Discover the Top Open-World Games with Exciting Seasonal Updates!

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Summary

  • Many open-world games offer seasonal content for holidays, providing unique missions and items for players.
  • Games like American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2 allow players to customize their rigs for festive occasions.
  • Titles like Genshin Impact and Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 feature original festivals and events in-game to engage players.

Open-world games often incorporate various weather patterns, day and night transitions, and even shifting seasons to enhance their gameplay experience. However, seasonal content can be a different story. If they offer downloadable content at all, it usually pertains to items that players can use universally, such as in-game weapons, cosmetics, or in-game currency/items to provide an advantage during the game’s initial stages.

Every now and then, I find myself immersed in games that keep things interesting by tying their gameplay to various holidays throughout the year. Some online titles host annual events, keeping the action fresh and unpredictable all year round. On the other hand, certain open-world games roll out special campaigns just for the holidays, giving players a chance to uncover new storylines that resonate with the changing seasons. Regardless of the approach, these games always seem to offer exclusive modes, missions, and more to make each holiday season a memorable experience.

1. American Truck Simulator & Euro Truck Simulator 2

Spreading Seasonal Cheer on Both Sides of the Atlantic

In a surprising twist, games like American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2 fall under the open-world category, despite the objective of reaching specific real-life destinations. The player has the freedom to choose their route, traveling on any road that accommodates their truck, making these games more than just a simple delivery task. However, if they accumulate too many fines and traffic violations while transporting their cargo, they might find themselves with less profit in their earnings.

Both games offer a wide array of downloadable content (DLC), ranging from various truck models to multiple customizable paint schemes. Depending on the time of year, players can decorate their vehicles to celebrate festive occasions such as Christmas, Halloween, or Valentine’s Day. In doing so, they can transform themselves into a truck-driving Santa Claus, Jack Skellington, or Cupid, spreading cheer, scares, or love across the game map.

2. InFamous: Festival Of Blood

Electric-Powered Hero Tears Through Bloodsuckers On Mardi Gras

Essentially, one doesn’t necessarily have to have played InFamous 2 to enjoy InFamous: Festival of Blood, as it can function independently. However, it was developed using resources and mechanics from InFamous 2, and it offers a User-Generated Content mode that allows players to create their own missions and comic-style cutscenes, which is a feature not available in the main game where only subtitles are provided.

In the game’s lore, they call the in-game celebration Pyre Night, which is a mix between Mardi Gras and Halloween. The inhabitants of New Marais, or New Orleans stand-in, celebrate the demise of the vampire Bloody Mary by setting her ablaze. However, this festivity is short-lived as Bloody Mary threatens to return, putting hero Cole McGrath under a ticking clock to banish her back to Hell before he transforms into one of her minions. While it was sufficient for players wanting a glimpse of InFamous 2, as a standalone game in the series, it lacked substance.

3. Don’t Starve Together

Survive Through the Seasons to Enjoy the Festivities

In the game of “Don’t Starve,” survival was crucial because one’s life hung in the balance. If they couldn’t gather food and hunt on their own within their unpredictable world, they would perish and find themselves starting anew, often in a more challenging setting. The introduction of the multiplayer mode in “Don’t Starve Together” heightened the tension as players could either assist or impede each other.

In the next installment, they’ve added a dash of excitement by integrating seasonal promotions into their changing seasons. During these seasons, players have the opportunity to obtain unique holiday-themed items and other perks. “Hallowed Nights” is filled with pumpkins and spooky Halloween costumes. “Winter’s Feast” allows players to create Gifts, prepare Winter dishes, and adorn a Christmas tree. As for the New Year, it brings forth various events themed around different zodiac animals according to the Chinese calendar.

4. Genshin Impact

The Odds of Enjoying a Festival Are Higher Than They Seem

Genshin Impact, a widely recognized name in gacha-based, open-world action RPGs, often provides seasonal content to engage players and encourage them to spend money. Unlike typical holiday events like Christmas, Halloween, or Thanksgiving, this game offers its own unique festivals that players can participate in at various points throughout the year.

The most notable celebration is the Lantern Rite Festival, during which the inhabitants of Liyue light Mingxiao Lanterns, similar to the Kongming Lanterns lit during Chinese New Year. Other realms celebrate their own festivities with connections to real-world events, such as the Fontinalia reminiscent of Rome, the Sabzeruz inspired by Iran, and Weinlesefest, a favorite of German wine enthusiasts.

5. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

Saving the Seasons in Washington D.C.

In a dark twist of events, navigating Washington D.C., plagued by an epidemic, presents a somber reality for its inhabitants. However, this grim scenario also offers a convenient backdrop for a third-person, open-world action RPG shooter like Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. Here, players engage in cover-shooting exploits throughout the city, earning experience points, loot for crafting, and secret treasures scattered across the game map.

Despite being encircled by opposing groups, formidable adversaries, and the Green Poison virus, the players could nonetheless enjoy the holiday season. The game frequently hosts special events during occasions such as Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and others. Even weapons and gear take on a more festive appearance, adding a touch of cheer to the violence.

6. Red Dead Online

The Wild West Gets Wilder During the Holidays

During holiday seasons, it’s not just Ubisoft’s shooter that seeks to drain players’ pockets. If you’ve finished the campaign in Red Dead Redemption 2, you can hop online and carry on your cowboy journey in Red Dead Online with friends. Exploring its depiction of the Wild West becomes even more engaging as events unfold.

Winter offers snowfall, hidden map puzzles, and extra missions awarding up to triple XP and RDO dollars. Halloween sees players battling creepy invaders around the settlements. Even Thanksgiving provides bonuses for traders and trade routes. Furthermore, these holidays, along with others, offer unique outfits, weapons, and other items for a fee. They occur regularly, but with a year-long gap between them, the fear of missing out can indeed be palpable.

7. Grand Theft Auto Online

Going After Santa in Los Santos

Essentially, Red Dead Online is continuing in the footsteps paved by Grand Theft Auto Online. It’s possible that the online mode in Grand Theft Auto V is what caused the GTA series to transition from multiple games on a single console, to each console having a separate version of a single game. However, Rockstar has managed to keep Grand Theft Auto Online engaging with numerous campaigns, heists, mini-games, and holiday content. Yet, this continuous updating seems to be at the expense of its main game.

Similar to Red Dead Online, Grand Theft Auto Online provides unique rewards tied to various holidays. For instance, during Christmas you might hunt down a grinch-like character called Gooch, while Halloween sees players battling zombies in Ludendorff Cemetery. On Valentine’s Day, gaming duos can engage in a Bonnie & Clyde-style challenge where they compete against other couples by shooting them. Miss these events the first time? Don’t worry! They’ll come back again during future seasons.

8. Saints Row 4

Deck the Streets with Lots of Bodies

Even though most of the seasonal content here seems more focused on making quick money, rather than being genuinely dedicated to specific holidays. However, an exception might be Saints Row 4, as the series’ gangster origins took a backseat to absurd meta-humor. Consequently, it’s not surprising that the game included Christmas content that feels like a heartfelt tribute to all things festive.

As a gamer, I’d say I’m diving into an offbeat, multi-level adventure called “How the Saints Save Christmas”. In this game, I take on the role of the hero who saves Santa Claus and all the holiday celebrations – from Kwanzaa to Hannukah and Festivus. There’s a bit of irony thrown in for good measure, like fighting off rogue gingerbread men to save the North Pole. But don’t worry, it keeps things festive and fun-loving, just like the media we all love about this season. If you’re more into grinchier vibes, you might prefer the “Enter the Dominatrix” campaign instead.

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2025-05-01 13:36