With the plethora of open-world games sure to release as the next-generation of consoles rolls out, it is due time to look back at the genre’s long history.
(While "open world" and "Sandbox" may seem like the same genre, it is important to note that this is not about sandbox games, the sandbox genre includes games where you have no objective, and are left to your own devices to modify yourself and the world, such as Minecraft and Terraria.)
The reason open world games have become so popular for developers to make is because the technical challenges console hardware faced from the first generation of games are becoming nonexistent today. During the early eras of gaming, 8/16 bit, most 2D games developed as platformers, proceeding to became based on the concept of "Start, go through challenge, arrive at the end," and kept that formula going repeatedly, i.e. Super Mario, MegaMan. Even in the era there were "open world" games, like Super Metroid and The Legend of Zelda, the games were still more linear, and focused on needing a tool for a specific challenged required to progress. Those open world experiences and those of today are different in that present and future releases focus on immersing you in a different life, and progressing in different courses, as opposed to challenging you to progress.
During the following generations, game developers attempted to experiment with transitioning 2D on to a 3D plane, such as Crash Bandicoot, Super Mario 64. While not exactly open world, games were coming closer and closer to the true genre. When the end of the N64/PS era came around, more popular games like Grand Theft Auto, its sequel, Ocarina of Time, and very early in the sixth generation of consoles, Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast. Although not known on as high a level as some open world games, Shenmue represented a milestone in the genre's evolution, due to it being considered the first true open city game. With unbelievable levels of freedom, a day and night cycle, voiced NPCs, this game is still talked about and compared to open world games today. While a milestone in gaming, the open world genre did not grow exponentially until the Xbox/PS2 era with games like The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind and Grand Theft Auto 3, with the later of the two still holding the medal for being one of the fastest selling video games of all time.
Very Early Open World Experiments:
Elite: Debuting on Micro BBC and Acorn Electric in 1984, Elite transformed common 2D side scrolling space travel into an fascinating 3D esq experience. Beginning as space pilot Commander Jameson with the goal to rise to the rank of elite, you were given the freedom to arrive at your goal through your choice of means. The game provided exploration of eight galaxies, and over 200 planets, not to mention a revolutionary trading system (at the time) which was one way among others that provided money to upgrade your ship with weapon enhancements, carrying capacity, etc. Danger scoured every inch of the galaxy in the form of encounters with the hostile Thargoid race attempting to halt your progress when possible, taking on missions as a lucrative bounty hunter, and a ship for hire working for the Galactic Navy. Elite led a legacy that influenced many other space trading games, and was even cited as a model for one of today's popular MMORPGs, Eve Online.
Ultima: With a series spanning nearly twenty years, Ultima was one of the most important games at the forefront of the open world genre. Gaming innovator Richard Garriott, inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Dungeons and Dragons created Akalabeth, the first game of the series set in a world where everything could be picked up, and used to your advantage in combat. Ultima, Garriott's next game, was one of the earliest games to truly push the boundaries of the hardware of the time, the Apple II. The Ultima series paved the way for some of the most iconic elements known as a must have in most current open world games. For example, morality, impressive/imperative story, and most obviously, the Ultima series had the open world, consisting of swamps, oceans, and the player could proceed to explore in a nonlinear fashion. The freedoms presented in Ultima, such as the ability to explore irrelevant locations, and attack peaceful NPCs are still utilized and refined in current releases.
Past Gen Popular titles:
Mercenaries: In this third person shooter, set in a fictional North Korea, the game follows one of three mercenaries as they travel freely in the open world to complete various contracts for profit, and the ultimate goal of preventing North Korea from starting a nuclear war. The player starts the game dropped in a very GTA-like world, meaning you are free to hijack any vehicle, kill almost any NPC (With consequences of course), and take a variety of missions in any order. The game also works on a faction based favor system, meaning, being witnessed leveling one factions buildings, killing their men, will deplete favor in that factions eyes, however it may or may not build up favor for another faction. The open world fully opens up after the "tutorial" portion of the game ends, and once it opens you are free to travel to any different faction, take any contract, drive any vehicle, and you can gain access to the ability to order cars, weapons, and even bombings (The carpet bomb being a personal favorite). Mercenaries is likely to been seen on a lot of top open world lists due to how engaging the game can become, and how easy it easy to blow off steam in its world. Additionally, when the excitement begins to dwindle, the relatively easy access to cheats opens up more carnage with unlimited money, and god-like weaponry, for example the rocket shooting pistol.
Fallout: Although the consoles took till the turn of the century to really hit it off with open world games, PC users had access to this acclaimed open-world RPG series early on. Before Bethesda’s Fallout 3 revolutionized how console gamer's view open-world RPGs, the original Fallout had the Vault Dweller explore post-apocalyptic Southern California. The game excelled at completely immersing the protagonist in solving crisis after crisis through a plenitude of options. The different options led to different amounts of experience, and landed you into one of the three (Good, Evil, Neutral) karma pools. Starting with the task to locate a new chip to control the water supply, you are given your Pip-Boy, which houses your map, objectives, etc, and you set off for your epic journey in the wasteland. The experience Fallout gives you, whether is be attaining power armor, finding the fearless Dogmeat, or killing an infamous Deathclaw, which are gods compared to the ones in Fallout 3/NV. The best/worst moments are sure to leave you breathless.
Future and Next Gen:
We are quickly arriving at the end of this generation, and we are seeing some of the best that developers have to offer, with recent gems such as The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite, Mass Effect 3, and Arkham City. It is no secret that gamers are more than excited for what is to come; as a result of superior tech, developers gain access to ameliorate the elements that make open world games exceptional. However before the next generation rolls out we still have games such as GTA V, and Saints Row IV, the both of which are open world games with some of the most buildup and excitement we have seen this generation. Furthermore, we can soon expect games spanning across generations, such as Watchdogs' open/interactive city, and Assassin's Creed 4's open oceans. At this moment, we cannot really know what the future holds for consoles despite "end of console gaming" rumors that fester towards the end of most generations. Nonetheless, one thing I firmly believe is that next generation will be the generation of open world games, based on the fact that we can expect some epic open world additions in the coming months, and the fact I stated earlier, where expanding tech will lead to expanding worlds. The hardware will only get better, leading to bigger, more badass and realistic worlds (Meaning social interaction as opposed to graphics, which are already top-notch), all contributing to the immersion and exploration the genre is known for.