The best open-world game to play after Skyrim depends on what kept you wandering. Start with The Witcher 3 for side quests and an authored fantasy world, Fallout 4 for Bethesda-style scavenging and exploration, or Kingdom Come: Deliverance II for first-person medieval immersion.
These six picks focus on single-player RPG adventures. None replaces every part of Skyrim: character creation, guilds, magic, first-person combat and aimless mountain walks. Choose the part you miss most.
Fantasy world and side quests
Bethesda-style wandering
First-person medieval immersion
Compare the kind of freedom you want
| What you miss | Start with | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Side quests that distract you from the main story | The Witcher 3 | You play Geralt rather than inventing a blank-slate character |
| Looting, perks and exploration | Fallout 4 | Guns, settlements and a post-apocalyptic setting |
| First-person medieval role-play | Kingdom Come: Deliverance II | Historical adventure without magic |
| Factions and quest choices | Fallout: New Vegas | An older wasteland RPG rather than a fantasy wilderness |
| Monsters, classes and party combat | Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen | Combat takes priority over town life and faction stories |
| Fantasy loot and flexible builds | Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning | A more structured sequence of quest regions |
Skyrim's closest matches that are open world
Match strength key:80+65+50+<5063 of the 100 closest matches to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition are open world.
The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimShares Open World · Fantasy · Character Customization , adds Medieval94% · 181k positive reviews$19.9980%Excellent match
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Game of the Year Edition Deluxe (2009)Shares Open World · Fantasy · Character Customization , adds Exploration95% · 42k positive reviews$14.9974%Strong match
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind® Game of the Year EditionShares Open World · Fantasy · Character Customization , adds Exploration95% · 21k positive reviews−10%$13.4970%Strong match
Fallout 4Shares Open World · Character Customization · First-Person , adds Post-apocalyptic81% · 429k positive reviews−5%$18.9966%Strong match
Fallout 3: Game of the Year EditionShares Open World · Moddable · First-Person , adds Post-apocalyptic80% · 41k positive reviews−10%$17.9961%Good match
The Elder Scrolls OnlineShares Open World · Fantasy · Character Customization , adds MMORPG81% · 162k positive reviews$19.9966%Strong match
StarfieldShares Open World · Character Customization · Moddable , adds Sci-fi57% · 175k positive reviews−10%$44.9958%Good match
The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold RoadShares Open World · Fantasy · Character Customization , adds MMORPG44% · 314 positive reviews66%Strong match
Median match strength inside this slice is 54%, against 53% across all 100 matches. The strongest overall matches all are open world, so the filter costs nothing here.
The Witcher 3: for quests that make the detour worthwhile
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Recommendation
- Best for
- Exploring a fantasy world full of contracts, villages and side stories.
- Why it fits
- Monster hunting and local stories give you reasons to leave the main quest. Choose it when you want the next stop on the map to lead to a story.
- Skip if
- You need first-person play, a custom protagonist or Skyrim's range of character archetypes.
Geralt already has a profession, relationships and a history. That makes this an easier recommendation for the Skyrim player who followed every side quest than for the player who kept starting new characters.
Fallout 4: for the Bethesda exploration loop
Fallout 4
Recommendation
- Best for
- Scavenging, crafting, perks and getting distracted on the way to a quest.
- Why it fits
- Exploring buildings and collecting useful objects connects the open world to your character and settlements. It preserves much of the rhythm in a different setting.
- Skip if
- Swords, spells and medieval towns are the essential parts of Skyrim for you.
The genre shift is the main decision. If a ruined factory sounds as inviting as a ruined fort, Fallout 4 belongs near the top of your list.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II: for first-person immersion
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Recommendation
- Best for
- A story-driven medieval world experienced through one character.
- Why it fits
- Travel, conversations and developing Henry's skills give the adventure a grounded sense of place. It is a strong starting point when first-person role-play matters more than fantasy.
- Skip if
- You want magic, dragons or a character you create from scratch.
You play Henry in a historical setting. Choose it for that specificity; it does not offer the same fantasy or character freedom as an Elder Scrolls game.
Fallout: New Vegas: for factions and role-play choices
Fallout: New Vegas
Recommendation
- Best for
- Deciding who to help and how your character handles a quest.
- Why it fits
- Competing factions and different approaches to problems give conversations and character skills a central role in the journey.
- Skip if
- You need modern presentation or a fantasy landscape.
Start here when your Skyrim memories revolve around joining a faction and deciding what kind of person to play. Expect an older game's presentation and controls.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen: for fantasy combat
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
Recommendation
- Best for
- Fighting large monsters and building a party around different vocations.
- Why it fits
- Climbing enemies and choosing party roles make encounters the attraction. The open world supplies dangerous trips between those fights.
- Skip if
- Guild stories, dialogue choices and everyday town life matter more than action combat.
Kingdoms of Amalur: for flexible fantasy builds
Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
Recommendation
- Best for
- Mixing combat styles while following quests through colorful fantasy regions.
- Why it fits
- Loot and character customization support an action-RPG approach to a large fantasy setting.
- Skip if
- You want first-person immersion or Skyrim's simulated everyday life.
Is Avowed an open-world Skyrim replacement?
Avowed is worth considering for first-person spell-and-sword combat, companions and choices. It is a more directed, region-based adventure, so it is outside this shortlist's focus on broad wandering. The same distinction applies to The Outer Worlds, which suits players looking for dialogue and companions across separate areas.
The Elder Scrolls Online is another option if shared online play is what you want. Its online structure is a different commitment from the single-player adventures above.
For a wider selection, open games similar to Skyrim. If mysterious places interest you more than combat and leveling, try our spoiler-free Outer Wilds alternatives.
Sources and last check
Last checked: September 5, 2026. Game features and play modes were checked against the official Steam listings: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition, Fallout 4, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Fallout: New Vegas, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning, Avowed, The Outer Worlds, The Elder Scrolls Online, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Recommendations reflect the play styles described above. Check the store for current requirements before buying.
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