The best open-world games in 2026

Looking for the best open-world games? Our selection is packed with adventures featuring massive maps and epic narratives. You'll soon be exploring sandy beaches, magical realms, or even 1950s Los Angeles. Anything can happen in this lineup of open-world games.

This list focuses specifically on the best handheld consoles, with a variety of exciting open worlds you can explore both at home and on the go. So, whether you're playing on the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or even an alternative like the Asus ROG Ally, this list is ideal for you.

Here are the best open-world games on handhelds:

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Portable Platforms: Steam Deck and Windows Handhelds

Warhorse Studio's long-awaited RPG follow-up features a gigantic world to explore, and maybe even other surprise areas - but you'll need to find them yourself. Picking up years later with Henry of Skalitz, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is a dense open-world game with plenty of sub-systems and mechanics to master, whether you're bartering for bread or fighting knights to deliver a message.

It's an incredibly engrossing experience that rewards exploration and experimentation, and it runs great on handheld PCs. Be sure to check out our Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Steam Deck guide.

Avowed

Portable Platforms: Steam Deck and Windows Handhelds

Obsidian's fantasy RPG might have some DNA similar to Bethesda's Skyrim in there, but this adventure deserves checking out on its own merit. After surviving a shipwreck and waking up in The Lands Between, it's up to you to discover the mystery behind the deadly 'dream scourge'. Of course, you'll master new skills, powers, and collect great fear along the way. This is a colorful, gorgeous world to exist within, and you'll easily spend hours exploring everything it has to offer. You can get some Avowed Steam Deck action on the go, too.

Grand Theft Auto 5

Portable Platforms: Steam Deck and Windows Handhelds

It'd be as criminal as the work of Michael, Trevor, and Franklin, not to mention GTA 5 in this list. Rockstar Games' open-world opus set a brand-new standard for the genre in 2013, and it continues to stand tall among its rivals. There's nothing quite like Rockstar's attention to detail and seeing satire that cuts through the game's narrative. Set in a revamped version of Los Santos, this unlikely trio bands together to rob banks and secure their version of the American Dream by any means possible.

Of course, there's all the usual freedom you come to expect with a Rockstar title. Los Santos is your playground, and that extends to GTA Online, too. While GTA Online doesn't work on Steam Deck due to anti-cheat issues, it works just fine on Windows-based handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally.

Just Cause 3

Portable Platforms: Steam Deck and Windows Handhelds

Yeah, we could put Just Cause 4 on this list, but let's be honest: Just Cause 3 is a better game. The third entry in Avalanche Studios' underrated open-world series is all about blowing stuff up, blowing stuff up, and yes, blowing stuff up. It is the ultimate 1980s action hero simulator, as our hero Rico Rodriguez is unabashedly cheesy in the best ways.

As you navigate the lush vistas of Medici, it's up to you to liberate the nation by any means possible, and that usually includes loads of weapons and explosions.

What elevates the game is the addition of the wingsuit, which lets you glide across the skies in combination with the infinite grapple hook at your disposal. GTA could never.

Riders Republic

Portable Platforms: Steam Deck and Windows Handhelds

Ubisoft's open-world sports game blends multiple traversal methods together, giving you a huge playground to zip around. Other players are always taking to the skies, mountains, cliffs, and roads on skateboards, bikes, skis, and more while completing activities. The rush of Riders Republic is wonderful, and Ubisoft continues to support the game with regular updates since its launch in 2021.

Lake

Portable Platforms: Steam Deck and Windows Handhelds

Take a trip back to the 1980s, a simpler time where music was full of bangers, youth was in revolt, and the future was bright. Lake's atmosphere is full of that yearning optimism, as you deliver mail for your local town in a short break from city life. With plenty of quirky people to meet and an emotional heart to uncover, this charming open-world game is worth checking out.

Genshin Impact

Portable Platforms: iOS, Android, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

When Genshin Impact first arrived, many thought it was a bit of a Breath of the Wild clone that wouldn't stick around for all too long. How wrong they were, with this game still going strong in its fourth year, with new updates and characters arriving in-game every couple of months. Better still, it's free to play.

Giving you numerous characters to have in your party, an open world full of secrets, and lots of seasonal events, Genshin Impact is one of the best open-world games, and what makes it better is that it's a game you can play forever. And it's coming to Switch soon if you're not up for playing it on your phone. (We've got a Genshin Impact Switch release date guide to keep you up to date, too). If you want to know more about this beautiful open-world, I recommend you read our Genshin Impact review.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch

If you thought Hyrule was big in Breath of the Wild, oh boy, Tears of the Kingdom has something to show you. The scale of this game is unlike anything else we've ever seen before, with no 'open areas' or 'open zones', just a proper open world in the truest sense of the term. There are endless hours of gameplay here, so leap from the sky islands and float through an incredible adventure.

To get off to a solid start in Hyrule, check out our guides for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gleeoks, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom shrines, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom depths, and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom old map locations. If you're hesitant about diving into it yet (big open worlds are… commitment!), read our Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review.

The Witcher 3

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

If you're looking for an open world that's gorgeous, maybe play this on a different platform. But if you're after deep characters, rolling hills, and scary monsters, this is the game for you on Switch.

The key with The Witcher 3 is the side quests, which are celebrated to no end. But there's good reason; these are definitely the best side quests in any videogame, leading down winding narratives and engaging gameplay moments. It's a must-play.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

Sure, this game first arrived closer to the Nintendo Wii era than the Switch, but thanks to a solid porting job, you can enjoy one of the most engaging RPGs of the 21st century on the go. It's got everything from combat to crafting to cave exploration, and it just never gets old.

