- Primary Subject: Open-World Video Game Genre (Industry & Design Discussion)
- Key Update: A personal feature highlighting growing player fatigue due to massive map sizes and cluttered user interfaces, proposing environmental cues as a fix.
- Status: Opinion
- Last Verified: May 21, 2026
- Quick Answer: Video game studios can combat open-world burnout by relying on in-world environmental cues for exploration and prioritizing deep world-building over sheer map size.
The open world genre is arguably one of the most popular video game categories out there, but it can often be an intimidating place to start for any gamer.
Nowadays, we see more and more games touting their large map and depth of activities. This is both a blessing and a curse. It's great for gamers who are well-versed in the genre, but it can be a major turn-off for those who are looking for their first open-world game.
It's time we discuss open-world fatigue and how video game developers can combat this.
Open-World Intimidation and Fatigue Is Real
With the rise of titles like Crimson Desert, open-world games are getting more and more expansive. The map (and game) sizes are getting bigger, choices become freer, and the amount of side content becomes greater.
For gamers who have played open-world games for years, this is great. More games to grind, more missions to speed-run, and more easter eggs to uncover. But for new players who want to dip their toes in the open world genre, the openness and the freedom can be intimidating. It might even turn them away altogether.
This is definitely something I felt. The first open-world game I got obsessed with was Genshin Impact, and in comparison to games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, it's tiny. It took me a lot of mental prep to try games like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Cyberpunk 2077.
The thought of opening the map and seeing dozens of little glowing icons screaming for my attention, as if begging me to complete every task, felt intimidating. It felt more like a chore than something I was excited to do. And as someone who favored JRPGs and visual novels, this non-linear take felt like a logistical nightmare.
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The map size itself was another reason open-world games made me feel tired. Dead ends, routes that lead you in circles, and areas so big you have no idea if you've passed that rock more than once already have led me to shut down a game on numerous occasions. Not only is it frustrating, but it makes you feel downright dumb.
This is something newbie gamers experience far too often, but the gaming industry isn't going to stop releasing more and more expansive games. Take GTA 6, for example - it's expected to be the biggest and most ambitious Grand Theft Auto game to date. And hey, I'm not saying they should stop.
What I am saying is they can balance it out.
Some games manage to handle the large map while not feeling like it's a job to explore the world. One of these games is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. When exploring the area, you can often see large landmarks framing the distance, luring you in. The map isn't cluttered with icons - you make use of a telescope instead. Exploration is fueled by curiosity, not a market.
Elden Ring also does this so well. It's a game that respects the player's intelligence and rewards their spatial awareness. While the game does have a map, it's unlocked as you explore an area, making you actually WANT to explore. The elements guide you around the world itself - light can emanate from the Sites of Grace to lead you in a certain direction.
It's possible to make open-world games so that they don't make you feel fatigued. But how can different studios do it?
How Video Game Studios Can Improve the Open-World Experience
One way to make the open world experience better is by relying less on adding more menus and tabs and focusing on the environment. Use things that are in the actual world as markers - a plume of smoke for a campfire, a flock of birds to signal weather changes, or a geological formation. Trust in the player's senses - they'll figure out the pattern.
Another thing studios need to focus less on is creating a game with "the biggest map in gaming history." That record will always be beaten. Instead, focus on making the characters more complex. Make towns feel more alive with NPCs who actually react instead of just swaying, and make sure every side-quest is meant to add to the lore of the land rather than just a quick and easy way to farm XP.
And speaking of maps, let players turn it into what they want to see. It doesn't always have to be a mini-map at the top-left of the screen. Allow players to toggle the mini-map off altogether, hide markers from quests not from the main storyline (or vice versa), or create an exploration mode where directions are given based on the elements rather than a marker.
Let's stop making open worlds too complex, where we have to constantly open a menu or map to see if we've hit a dead-end. By adding these small but useful features, it can blend exploration with functionality and make the open-world experience less intimidating.
And maybe then, more newbies will be willing to give open-world games a shot.
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