- The former GTA 6 and Red Dead Redemption Online game designer says that players just don’t explore open-world games anymore.
- These games require huge time investments and are massive, which fatigues players and gives them exploration anxiety.
- Running across a big map seems like a chore to players, so developers need to take the map size into account.
Two decades ago, imagining large-scale open-world AAA games appealed to both gamers and developers. However, these similar titles have now become part of a saturated market. Now, a former GTA 6 game designer explains that players have become tired of the genre.
The former Rockstar Games developer Cameron Williams says players simply don’t explore these massive open-world spaces anymore. In an era of fast-paced live-service titles that grab all your attention, most gamers no longer want to spend time exploring large maps.
Why it matters: The ex-GTA 6 designer argues that large open-world games appeal less to most players because of gameplay fatigue.
Speaking to PC Gamer, the former designer clarifies that open worlds lead to gameplay fatigue for players because they require big attention spans and time investment. However, this can quickly get exhausting for gamers and cause ‘exploration anxiety.’
Players just don’t explore right? Whether that’s because you have a super action-oriented game or because they just simply aren’t compelled.
Cameron says that even getting players to look at a certain place in an open world proves to be a big challenge for developers. Therefore, they need to be manipulated into doing certain activities—like how Red Dead Redemption 2 introduces fishing in a main mission.
They’re wondering, ‘Okay, how far away is the next thing? I really gotta run all the way across the map? And what’s my gain?’
On the flip side, players find shorter and more detailed open worlds—like Metro Exodus and Sunset Overdrive—more appealing.
GTA 6 is shaping to be the next big entry to innovate in the open-world formula as we know it, as it will include real-time traffic incidents, dynamic weather systems, and much more.
Do you think the open-world games becoming massive over time have made gamers tired of them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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