Open-world games feel normal today, but the idea didn’t start with the big hits most people think of. Modern titles like GTA 3, Skyrim, and The Witcher 3 often get the spotlight, yet long before those appeared, developers were already experimenting with freedom, large maps, and worlds that reacted to players in interesting ways.
Here’s a look at the early projects that helped shape the idea of an open world, even when technology was still extremely limited. Some of these worlds were built from wireframe lines, some from simple tiles, and some from scrolling screens that joined together to form a sense of scale. What makes them important is the way they let players wander, discover things at their own pace, and choose how to move through the environment.
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