open world

noun

plural open worlds

: a video game or part of a video game in which the player is not constrained to achieving specific goals and has a large degree of freedom to explore, interact with, or modify the game environment : sandbox sense 2a

The gameplay feels similar to other RPGs, and while it's an open world that allows you to do whatever you want for the most part, I do recommend accomplishing the first tasks of the recruitment quests early.

—Swapna Krishna

… you'll likely get swept in deep by the stellar narrative and the meticulously-crafted open world gameplay.

—Tanveer Singh

—sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun

Whether you're keen on open-world games where you've got masses of virtual space to explore or survival games where there are more threats to keep you on your toes, our list should help you make the right choice.

—Adrian Willings

Examples of open world in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Since 2004, Far Cry has more than 100 million unique players and is one of Ubisoft’s most popular franchises, known for the exhilaration of the first-person shootouts, organic open world playgrounds, unique stories and memorable antagonists. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 June 2026

While absent from the films, Peeves has appeared in several video game adaptations of the movies, as well as the open world RPG, Hogwarts Legacy. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026

Exploring an Open-World Sandbox The classic completionist urge comes to life in the game’s open world. — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 26 May 2026

Japan has race tracks and street courses featured in video games, but rarely, if ever, has the country been part of a car-centric open world. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for open world

• netherworld
• otherworld
• underworld
• curled
• furled
• hurled
• knurled
• swirled
• twirled
• whirled
• whorled
• lifeworld