes it great for travel, as you can play it with friends or family during long commutes or during downtime. It's family-friendly fun, and you can't go wrong with it.

2 Coral Island

A Tropical Island

Coral Island is considered one of the best cozy games in the genre. It's a farming sim that is set on a tropical island, making it the perfect open-world game to dive into this summer.

Coral Island sets itself apart from other farming sims in that the ocean and its environment play a big role. You can dive underwater and even encounter and befriend merpeople. If you've felt like farming sims are all blurring into one game because of their similarities, Coral Island could be the perfect break while still giving you that cozy game vibe that makes this genre so appealing.

1 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced

Cruise the Caribbean

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is my second favorite Assassin's Creed game, only behind Assassin's Creed II, and I'm very excited to play Resynced. Aside from being the remake of a great action game, Black Flag takes place in the Caribbean during the height of the pirate golden age. Tropical islands, clear seas, and busy calls of port are the defining locales of Black Flag, and the sunny weather of the setting is perfect for playing over the summer.

Black Flag Resynced has just been released, right in the middle of summer and gives plenty of time to explore everything it has to offer. I'm excited to revisit one of my favorite games with a bigger world, as sailing and exploring was one of the most memorable parts of the original Black Flag.