Open-world games are the undisputed champs of the gaming world. There's one particular quality to them that gives them a distinct edge over linear games: freedom. The idea of being able to interact with a map without being confined by the rules of its gameplay, and having the freedom to play a game in any desired order and pattern, is truly liberating.

With that being said, open-world games have not opened their world (pun intended) to sports. The concept is still in its infancy, and there aren't a lot of true open-world sports games out there that fully capture the essence of both genres. Fortunately, though, the few that do exist are very impressive and are perfect for players looking for that complete, immersive, 'open-worldy' sports experience.

8 The Crew 2 (2018)

Metascore: 64

The Crew 2 is an open-world racing game that’s both traditional and non-traditional in the best sense. It was released by Ubisoft in 2018 and is available to play on Xbox One, Google Stadia, PC, and PlayStation 4. It serves as a direct sequel to the 2014 game, The Crew.

Related

12 Best Rally Racing Games, Ranked

Rally racing is the most thrilling of all motorsports, and these are the best games that emulate those thrills.

What makes The Crew 2 a non-traditional racing game is the fact that its playable vehicles are not only limited to cars but all sorts of other stuff, including bikes, airplanes, and boats. This, coupled with the freedom of an open world, the unique vehicle physics, and the thrill of climbing through the ranks (from street racing to pro racing) makes The Crew 2 one of the best open-world sports games on the scene right now.

7 Session: Skate Sim (2022)

Metascore: 67

Skateboarding games have always had a big role in open-world sports games. Even now, when there aren’t many open-world options available for other types of sports, skateboarding games continue to maintain a sort of dominance in this subgenre. Consequently, Session: Skate Sim is one such game that practices what it preaches. It’s a skateboarding simulation game that tries to mimic real-life skateboarding as much as technically possible. It was released in 2022 on multiple platforms and has dual stick controls which ultimately render it unplayable with anything other than a controller.

Session: Skate Sim is notorious for its complicated mechanics. Its dual stick controls essentially mimic the feet of a skater maneuvering during a real skateboarding session, which naturally requires a lot of micromanaging. However, the burn of the challenging mechanics is curbed by the fact that there is no scoring in this game. Players are allowed to skateboard to their hearts’ content and show off their ‘rad tricks’ through a fisheye lens view. Truly one of a kind.

6 Steep (2016)

Metascore: 71

An open-world extreme sports game in the snowy mountains of the Alps? Definitely worth giving a shot! Steep is an open-world snowboarding game that was released by Ubisoft in 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Related

9 Great Extreme Sports Games

Extreme sports are no stranger to video games. Enthusiasts shouldn't miss these examples.

It follows the most diverse gameplay, as far as sports games are concerned. Players can select between four different extreme sports (8, after the release of its DLC) and can play in both first-person and third-person. The activities they can choose from are snowboarding, paragliding, skiing, and wingsuit flying. Additionally, players can opt for 6 different play styles in order to get ranked in the game. Once they’ve got their style down, they’re allowed to literally do whatever they want; namely, explore, take part in challenges, and even get wrecked in crashes (which, if done enough times, gets the players ranked as a ‘Bone Collector’ in the game).

5 Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (2005)

Metascore: 77

Being the first Tony Hawk’s game to introduce an open world, it's only natural for Tony Hawk's American Wasteland to be on this list. It is a classic oldie that was released in 2005 for Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube, and later for PC in 2006.

American Wasteland is also the first game in the franchise that introduces BMX bikes. The game has three modes: Multiplayer, Classic, and Story. The story mode starts the character off for a more ‘linear’ skateboarding career, while the Classic mode gives the players small challenges to complete in order to advance. All in all, with the addition of BMX bikes alongside skateboarding and varied difficulty levels, American Wasteland remains a solid choice for someone who wants to unwind with a bit of computer sports.

4 Riders Republic (2021)

Metascore: 77

Released in 2021 by Ubisoft, Riders Republic is precisely the type of open-world sports game the world is missing. It’s the epitome of what a good sports game should be.

6:11

Related

The Best Street Racing Games of All Time, Ranked

Street racing games let players enjoy an adrenaline-pumping thrill from the comfort of their homes.

Riders Republic does not hold back on the extreme nature iof its sports. It has all sorts of options players can go for; mountain biking, snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, and wingsuit flying. It even features Jetpacks! Players progress by competing in events and races to reach new heights and are eventually invited to major national and international contests. The game offers multiple challenges, ranging from minor to major and everything in between, and keeps fans hooked.

3 Skate 3 (2010)

Metascore: 80

Skate 3, the third installment of EA's popular Skate franchise, was released in 2010. It was initially only available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 but was later added to Xbox One in 2016.

Skate 3, while always somewhat famous, gained even more spotlight when famous YouTubers started to get in on it. Renowned for its funny crashes and ragdoll physics, the game fully embraces the gravity of its gameplay (get it? Gravity? Physics?) It’s centered around the fictional city of Port Carverton, which features three very different, but completely explorable districts. The story is mostly based on trying to complete new skating challenges and missions to gain 'board sales'. It offers three difficulty modes: easy, normal, and hardcore, that accommodate players at every skill level. Players even get the option to construct and customize their own skate parks.

2 Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2012)

Metascore: 84

Need For Speed: Most Wanted is considered one of the most iconic Need For Speed games ever made. Released in 2012 as the nineteenth installment of the franchise, it serves as a reboot of Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2005). However, it differs dramatically from the old Most Wanted game, featuring better graphics (of course) and virtually no story. It fully embraces free-form gameplay in every sense of the term.

2:42

Related

Need For Speed Games With The Best Open-Worlds

These Need For Speed games stand out as the best of the lot when it comes to open worlds.

Most Wanted (2012) has a bigger and much more interactive open-world when compared to the previous version. Players have nearly unrestricted freedom to do whatever they want around the city of Fairhaven. They can also participate in racing events and climb through the ranks, or they can defeat the Most Wanted List of racers to unlock new cars in their inventory. Alternatively, they could simply cruise aimlessly around the map without a specific objective and not worry about racing at all.

1 Forza Horizon 5

Metascore: 92

Multiple Forza games could’ve made the final cut on this list, but Forza Horizon 5's enormous map simply can't be overlooked. It is an open-world racing game that was developed and released by Playground Games in 2021 and instantly became a hit.

Forza Horizon 5 is set in a fictional version of Mexico and features a map larger than any of its predecessors in the Forza Horizon series. It contains extensive terrain features like volcanoes, mountains, temples, and forests and is so big, it makes the player feel small. It offers various playing modes ranging from Arcade, Open, and Campaign to free-form open-world roaming and Battle Royales. Players can opt for the Campaign mode for a more streamlined racing experience, or they can go for the arcade mode for minigames. But honestly, with a map this vast and beautiful, the prospect of exploring just seems to stand out more than anything else.

MORE: Best Open World Games Without Fast Travel