Creating believable and immersive game worlds is a major goal for many developers, and they spend a lot of time perfecting the details. Here are six open-world games with cities that feel realistic, whether they’re grounded in reality or built on fantasy.
The Midnight expansion brought a major update to how appearances work in World of Warcraft. Instead of changing the look of each piece of gear separately, players now create complete outfits for their characters. These outfits automatically update the appearance of anything equipped in the corresponding slots. The system also includes ‘Situations’ which can automatically change your transmog based on where you are, what specializations you’re using, or even if you transform into a different form.
The first source of Mysterious Energy in The Witchwoods is located southwest of the Witch’s House, on the Alfonso Estate. From the Witch’s House, simply head up the hill behind it – you should be able to see it easily. Step onto the plate to activate the Nexus. Once activated, you can select it on the world map to quickly travel back to this location, saving you time on horseback or running.
Chapter 1178 of One Piece was amazing throughout, but the biggest surprise was Saint Imu Nerona, the ruler of the world, arriving in Warland. When the story began focusing on Elbaph, many fans thought Shamrock and Gunko would be the main enemies. However, after Shamrock withdrew, it seemed likely that Gunko was actually being controlled by Imu and would become the primary villain.
As a long-time Pokémon GO player, I remember when Niantic launched the GO Pass in April 2025. It came after the really popular Tour Pass, and it’s basically a monthly challenge where you earn points and get rewards just for playing! The cool thing is, everyone can join the basic GO Pass for free. But if you want even more stuff, there’s a deluxe version you can pay for each month with extra goodies to unlock.
Few first-person shooter games create a world as immersive as BioShock, but the following titles come close. They all have similarities to the classic game: some are set in post-apocalyptic environments (like the fallen city of Rapture), others are adapted from novels (Rapture’s story draws inspiration from Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”), and all of them capture that distinct feeling of being somewhere truly unique – a place you can recognize instantly from just a single image of BioShock’s unforgettable setting.
In the “Outstanding Balance” quest, you’ll explore the map to find a mischievous Raider who didn’t keep his promise to Tian Wen – a decision that’s sure to cause trouble!
I’ve heard a lot about Capone Bege – he’s definitely one of the strongest pirates to emerge recently. He comes from the West Blue and leads the Firetank Pirates. With a bounty of 350 million berries, he’s proven to be a serious threat. Interestingly, he used to be part of Big Mom’s crew, acting as a high-ranking officer. But things changed, and now he’s sailing the New World independently.
2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for Xbox games, with lots of new titles coming out in all sorts of genres. It can be hard to keep track of everything, so let’s break down the biggest upcoming releases that are expected to make 2026 a year to remember. Here’s a look at the release dates for the most anticipated Xbox games of 2026.
The series started in 2016 with a game set in a snowy, post-pandemic New York City. It combined strategic shooting with online features similar to games like Destiny, and quickly became a success for Ubisoft, selling millions of copies. A sequel followed in 2019, moving the gameplay to Washington, D.C. The franchise now boasts over 40 million players, but maintaining it hasn’t always been simple for the developers at Massive Entertainment. They’ve described the challenges of running a live-service game as like “changing the engine of a car while it’s still driving.” However, senior producer Fredrik Brönjemark believes it’s more akin to managing a bus – requiring everyone to be on board and acknowledging that everyone has an opinion. Brönjemark stresses the importance of valuing players, especially long-term fans, and actively working to retain their loyalty.