Many of these games are so addictive and well-designed, you’re probably going to be thinking about them when you’re not playing them. Let’s get started!

1. Where Winds Meet

This wuxia-based RPG is simply unmatched when it comes to the number of activities it offers you, the quality of each one, and the variety you can find. It’s an open world where exploration without having a specific destination in mind is the best possible way to experience it, with a lot of great side content baked into the game aside from a compelling main campaign.

With online multiplayer and MMO elements integrated into the gameplay loop, and combat and gear systems that are great for creating unique PvP characters, there’s just so much to do in this game, and so much more to come with subsequent updates, that hitting triple figures on your playtime is almost an inevitability.

2. EA Sports FC 26

The football simulator that’s been around forever continues to be a viable option for a game that has you coming back to it every chance you get, for a very long time after you first boot it up. With a very detailed Career mode, regular online events, the option to pit your team against your friend, or perhaps have a buddy join your team instead, there’s a lot to experience.

The gameplay on offer is also quite solid, with a lot of realism baked into the experience to make you feel like you’re on the pitch and not staring at it through a screen. However, its systems and some of its challenges are going to require that you literally put your best foot forward on the pitch. If you decide to dive into this one, the game is on and is going to stay that way for a while.

3. Fortnite

Once again, there’s so much to do in Fortnite, which is more of a platform than a game at this point. With so many modes on offer, regular content being added into the game, social features that make it a blast when it’s enjoyed in company, and a PvP Battle Royale mode that has become quite popular in its own right, this one’s definitely a game where 200 hours might go by before you even notice.

Dive in and you’re going to find a lot of freedom for self-expression, and a lot of fun to be had on the islands. Just be careful not to put too much of a strain on your wallet, as those outfits and goodies can be very tempting indeed.

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim + Expansions

Step into the shoes of the Dragonborn and begin your journey into Skyrim, and you’re probably not going to look at another video game until you’ve explored every corner of its sprawling map. Anything can happen along the road to your next point of interest, and with some of the finest RPG mechanics to grace the genre, you’re going to spend a lot of time tinkering with your build.

This is an RPG that has more than earned its popularity and ranks high among modern gaming’s finest for a reason. It’s also smart to dive in now and perhaps brush up on the story ahead of the sequel that’s eventually coming our way. The expansions are worth a mention, and can add a significant amount of hours to your total playtime. Every second of them is going to be worth it, though.

5. GTA Online

A thriving community of players, a massive map to explore in San Andreas, and interesting activities to engage with. GTA Online was kind of a no-brainer for this list. With heists to plan and execute, quests to carry out for some of the main story’s characters, and a reputation to build for your silent protagonist, this one’s going to have you avoiding plans and spending your weekends indoors for a while.

It’s GTA at its finest, and if the delay to GTA VI has had you feeling down, perhaps this one can act as a suitable placebo until the real thing gets here.

6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt + Story Expansions

Geralt’s search for Ciri, and all the shenanigans he can get up to in the process, continues to be among the best open-world games we’ve played despite it being a decade old at this point. CDPR’s ability to hide a frankly overwhelming amount of secrets across three vast maps, and a whole lot of quality side content to distract the Witcher from looking for his adoptive daughter, is nothing short of a marvel.

The story expansions are a whole other ball game, bringing some very satisfying arcs full of possibilities to change the narrative’s direction, along with excellent new monsters to hunt and more secrets and lore to uncover. You might not be able to get enough of this one, if we’re being honest.

7. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

The first open-world Metal Gear Solid is a great option for those of you who like a game that takes a while to outstay its welcome. Big Boss’s adventures continue in a main campaign that works very well as a bridge between previous entries, while side ops, Metal Gear Online, and the Forward Operating Base systems are all reasons for this one to have you enjoying many entertaining hours of espionage and skullduggery.

Indeed, a significant part of your playtime is going to be planning the best possible route to your objectives without your enemies being none the wiser to your presence. This is a hunt that takes a satisfyingly long time and is definitely worth considering.

