8 Classic Open World Games That Deserve a Remaster in 2026

Open world games felt like they took off during the Xbox 360/PS3 era, but in reality, they were a thing long before that.

The Legend of Zelda, The Elder Scrolls: Arena, Shenmue; there are so many retro open world games that it's easy to forget how long the genre has been prevalent in the gaming industry.

If 2025's Oblivion Remaster proved anything, it's that there's a market for iconic open world games that need some TLC through a modern remaster. It's not that these older games are bad; they feel a little awkward to play today. With that in mind, let's take a trip down memory lane and try to will these open world game remasters into existence in 2026.

8 The Legend of Zelda

Give it the Link's Awakening Treatment

I mentioned it in the opening, so might as well talk about what a potential remaster of the original Legend of Zelda would look like.

Now, I understand that part of the appeal of the 1986 NES classic is the limitations that exist within the game. Without modern quality of life conveniences, there's a certain amount of mystery and intrigue that make The Legend of Zelda magical. However, we've seen other games, like Tunic, capture this magic with modern game design and philosophy.

Seeing The Legend of Zelda get the Tunic treatment to go with the Link's Awakening graphics on Nintendo Switch seems like the perfect way to celebrate the franchise's 40th anniversary. Aside from putting Wind Waker and Twilight Princess on the Switch, of course.

7 Sleeping Dogs

A Cult Classic Open World Gem from the 2010s

Released during a time when GTA clones were not only a dime a dozen but also over-saturating the market, Sleeping Dogs was a diamond in the rough.

It quickly became a cult classic thanks to its fantastic combat system, immersive open world, and replayability. Did it pack the same memorable characters and graphics as Grand Theft Auto? No, but it's still a fantastic game that, for some reason, never saw a follow-up.

A planned sequel was canceled in 2013, and the film adaptation announced in 2017 has been in limbo ever since. Currently, Simu Liu is doing what he can to make it happen. Here's to hoping that a remaster of the game comes along with it.

A Unique, Incredible Open World RPG

There's a certain charm that exists within the first two Elder Scrolls games that make me prefer them to keep their original design and art style. Arena and Daggerfall are far from perfect, but they're fantastic retro open world RPGs that are still worth playing.

With that in mind, there's another older Elder Scrolls game that should 100% be remastered. Morrowind is one of the more unique, immersive, and unforgettable gaming experiences you'll ever experience. In addition to the wonderful world that is Morrowind, there's something so satisfying about becoming completely overpowered by the game's end.

Sadly, it's certainly dated and rough around the edges today, but it's still an experience every RPG fan needs to play. Morrowind is fantastic and easily one of the best Elder Scrolls games ever made.

5 Fallout 3

It's the Best Fallout Game

Call me a sucker for Bethesda's 360/PS3 era RPGs, but there's just something about Oblivion and Fallout 3 that makes it so easy to love them.

Diving back into Fallout 3 after the success of the Prime Video show, one thing became immediately apparent: this is still a great game, and blowing up Megaton still feels incredibly satisfying. Exploring the Capitol Wasteland presents so many new opportunities to discover, complete with the dystopian reality that naturally exists within the Fallout franchise.

Back in the day, I was continually blown away by everything the game offered, and it still resonates with me today. I'd just, you know, prefer a little less of the old-school jank and a little more modern polish. Make this thing play like Fallout 4, and we're seriously cooking.

4 Red Faction: Guerrilla

Destruction Derby

The Red Faction series is like a forgotten relic from gaming's past. To be honest, I'm not sure why. It's just so satisfying to destroy anything and everything in sight as you play through the game.

Ironically, Guerilla doesn't allow for that level of environmental destruction, but the game doesn't suffer for it. Instead, only being able to destroy buildings and structures allows for more imaginative gameplay and problem-solving.

It results in a challenging open world shooter experience that pushes you to your limits. The sky's the limit in terms of how you tackle its gameplay, leading to some incredibly satisfying and rewarding firefights and set pieces that deserve more than becoming a footnote in gaming history.

3 Bully

Rockstar's Cult Classic One-Off

Grand Theft Auto this. Red Dead Redemption that. Let's bring back Bully for modern consoles.

First released in 2006, Bully throws you into the shoes of high school student Jimmy Hopkins. It looks and feels like your traditional Rockstar open world game, but swapping out the setting of GTA for Bullworth Academy is a genius move. There's a certain innocence that shines, allowing the established gameplay loop to feel fresh and innovative.

Now, technically, we already saw a remaster of Bully during the Xbox 360/PS3/Wii generation. Unfortunately, it was a pretty lazy port that led to an unoptimal experience. A true remaster optimized for modern consoles would let one of Rocktar's smartest and underappreciated games shine again.

2 The Simpsons: Hit & Run

A Timeless Classic

Unfortunately, my instincts tell me that a remaster of The Simpsons: Hit & Run is a thing that will never see the light of day. Like many, however, we'll still be hoping for some good news this year.

A "Simpsons" version of Grand Theft Auto is one of those ideas that just works. There's no need to expand on it, nor is there a requirement to add unnecessary bloat or filler to the game. It's something that makes so much sense, resulting in one of the most beloved games of the 2000s.

Yet despite that love and acclaim, it's stuck on the GameCube/PS2/Xbox. A fan-made remake in Unreal Engine 5 is in the works, but sadly, don't expect it to ever see the light of day. To make matters worse, we never got a sequel either, despite demand.

1 Driver

GTA before GTA 3

Two years before GTA 3 changed the world of video games, the PlayStation 1 had Driver.

Inspired by car chases in movies like Ronin and The Rock, Driver throws us into the role of undercover cop John Tanner as he infiltrates an underground crime syndicate. It plays out exactly as you'd expect: it turns out that playing a game based on some of the best car chases of all time is pretty fun!

Now, since this is a PS1 game, it's undoubtedly dated by today's standards. Still, with a fresh coat of paint and some TLC, I'd argue that a Driver remaster would flourish today. The original game's success led to an established franchise that never lived up to expectations, but people still fondly look back on the original.