Summary
Nowadays, open-world games are a hot commodity in the video game market. Titles likeThe Legend of Zelda:Tears of the KingdomandBaldur’s Gate 3stun both critics and audiences alikewith their vast worldsfor players to explore. However, few open-world games allow for content that comes directly from the minds of these players.
User-generated content, or UGC, can consist of customized maps, character skins, or mods that enhance and personalize each individual player’s gameplay experience. Few open-world games allow for this kind of player-to-game interaction, but the ones that do, such as these six titles, are the ones that remain some of the most memorable for years to come. It adds a wonderful element of customization to proceedings.
Few individual games have had the longevity of Bethesda’sThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Originally released in 2011, it has been ported to numerous generations of consoles, as well as re-releases for VR headsets and portable consoles like the Nintendo Switch.Skyrimalso contains one of the most active modding communities in the world of video games.
The modding ofSkyrimbegan with Bethesda’s collaboration with Valve,including the Space Core fromPortal 2as an interactive NPC in the game. Since then, individual modders have done incredible things withSkyrim, from improved combat to entirely new creatures. Some programmers wereeven hired by Bethesda to work on future projects.
Cyberpunk 2077will likely be remembered as one of the most highly-anticipated games of the 2020s, considering its eight-year development period. Despite being released with an array of technical issues that may have dampened the experience in some cases, the game has vastly improved and remains popular, with user-generated content changing the way players explore this open world.
Among the many mods that exist forCyberpunk 2077are new storylines, vehicle decals, and small quality-of-life changes that make it more palatable for certain fans. Some of the changes users have made toCyberpunk 2077even make technical tweaks to the core experience, making player-generated content almost necessary for this game.
As a follow-up to 2009’sInFamous,InFamous 2was ahead of its time for an open-world game released in 2011. In the game, players control Cole, a man with electric superpowers navigating the city of New Marais. While there are no online co-op modes as there often are in current open world titles,InFamous 2does allow for sharing of user-generated content.
In particular, players could create their own missions and share them with others via PlayStation Network. Many fans have taken this opportunity to add fun mini-games toInfamous 2, such as rounds of skeeball, obstacle courses, and even some homages to other series and games likeUnchartedorShadow of the Colossus(complete with new boss battles).
TheFar Cryseries is among the most popular in the open-world realm, butFar Cry 5stands above the rest due to its player-generated content (andadorable array of companions). The game not only allows for co-op and multiplayer online gameplay, but it includes a map maker which can be shared online. The really intriguing thing is that the potential assets that can be used aren’t just limited to those from thisFar Cryinstallment.
Thanks toFar Cry 5being developed by Ubisoft, the map-maker also includes DLC assets from previousFar Crygames, as well as other Ubisoft titles likeWatch DogsandAssassin’s CreedIV: Black Flag. The mapmaker might not allow for maps as expansive as the ones in the actual game, but it’s a fun way to shake up online play with your friends.
Robloxbeing labeled as an open-world game might be considered stretching the term, but in all fairness, the experience consists of many user-created open-world games that allow for experiences that rival AAA open-world titles. Some of the most accomplishedRobloxcreators have even used the game creation system to make full RPG adventures on a grand scale.
Few games allow younger players the same level of freedom and limitless possibilities asRobloxdoes, whether it’s through creating your own open worlds or playing as your own customizable character. Either way,Robloxis very unique, letting its user-generated content serve as the video game itself and allowing fans to craft just the experience they want.
In the history of video games,few have become such a pop culture phenomenon asMinecraft. Originally released independently by Mojang, it has since become one of the best-selling video games of all time, with ports on consoles, handheld devices, and smartphones allowing players to create their own private, expansive maps.
While most of the maps inMinecraftare randomly and procedurally generated, the game’s two modes (Survival and Creative) offer completely different experiences. If the in-game content isn’t enough for you to get creative with, there are plenty of options to mod the game and give yourself literally limitless potential in making your open world map your own home. The whole universe is your playroomin this creative title.