8. Destiny 2

This award-winning online FPS title from Bungie has a staggering amount of content for you to take on in its story-based PvE mode, while your multiplayer options range from cooperative three-player missions to PvP battles. There’s a lot to take in, both in terms of the game’s lore and the amount of gear and potential build options you can find.

With a lot of content to get through, and a lot of fun to be had as you dive into all it has to offer, Destiny 2 is a dream come true if you’re an FPS player who wants a game that can take over their holidays.

9. Elden Ring + Shadow of the Erdtree

FromSoftware’s ambitious open-world and the Tarnished’s incredible journey is nothing short of a masterpiece. The Lands Between are full of places to explore, mysteries to uncover, NPCs with haunting stories, and a lot of weapons, armor, gear, and loot to plunder as you try to become Queen Marika’s consort and impose your will on the world.

It’s easy to forget about all that as you ride your horse through the Lands Between, and that feeling only intensifies when you finally make your way to the Land of Shadow in the game’s DLC. Tracing the steps of Miquella is an adventure worth taking on, and coupled with the base game, this one’s a behemoth.

10. Monster Hunter: World + Expansions

Taking on the role of a representative of the Research Commission and exploring every region and zone of the New World was a fun and engaging experience from start to finish. There are so many monsters to hunt, so much to discover, and a whole lot of activities to engage in at your camp and the main base.

Quests flow from one to another almost as smoothly as the water in some parts of the New World, and you’re going to be helping your fellow companions and NPCs while having tons of fun along the way. It helps that this is a game that’s both charming in its writing and enchanting on the visual front. You can’t go wrong with this one, and it’s going to have you getting very creative in your approach to each distinct monster you’re tasked with bringing down.

11. Dragon’s Dogma 2

This sequel was an excellent new addition to Dragon’s Dogma. It was a pleasure to step into the shoes of the Arisen once again, and each of the playable classes brought something interesting to the table. But it’s when you begin to dive deeper into the world’s mysteries and begin to discover more about it that this one’s true depth shows itself.

You’re going to want to place your teleporting stones quite carefully, as the rest of the world actually has you travelling across it, navigating set pathways via a travel system, while the world’s unpredictability can make those trips quite treacherous indeed. This is an experience that is both memorable and filled with so much content and so little hand-holding that you’re going to be obsessed with discovering more about the world and the people you meet within it.

12. Red Dead Redemption 2

Arthur Morgan is an obvious contender for a place on this list of massive games, and his adventures are so extensive that it can be hard to believe one man lived through them all. From kicking back with mini-games to exploring some truly bizarre stories that can come to you in multiple ways, this is a game that can have you walking and talking like a cowboy from the Wild West every chance you get.

It’s among the finest games in modern gaming, and its world is so full of clever little details to discover that hopping on your horse for a new day of exploring is going to take precedence over your leisure time for a very entertaining and lengthy block of time.

13. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla + Expansions

As the largest one in the franchise, Valhalla’s unique take on living your life as a noble Viking and uncovering the conspiracy across England, is a world worth getting lost in.

The game’s expansions do more to set up a lot of things, while coming with some brilliant new adventures for Eivor to pursue, complete with members of shadowy organizations to hunt down. It’s quite a tale, and a very large one full of fun things to do. Switching the cinematic camera on during a boat ride could have you spending more hours on this one than you’d like to admit.

14. No Man’s Sky

As one of modern gaming’s greatest comeback stories, this is a game that stands in its own class in terms of its shelf life. It’s an almost endless adventure, its narrative justifying multiple playthroughs in a way that makes total sense, while the completely random worlds that you get to explore and engage with are quite hard to leave once you start with them.

No Man’s Sky is a story about enjoying the journey, while also waiting eagerly to see what you’re going to find at its destination. It’s going to have you pushing past your bedtime with a smile on your face, and a sense of wonder compelling you to move forward and see just what you’re about to find.

15. Baldur’s Gate 3

With a stellar cast of actors bringing several NPCs to life, and an expertly narrated Dungeons and Dragons-based tale to have their settings intertwine with yours, Larian Studio’s banger continues to be a game that you can keep replaying, with astounding build variety and stories that never truly take place the same way when you play them.

