While not in 3D, the first Pokémon video game for Game Boy could also be considered a very popular open-world RPG, with the Japanese release of the original in 1996 and the international version in 1999. While contested by some, other noteworthy mentions include titles such as Inverse, Jet Rocket, dnd (PLATO), Elite, The Portopia Serial Murder Case, The Lords of Midnight, The Seven Cities of Gold, Sid Meier’s Pirates, Ant Attack, Sabre Wulf, and Mercenary, among others. This game set the standard for future open-world titles and is still considered one of the best video games ever made. Released in 1986, The Legend of Zelda featured a vast world to explore, with plenty of secrets to discover. The Legend of Zelda was another groundbreaking title that popularized open-world gameplay. This game featured a large, explorable world, and gave players the freedom to choose their own path.Īlso interesting: Early Gaming History – What Was the First Video Game? One of the first was Ultima III: Exodus, which was released in 1983. In the early 1980s, a number of developers began experimenting with open-world gameplay. While it did not have the same level of graphics and gameplay as today’s open-world games, it laid the foundation for the genre. Developed by Atari in 1979, Adventure was a text-based game that allowed players to explore an imaginary world. The first open-world game ever created was Adventure.

This non-linear gameplay was first popularized by early adventure games such as The Legend of Zelda. Open-world games often give players the freedom to choose how they want to play the game, and which missions they want to undertake. This can be contrasted with linear games, where players are confined to a specific path or story and must complete missions in a specific order. What defines an open-world video game?Īn open-world game is typically defined as a game where players are free to explore a virtual world at their own pace. But what was the first open-world game ever created? And which developers pioneered this popular video game genre? In this article, we will take a look at the history of open-world gaming, and find out which titles started it all. Players can explore a virtual world at their own pace, and take on quests and missions as they see fit. Open-world games are some of the most popular titles on the market today.

Best free open world games 2017