The Definitive Open-World Game

"What was the most important thing in an open-world game? Freedom? Gameplay? Neither. The most important thing was the world itself."

Chen Xu looked at everyone and spoke slowly.

As for the core of open-world games, Chen Xu had actually brought it up many times during internal meetings at Nebula Games.

"No matter what direction it takes, the most important core of an open-world game is the construction of its world. In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the world is shaped through gameplay. Wind makes fires burn stronger, water and iron conduct electricity, and wooden weapons burn when exposed to high temperatures. These details make players feel that the world is real."

"That was how Zelda built its world. Red Dead Redemption built its open world through detail, while The Witcher: Wild Hunt relied on a powerful setting and background."

"All of this was meant to create a world that felt real to players. But beyond that, what else could make players feel the world within an open-world game?"

He did not speak immediately. Seeing everyone deep in thought, Chen Xu, seated at the center of the conference room, paused before smiling. "Life."

"Just like the shrines and towers in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the player's map is very limited at the beginning. As they explore, they discover more cities. Through a conversation between street NPCs or a book, they learn about a quest. That is exploration."

"Like Link waking up with amnesia, players should learn about the entire world alongside the protagonist and grow together with him. That was part of the gameplay, as well as the immersion the game emphasized."

"The final and most important point was to enrich the side content beyond the main story. Like The Legend of Zelda: