Every Open-World Game Coming Out In October 2025

Open-world games are incredibly popular, and October 2025 looks set to be a fantastic month for the genre. It could be the strongest lineup of open-world titles ever, despite some games facing development challenges or receiving mixed reactions before release. No matter what platform you play on – PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, or PC – you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore new and expansive game worlds in the coming weeks.

It’s still too early to say which open-world games releasing in October 2025 will become classics, or if any will. Right now, we can only preview the upcoming games and share what each one offers, helping players decide which ones seem most promising.

The games are shown in the order they will be released. We’re only including open-world games planned for PC and consoles – no mobile-only titles.

Ghost of Yotei

Sucker Punch’s Highly-Anticipated PS5 Sequel To Ghost Of Tsushima

I’m seriously hyped for *Ghost of Yotei*! From what I’ve seen, it looks like it’s going to be the biggest open-world game coming out in October 2025 – and everything points to it being amazing. I loved *Ghost of Tsushima* – it’s still one of the most gorgeous games I’ve ever played, really capturing the feel of historical Japan. This sequel takes place about 300 years later, and the story seems really compelling. You play as Atsu, and she’s on a mission to get revenge on the samurai who destroyed her family. It’s going to be epic!

The next game, tentatively titled *Ghost of Yotei*, will take place on the island of Hokkaido, centered around Mount Yotei. The developers at Sucker Punch want to build on the open-world design of the first game, addressing concerns about repetitive content. While the sequel may have fewer side quests, they aim to make each one more unique and engaging. Players can also expect a greater variety of weapons, further enhancing the already well-received combat system.

Borderlands 4 (Switch 2)

Borderlands 4 Comes To The Nintendo Switch 2 On October 3

Borderlands 4 came out on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox on September 12, 2025. The Switch 2 version was delayed by about three weeks, but developers hope this extra time will allow them to deliver a smoother, more refined game.

Putting aside a few technical hiccups, *Borderlands 4* has been well-received as a strong improvement on *Borderlands 3*’s gameplay. The story is a bit more grounded than in past games, though it’s still not the central point. While *Borderlands* games have always encouraged exploration, this is the first one with a truly open world. Set on the planet Kairos, the game includes tools that help you move around and explore the map more easily.

Seafarer: The Ship Sim (Early Access)

Take To The Sea And Build A Career

Seafarer: The Ship Sim is a game that’s similar to SnowRunner, but instead of driving on land, you navigate the open sea. You’ll start a career delivering packages, and as you earn money, you’ll expand your fleet of ships, upgrading to bigger and more advanced vessels. Built with Unreal Engine 5, Seafarer promises a large, open world for players to explore. Keep in mind that the game is launching as an early access title on Steam, so it’s still under development.

Blue Protocol: Star Resonance

A Free Open-World MMORPG

The *Blue Protocol* franchise hasn’t had much success outside of Japan, as the first game wasn’t released in Western countries. Because of this, the new game, *Star Resonance*, will likely be many players’ introduction to the series. Early looks suggest this free-to-play, open-world game has a lot of potential.

Star Resonance takes place in the beautiful world of Magna and features exciting, team-based combat. Many players felt the fast-paced battles were the highlight of the beta test. The game also lets you heavily customize your character and play with friends on different devices. Beyond fighting, you can even learn and practice various professions, adding depth to the overall experience.

Games similar to *Blue Protocol: Star Resonance* are frequent releases these days, so it needs to quickly attract players to succeed.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A

October’s Biggest Open-World Game (In Theory)

The *Pokémon* franchise remains incredibly popular and consistently delivers huge releases. The upcoming *Pokémon Legends: Z-A* is expected to be October 2025’s biggest game. Unusually, the game takes place primarily in Lumiose City, rather than offering a large open world to explore the Kalos region. While *Pokémon* games often feature cities, they’re usually just brief stops – so *Legends: Z-A* will need to prove that focusing on a single city is a good design choice.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is facing some challenges before its release. While the previous game, Arceus, was popular, building excitement for Z-A has been harder than expected, and some promotional materials have worried fans. Many concerns center around the game’s graphics, which have been a weak point in recent Pokemon games. The new real-time battle system might also take some players time to adjust to, and announcing downloadable content so early wasn’t well-received.

Overthrown

A Sandbox City Builder

Though it’s been available in early access and as an Xbox Game Preview title since December 2024, *Overthrown* is officially launching its full version in October, and will also be released on the PS5. The game features a bright, colorful art style reminiscent of *Breath of the Wild*, combined with lighthearted, cartoonish gameplay. *Overthrown* is a true sandbox experience, letting you explore a world where you build and expand your kingdom by gathering resources and growing your population.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

The Long-Awaited Sequel To One Of The Greatest RPGs Of All Time

While *Pokemon Legends: Z-A* isn’t generating a huge amount of excitement, *Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2* appears to be actively losing momentum. The game, developed by The Chinese Room, had the potential to be the biggest open-world release of October 2025. Fans have eagerly awaited a sequel to the original *Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines* from 2004 for almost twenty years.

Unfortunately, things haven’t gone as planned for the project, and talk about it has died down. The troubled development of *Bloodlines 2* is well known, so fans are understandably cautious and aren’t getting their hopes up too much. Things got even worse when the developers announced that two clans would only be available as paid downloadable content (DLC). This caused a strong negative reaction, and Paradox Interactive ultimately had to change their decision.

Set in Seattle, *Bloodlines 2* puts you in the role of a powerful, ancient vampire who also works as a detective. The game features a story where your choices matter, letting you control the city’s nightlife and compete for dominance. It also promises exciting, action-packed combat that feels different depending on your vampire clan.

World of Sea Battle (Early Access)

A Free Pirate Seafaring Adventure

October 2025 seems to be a great month for fans of open-world ocean games! In addition to other titles, *World of Sea Battle* is launching into early access. This game, developed by Thera Interactive, is different from realistic simulators like *Seafarer* – it’s a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set during the Golden Age of Sail. Players can command various historical ships, battle each other on the open sea, and plunder captured vessels. While competitive multiplayer is a key feature, the game will also include options for playing against the environment and teaming up with friends.

World In The Abyss (Early Access)

Survival Open-World Game With Underwater Exploration

We’re starting to see a lot of open-world games in early access, and *World in The Abyss* is the latest. What sets this one apart is that it’s a survival game focused on underwater exploration. Instead of traveling across land, you’ll be building and defending a base while diving into the depths. If you’re looking for a unique survival experience in an open world, *World in The Abyss* is worth checking out when it launches in early access.

Misery

Co-Op Survival Roguelite

Misery is a survival game heavily inspired by STALKER, and it also aims to appeal to fans of Lethal Company. The game takes place in the desolate Republic of Zaslavie, where you and your friends must protect a research facility. The story begins with a siren that forces you to take shelter in a bunker, after which you’ll need to regularly gather supplies and explore the surrounding area. The Zone is full of bizarre and dangerous anomalies, meaning survival isn’t just about food and radiation – you’ll face many other threats too.

2025-09-22 00:07