There’s the Honour Mode, cross-platform modding support, co-op and online multiplayer, and a very dark take on the story to play through. Faerun is a great holiday destination, although the things you might find there can stay in the darkest corners of your mind rent-free.

16. Stardew Valley

We weren’t going to leave out one of the ultimate farming simulations from this one. Stardew Valley belongs here, with a playtime that doesn’t really end. You’re going to keep coming back to the farm that you grew from scratch, a town gradually building out of the effort you sink into, and the relationships with its many NPCs you build along the way.

No two days are the same out in this valley, and bringing in the online component is a great way to make this one as immersive as it can be, thanks to a thriving community of die-hard fans. You’re going to feel very welcome in this one, and you might choose to stay with it for a very long time to come.

17. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

This life sim always has a goal to reach, and things to do to get there. The Nook Miles system is its highlight, while the charming world and its uniquely retro art style make it stand out. Building out your presence in its world is an activity on its own, and you’re going to be quite obsessed with placing your buildings in a layout that’s to your liking, while getting them constructed has you constantly checking back into the game.

This is a game where you come to relax, and do that quite often, thanks to how entertaining it is to play, and how satisfying it is to stay with.

18. Gran Turismo 7

This PlayStation-exclusive racing sim is a great option for those of you who’d like to spend your time behind the wheel of a fast car on some of the world’s most iconic tracks. With PSVR2 support, incredible visuals, a very realistic translation of each car’s real-life track performance, and a lot of options to enjoy races at your disposal, you’re going to rack up a lot of miles on your ODO once you get started with this one.

The astounding visuals work very well with the game’s many systems that work well together to make your time on the track feel truly authentic, and push you to try taking those corners as well as you can. It’s time to let those engines loose and enjoy the results for hours on end.

19. Satisfactory

For a game carrying its title, this one is more than satisfactory, and can have you very immersed in building out your space base in your role as the Pioneer. Your factories are soon going to have you thinking about them while you’re away from your PC, and the potential for self-expression is almost humming with endless possibilities.

While its map is almost overwhelmingly large for most players, the ones who invest the time in hunting down as much to do as they can in this game are going to have a lot of fun building out their factories and playing their part in developing the corporation that put them there. Satisfactory is unique, visually distinct, well-executed, and simply fun to play, plain and simple.

20. Mass Effect Legendary Edition

This is the definitive way to enjoy a trilogy of legendary titles, bringing improved visuals and performance while also bringing in each title’s DLC and expansions into one title with a single character creator and the option to launch any of the three games from a unified menu.

If you’re familiar with the Mass Effect games, you already know that you’re going to be spending inordinate amounts of time with each one. You also know that their replay value is off the charts, and it can be easy to lose yourself in this trilogy’s expansive universe, where spending several hours making memories in it can become an entire holiday on its own.

That wraps up our list of the largest games you can get your hands on. We hope you have as much fun playing them as we did, and that the one you pick gives you many fond memories as you play it.

Baldur’s Gate 3 

Released a few months ago, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a benchmark for modern RPGs in more ways than one. It takes place in a well-realized fantasy world with rich details and compelling gameplay mechanics, and the developer excellently balances its large scale with great attention to detail on a micro level. The gameplay is highly dynamic despite its turn-based nature, and players are encouraged to look for creative ways to tackle encounters. 

During its recent investor presentation, CD Projekt RED revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher series have collectively sold over 100 million units. It’s worth mentioning, however, that that number only includes the mainline Witcher RPG series, which means sales of Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales are not included in that total figure.

CD Projekt RED has also revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 has now sold over 25 million units worldwide. Its recently-released expansion, Phantom Liberty, sold 3 million units in its first week. Meanwhile, earlier this year, the developer revealed that The Witcher 3 had sold over 50 million units worldwide.

Both franchises are also already looking to the future. The next mainline Witcher game is currently in development, and will kick off a new trilogy, while a ground-up open world remake of the original Witcher is being developed in collaboration with Fool’s Theory.

Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel has also entered early development.

CD PROJEKT RED — Number of Games Sold pic.twitter.com/1GB7hBweV9

— CD PROJEKT IR (@CDPROJEKTRED_IR) October 5, 2023

God of War: Ragnarok 

God of War: Ragnarok is a bombastic experience that starts out strong, and never lets off until the very end. While the campaign itself has a lot to see and do, the endgame has a lot to love as well. The nine realms are home to plenty of tough encounters that you can try to best along with Muspelhiem which houses plenty of combat challenges as well. Furthermore, there are plenty of lore-related side quests that you can pursue after the credits roll – and many of them are unmissable for any fan of the series. And did we mention the Berserker boss fights? Well, best of luck beating them!

The world of Geralt is not exactly the nicest of places, and that’s what draws so many fans to the storied Witcher series. By not being a Disney utopian fantasy where everything is lovely, the series titles can reflect complex worldly problems through the lens of The Witcher. According to Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, the newly established showrunner for the upcoming Netflix adaptation of The Witcher, that dirty angle isn’t going to be cleaned up.

Responding to a fan tweet expressing hope that the show would not try to “water down” the harsh time that medieval Poland was, Hissrich would reply to give her word that it wouldn’t be. To further show fans just how far her research was going, she would follow up with various images of maps and other background research such as the Andrzej Sapkowski novels.

There is currently no known date for The Witcher series to launch, and given that one of the pieces of information Hissrich gave was that she was just writing the pilot episode, odds are it’s a long way away. Do you want to see favourite moments from the games or should the show explore new territory? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

There will be no watering down. I give you my word. https://t.co/el9MRL6PBE

— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) December 29, 2017

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was recently patched for the PS4 Pro which bought a number of visual improvements along with a boost to resolution. The PS4 Pro patched enabled The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to run the game at a checkerboard 4K resolution and now CDPR have released the 4K patch for the Xbox One X, however there are few extras in store for Xbox One X players.

To begin with, the Xbox One X version introduces two graphical modes. One mode targets 4K resolution at 30fps and the other, the Performance mode targets 1080p and 60 frames per second. So does the game render at native 4K on the Xbox One X? Well, to be clear, the game does not uses any sort of checkerboard technique to achieve 4K resolution on the Xbox One X. Instead it employs a dynamic buffer ranging from 2560 X 1440 to a full native 3840 X 2160 presentation. Performance for the most part is solid with every few drops below 30.

In performance mode, the game also uses a dynamic resolution, with the buffer ranging from 1920 X 1080 till 2560 X 1440. The game targets a 60fps cap in this mode but according to our observation, it doesn’t consistently reach that target.

The Xbox One X version also includes slightly better quality shadows, better quality texture filtering and improved draw distance over the PS4 Pro build. So overall, with two graphical modes, a higher rendering resolution, The Witcher 3 is easily head and shoulders above the PS4 Pro build.

Fans of The Witcher 3 have been patiently waiting to see how the game looks on the Xbox One X with all the enhancements. However, there had been no information given out regarding when this update for the Xbox One X version of the game would finally be out. Now, it has been noticed that the official list of enhanced games on Microsoft’s website states that the update for The Witcher 3 is stated to be “coming soon.”

In the past, whenever a game’s status regarding the update was changed to “coming soon”, the Xbox One X patch usually dropped within a week. This means that we can reasonably expect the update for the game to be out before the year is out.

The Xbox One X update will most likely allow players to experience the game in glorious 4K resolution with many other visual improvements such as higher quality shadows, high resolution textures and more. There’s a lot to be excited for and it may be the perfect way to get back into this amazing game once again.

The world is less than a week out from what Microsoft is lauding as the most powerful console ever, and CD Projekt RED’s epic The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is hoping to pull Xbox Gamers back into the game with a whole host of visual benefits by the end of the year.

The superior power of the Xbox One X will allow gamers who pick up the system to enjoy higher quality shadows, ambient occlusion and texture filtering, as well as higher resolution textures and better general performance over previous variations of the Xbox One, all in glorious 4K.

