Open-world games come in a wide variety of shapes and forms, and every developer has their own ideologies about what makes games fun and engaging. One way in which open-world games differ is not only in the size of their map, but how densely populated the map is with locations, characters, and most importantly, things to do.
While many games aim for a perfect balance where a map is engaging but strays away from over-saturation, other open-world games purposefully have relatively sparse or even empty maps for a myriad of reasons. For example, games that emphasize survival and natural exploration often lean towards more empty maps, and similarly historical games that are all about immersion can often feel more realistic with sparse rural maps.
Updated July 21, 2025 by Joe Grantham:There are many ways in which an open-world game can be considered empty. For example, with the right atmosphere and a lack of NPCs, a game can give off the impression of feeling alone in a vast world, while still giving players plenty to do.
A game can also purposefully choose to have less content with the aim of making moments of action or intrigue hit harder. As more and more developers step away from cluttered maps, fans can expect to see more purposefully empty worlds in upcoming open-world titles.
While bothRed Dead Redemptiongames make good use of empty open space, it is more present in the first game, where solitude and isolation from the world are key to the story andoverall atmosphere. It is incredibly relaxing to traverse the vast plains or the southern desert with no one for company but a trusty steed, and yet there is still so much to be found.
From random encounters and wildlife to thriving towns and ranches, the world ofRed Dead Redemptionis far from empty in actuality, but the heart and soul of the game certainly lies out in the open.
Based on the popular film franchise of the same name, the 2015 open-world gameMad Max, was always going totake place in an unforgiving barren landscapefull of sand. While this might not seem like the ideal setting for a game, the developers made intelligent use of the empty space, in a way that makes every discovery or sign of life more significant.
If players had to walk through these lands, the game would quickly become boring, but behind the wheel of customized vehicles and with no speed limits to worry about, The Wasteland quickly becomes a playground. With survival through sheer grit being a key motif of the franchise, stumbling on an abandoned town only to realize it is overrun with bandits before narrowly escaping, feels incredibly satisfying.
Kenshiis a true sandbox game where players can do whatever they like with their time and the world they inhabit. As such, emptiness is intended in parts of the map, especially as this provides land for players to build their own settlements. There is also plenty of space for random encounters to spawn, making every playthrough feel unique.
The relative emptiness ofKenshialso plays into its post-apocalyptic world where only the tough survive, and the overall atmosphere is thus one of death. However, while this may sound like a game played in isolation, the opposite can in fact be true thanks to the game’s squad system. Players can design their own companions who will start out just as weak as they are, or they can recruit others from around the world.
No Man’s Skyis an open-world survival game that is somewhat empty even though it boasts a mind-boggling 18 quintillion planets. Nevertheless, this emptiness plays into the game’s hands, as nothing is more rewarding than finding life in a vast solar system or galaxy.
Planets themselves feel mostly empty even though they are often full of flora, fauna, and minerals, and this is likely due to the lack of sentient life in most places. When players come across outpostsor enter space stations, the feeling of returning to civilization after time alone in the abyss hits hard.
In some ways,Elden Ringis not empty at all, as it is full of bosses and bands of lesser enemies to kill. However, with a lack of NPCs, civilizations, or even signs of life such as farms,Elden Ringfeels empty and this is entirely on purpose. As players traverse the Lands Between, it feels as though they are one of the remnants of a dying world that is beyond repair.
Signs of long-lost life in the architecture tell stories that words alone cannot, and yet, despite this eerie setting, the world is far from empty. With how the map is designed, enemies and secret locations are often hidden in such ways that make them missable from certain angles, but when players travel back in the opposite direction or actively explore, they will find untold horrors and beauty in abundance.
Death Strandingis a game that is all about emptiness, and it is up to the protagonist to attempt to reconnect the fragments of a shattered modern world. Players are supposed to feel isolated, and like negative space in art, the mostly empty world is terrifyingly beautiful.
The game excels at environmental storytelling, with one of the most haunting aspects being hearing distant sounds that hint at life or danger while trekking through the mountains.Death Strandingis certainly not for everyone, but for those who enjoy a slow-paced immersive experience with heartfelt moments, it is a must-play.
Minecraftis an open-world sandbox game and its emptiness is the exact reason why people love it so much, and end up sinking endless hours of time into it. The whole point of the game is for players to create their own worlds and games which they can then share with friends or even the world.
The blank slate nature of the game opens up a world of creativity, and players will soon discover that they cannever get bored as there are so many things to do inMinecraft. Of course, players can eventually turn their originally empty world into a sprawling fantasy metropolis, as almost anything is possible.
Kingdom Come: Deliveranceis one ofthe most immersive historical games of all time. Set in a small region of war-torn Bohemia as seen in 1403, it is a gritty, down-to-earth medieval masterpiece. Given the game’s rural setting, it is only natural that KCD’s map is fairly sparsely populated outside of the small towns.
This is by no means a detriment to the game, as players are better able to enjoy the rolling hills and vibrant fields of springtime Bohemia. Furthermore, when characters or events are waiting in store, they feel more like a pleasant surprise rather than simply ticking off markers on a map.
Vast expanses of emptiness can most certainly be terrifying in certain contexts, and this is most definitely true for the first-person horror survival gameThe Forest. Either alone or with their friends, players are the lone survivors of a plane crash and must find food, shelter, and weapons for themselves on an island infested with cannibals.
Other than a massive sinkhole in the middle of the island and various cannibal settlements scattered around, most of the map is empty, giving players a choice for where they build their base. Despite the map being mostly empty, every step players take inThe Forestis terrifying as it is undoubtedly one ofthe best horror gamesof recent years.
Medieval Dynastyis a survival game set in the Middle Ages that quickly becomes a first-person town management game after players manage to make it past the early stages.
As the game allows and encourages players to make settlements of their own, it is only fitting that the map is fairly empty with plenty ofgreat locations to build villages. There are other settlements, with NPCs who sell important goods or who can be recruited, but otherwise, the map can be seen as a rural playground.
