7 Open-World Games That Took Big Risks That Paid Off

Summary

Open-world gamesare famous for offering players a lot of versatility in terms of the choices they can make, the weapons and armor they can use, and the NPCs that they can encounter for various side quests along the way. While some titles can feel overwhelming, otherslet players take it easyand enjoy the ride.

Unlike other genres, open-world gamesoffer unique gameplaythat, in many cases, players of all ages can enjoy. That said, even with so many options available to both players and developers, sometimes risks have to be taken to deliver an unforgettable experience. Here are some of thebest open-world games that took big risks and they paid off.

WhenAssassin’s Creed Originswas released, Ubisoft took a massive risk as it decided to stray from the classical formula it had been following since the franchise started and move towards more RPG-oriented gameplay.

On paper, this was always a great idea. However, fans of the franchise were already used to a certain concept that had been present for more than five games, so changing things up so drastically could or could have paid off. Luckily, this decision turned out to be beneficial for the company and theAssassin’s Creedfranchise.

Any player who’s in their late 20s or early 30s likely remembers how big theLord of the Ringsgames were between the years 2000 and 2006. Since the movies had just come out during that period, everyone was talking about them and the games were selling almost as well as the films.

WhileMiddle-earth: Shadow of Mordordoesn’tfeature multiple playable characters, Talion is more than enough to give players full control of this orc-slaying experience that delivers outstanding combat mechanics that require fast reflexes and strategic planning.

However, even with that being the case, both Monolith Productions and Warner Bros took a huge risk by investing so much time and money in aLord of the Ringsgame during a time when the franchise’s video game universe wasn’t at its strongest.

By the timeCyberpunk 2077was released, CD Projekt RED was already known as the critically acclaimed developer behindThe Witcherseries, which focuses on medieval settings, magical powers, and all sorts of ancient lore. The success ofThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntis a testament to how many players loved this concept, so CD Projekt RED could have stuck to it to infinity.

And while there’s another Witcher game in the works, the developer took a break from monsters, spellbooks, and fantasy worlds to deliverCyberpunk 2077, which has nothing to do with the former elements. Going from a medieval setting to a futuristic dystopic society was a very risky move, and while the game had a rough start to its life, it’s now one of the best in its genre.Cyberpunk 2077is graphically demanding, so it isn’t agame that players with low-end PCscan enjoy to the fullest extent. But even when configured to the lowest possible settings, the experience is still incredible.

Continuing with incredible games released by CD Projekt Red, there’sThe Witcher 3. This title not only helped the studio become one of the most famous of the last 10 years, but also presented players with the epic conclusion to Geralt’s journey. It’s estimated that the development budget forThe Witcher 2was around $10.5 million and that this was more than tripled forThe Witcher 3.

While many players would argue that this was not a risk as the franchise was already successful, it’s important to remember that beforeThe Witcher 3came out, the franchise wasn’t nearly as popular, so things could have gone south very quickly. Luckily, the third installment of the franchise was a success thanks to its amazing narrative, likable characters,possible evil routes to take, and the variety of monsters on The Continent.

By the timeElden Ringcame out, theDark Soulsfranchise was already very popular among players and had turned FromSoftware into a critically acclaimed developer. However, as most players know, theDark Soulsgames are linear and require players to defeat certain bosses and progress through certain areas to move forward.

Elden Ring, on the other hand, opened up The Lands Between to players, so that they could explore them freely with very few limitations. On paper, it wasn’t clear whether a Soulslike game with an open-world concept like this would work, which is why it’s safe to say that FromSoftware took a massive risk. Luckily, everything turned out great, andElden Ringis one of the most popular games today.

While there’s combat inThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it’s safe to say that itdoesn’t focus on violenceas much as other titles on this list. Instead, it presents players with a friendlier environment that has that classic great Nintendo feeling to it.

Although this title isn’t the first open-world Zelda game, it took a few risks in terms of how the world works, how players can explore the land, and how the game operates in general.The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildkept the elements that make its franchise great and incorporated others that were a bit risky, but ultimately paid off.

Rockstar Games is mainly known for theGrand Theft Autoand theRed Dead Redemptionfranchises, even though the studio has also been responsible for titles likeManhunt,Bully,Max Payne 3and others. Some players would argue that makingRed Dead Redemption 2was not a risky move, as there was already evidence ofRed Dead Redemptionbeing successful.

However, it’s hard to say that the first installment’s success justified a +$500M budget for the second game, which is what’s estimated that Rockstar spent on both development and marketing. This would putRed Dead Redemption 2’s budget over those of blockbuster movies likeAvengers: Endgame, which definitely represents a massive risk. Luckily, it paid off massively, and Rockstar’s latest Western story is among the most popular games of the last 10 years.Red Dead Redemption 2is, arguably,one of the most detailed games to dateand hasan epic endingthat will have most players in tears.