In an interview with Xbox Wire, CD Projekt RED development Lead Jakub Kutrzuba spoke highly of the ease in which they got The Wild Hunt up and running on the new system, and expects Xbox fans both new to the game and returning to be happy with their hard work breathing new life into the world of the game.

“Beautiful visuals are one of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s standout features, breathing life into the game’s open-world full of places to see, secrets to uncover, and adventures to embark on. When enhancing the game for Xbox One X, we wanted to use the additional power of the console to deliver an even more visually stunning experience. When playing the game on Xbox One X, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s visuals are sharper and the overall presentation more vivid than ever before on Xbox.” said Kutrzuba.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has already received a Playstation 4 Pro patch on October 4th, though that system only saw 4K support and a slight boost to performance.

While The Witcher 3 has always been a game that has some truly interesting characters and immersive story, it looks as though the developers are trying to make their Blood and Wine bring those same features … and then some. CD Projekt RED developers recently sat down the website Eurogamer and laid out some details for the DLC. The most interesting aspect of this particular piece of new content is that Blood and Wine will be the final Witcher story with Geralt being the main character.

Senior Story Writer Jakub Szamalek told Eurogamer the development team believes it has managed to “create something that’s even better than the main game.” Interestingly enough, the developers apparently feel as though they weren’t actually able to make a real charismatic storyline for the main game and Blood and Wine will make up for that. The development team also believes they have managed to make a main character outside of Geralt that will be quite compelling.

CD Projekt RED has already put out some other content to add to The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt so it appears Blood and Wine could be quite good as well. There isn’t an official release date for this new content just yet. The company recently put out an update for the game but it appears that particular update isn’t bringing this brand new content yet. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available for the PC, PS4 and Xbox One and Blood and Wine is said to be coming soon.

After having previously promised that CD Projekt RED developers would be working through the weekend in order to get a patch up and running for the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt it appears the team was able to beat their own deadlines. Patches for both the PS4 and PC have now officially gone live and bring a whole host of changes and improvements to both platforms.

The patches have been dubbed 1.05 for the PC version and 1.04 for the PS4 version and both updates should have started to download on your machines automatically.The full patch notes for the PC version are listed below and you can check out the two screen shots included in order to see what’s new in the PS4 version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Patch 1.05 for PC Changes:

Geralt will not longer interact with candles near chests and other interactive elements.
General stability and performance improvements
Significantly Enlarged GUI and HUD elements (including fonts) on consoles and slightly on PC.
Improved camera smoothness
Performance improvements during some cutscenes.
Fixed case where game was crashing on loading a save in certain situations
Various bug fixes and user experience improvements in GUI panels.
Fixed issue where some players were unable to run after Wandering in the Dark quest
Fixed issue where players were unable to talk to Eight after the Lord of Undvik quest
Too many wild hunt minions were spawned during Ciri’s Story: Fleeing the Bog quest.
Fixed issue where Keira could sometimes fall under terrain during Wandering in the Dark quest
Fixed issue where Player was unable to move freely during Blindingly Obvious quest
Fixed issue where Player was unable to activate portal during Wandering in the Dark quest
Fixed issue where Player could get trapped in Turseach castle ruins
Fixed issue where Roche was not present at Hanged Man’s tree during Eye for an Eye quest
Fixed issue where Player was unable to talk or interact with certain NPCs
Fixed issue where Sirens in quest Lord of Undvik could be invulnerable.
Fixed issue where player was unable to use certain actions after Carnal Sins quest
Fixed issue where Geralt was sometimes unable to mount Roach
Fixed issue where some players where experiencing infinite loading screen during King’s Gambit quest.
Fixed issue where Simun was not properly spawned in An Unpaid Debt quest
Fixed issue where player might have had a progression break after choosing certain dialogue option when talking to Dijkstra in Count Reuven’s Treasure quest
The Pyres of Novigrad quest is of course going to be fixed as well as the XP glitch.