With some stellar DLC offerings to expand your experience and a big replayability factor thanks to the varying classes and game-changing decisions, Skyrim still holds up as one of the best RPGs on Switch. Better still, it's often on sale, so you can potentially pick it up at a discounted price.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

Ubisoft's recreation of the Caribbean in Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is endlessly gorgeous and enjoyable. You climb into the shoes of a pirate assassin, sail the high seas, and do lots of murders in beautiful places. Oh, and it's part of the Rebel Collection on Switch, so you get AC Rogue too, which is an alright game.

Black Flag is often talked about as the best Assassin's Creed game, so it's worth a look. If you're more of a fan of Italian escapades, check out our Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection review to see what we think.

Xenoblade Chronicles

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch

The slow burn that has been Xenoblade Chronicles' rise to stardom is great to see, considering it has some of the best open-world games out there all in one series. Back when Monolith Soft released the original in Japan, fans had to fight for a Western release.

Now, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a headline title for Nintendo this year. If you want to go back to where it all started before the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date, check out the original on Switch. It has an expansive, beautiful world full of strange creatures and excellent storytelling. For more help picking which one you want to start with, consider reading our Xenoblade Chronicles 3 review and our Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition review.

L.A. Noire

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

While the open world in L.A. Noire may seem a little barren, that doesn't stop it from being an excellent game. Full of magnificent writing and dialogue suited to the period, the game tells the story of Cole Phelps, a cop in the LAPD, climbing the ranks and solving crimes.

It has wonderful storytelling, and most people tend to overlook things that it does better than any other games out there, just because the open world is kinda empty. Who cares when everything else is as good as it is?

Sky: Children of the Light

Portable Platforms: iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch

Developed by Thatgamecompany (who also developed the similarly excellent Flow, Flower, and Journey), Sky: Children of the Light has a delicate open world, beautifully realized, with seven kingdoms to explore.

Like Journey before it, there are clever, subtle social elements to make everything that much more impactful. And it's free-to-play, which is even better. We also have a Sky: Children of the Light review if you need more convincing to play one of the best open-world games for free.

Minecraft

Portable Platforms: iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

Open worlds don't come much more open than that of Minecraft. If you still haven't experienced the unbridled joy of finding yourself in a massive sandbox, it's time to do it. If you haven't played Minecraft for a while, this is your reminder to jump back in. There's a reason it's one of the most popular games on the planet.

Whether you want to build a world just for yourself or team up with friends to build something impressive, it's your choice to make. To help you get started, check out our Minecraft servers, Minecraft skins, and Minecraft download guides. 

GTA The Trilogy Definitive Edition

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android (Netflix), Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

While these were initially released with a myriad of bugs and glitches, these handheld ports of Rockstar Games' seminal open-world classics are in far better shape these days. This bundle brings together the original trilogy of GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas, each of them armed with various fidelity improvements and gameplay enhancements. New lighting effects bring a more realistic sheen to these games, as it echoes some aesthetic changes seen in more games like GTA 5.

Of course, it doesn't look like the modern-day Rockstar opus, but they don't look too shabby either. We reckon that this bundle is worth picking up alone just for Vice City, as its impeccable vibes, soundtrack, and ode-to-cinema style story are still superb to this day. Yes, many of you may prefer San Andreas, but we wouldn't be there without Vice City's essential groundwork. 

No Man's Sky

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

While No Man's Sky has had a rocky road to redemption over the years, Hello Games' ambitious sci-fi game has become an excellent title boasting heaps of features that even genre rivals like Bethesda's Starfield are missing. You'll be discovering new, randomly generated worlds at your own pace, gathering resources, and starting your own perfect life among the stars.

No Man's Sky shines because of the continuous updates it receives too, all of which are completely free for players across all platforms. The most recent update added a whole new fishing mechanic and other aquatic features to the game. Whether you're playing solo or with friends, No Man's Sky is a total blast.

Red Dead Redemption

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

Rockstar Games' superb western is an essential open-world game for your Nintendo Switch. Set after the events of Red Dead Redemption 2, this classic title sees you step into the shoes of outlaw John Marston as he hunts down his former gang.

The game's world is outstanding, giving you an authentic depiction of the Old West, taking influences from iconic spaghetti western movies, music, and more. Even after 14 years, Red Dead Redemption is still a masterpiece. Don't take my word for it and read our Red Dead Redemption Switch review. You'll even get Undead Nightmare bundled with it.

Batman: Arkham City

Portable Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds

Arkham City is available through the Batman: Arkham Trilogy collection, and is easily the best of the bunch when it comes to getting your DC Comics fix on Nintendo Switch. While Arkham Knight has the Batmobile and a huge Gotham City to roam around within, its performance stops it from joining this list right now. Arkham City, however, fares much better on Nintendo's handheld.

Picking up immediately after Arkham Asylum, most of Gotham's criminals are now isolated within Arkham City, an area of Gotham separated by intense security - and a massive bridge too. You'll be battling plenty of iconic villains as you foil a grand plot that stretches further than Batman could have imagined. Combat is so damn satisfying, and Arkham City's world design is as immaculate as it was all those years ago.

That's that, then. Thousands of hours of the best open-world games for you to get lost in. Go on then, get lost! Alternatively, if you're still looking for even more worlds to explore, we've got lists of the best Switch games, the best Steam Deck games, and the best mobile games overall.