Former GTA 6 Designer Reveals Secrets to Combat Open World Fatigue

The open world genre, arguably partially popularized by Grand Theft Auto, offers players vast landscapes to explore and get lost in. However in recent years a new phenomenon, called by some as "open world fatigue", has set in, with players struggling to fully immerse themselves in the experience. Luckily, smart devs have ways to combat this effect.

Cameron Williams, a former game designer for Grand Theft Auto 6 and Red Dead Online during his tenure at Rockstar Games, recently shed light on this phenomenon during a panel at the Game Developers Conference, as reported by PC Gamer. Williams, who is now a senior mission designer at Absurd Ventures, began his presentation by addressing what he calls "Common Open World Problems."

The most pressing issue? Players simply don't explore. This lack of exploration can stem from various factors, including action-oriented gameplay that doesn't encourage wandering, or the sheer time investment required to fully engage with the world. Sometimes those massive maps publishers tout as a selling point are just plain daunting.

The rise of free-to-play and live service games has also contributed to this. These games demand constant attention, leaving players with less time and energy. Even when players do venture out, they often experience "exploration anxiety" – a hesitation to investigate points of interest due to uncertainty about the potential rewards or the time investment required.

Interestingly, the very elements designed to guide players can sometimes work against them. Map icons, intended to highlight points of interest, can overwhelm players with too many options. Williams drew a parallel to a study on consumer behavior in supermarkets, where customers were more likely to purchase jam when presented with fewer options. This concept of "analysis paralysis" can apply to open world games as well, where an abundance of choices can lead to indecision and inaction.

The challenge of directing player attention is another hurdle for developers. Williams humorously noted that asking players to look up and 45 degrees to the left is "like, an impossible task." This seemingly simple action adds another challenge for developers trying to guide players towards interesting locations or events in the game world.

To combat these issues, developers often resort to clever tactics to engage players. Williams cited an example from Red Dead Redemption 2, where the fishing minigame is introduced as part of the main story. By integrating it into a critical path mission and having NPCs react positively to the player's performance, the game creates a memorable experience that encourages players to engage with fishing later in the game.

Williams also touched on a specific player archetype he dubbed "beeliners" – those who focus solely on the main quest, ignoring side content. These players present a unique challenge for developers, who must find ways to organically introduce additional content without disrupting the critical path.

According to his LinkedIn account, Williams was responsible for, among other things, "level layout & scripting on open world content" and creating "systemic components which support open world content," in GTA 6. He also played key roles in the development of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, and an undisclosed project at Infinity Ward after leaving Rockstar.

Indeed, it is on developers to constantly seek new ways to engage players and encourage exploration, especially in a game like GTA 6, set in Vice City and the larger state of Leonida. If the earlier rumors about Project Americas holds true, Rockstar will have its hands full engaging players with a much larger world and giving them a reason to explore every nook and corner. Although considering the sheer amount of Easter Eggs and hidden content in Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar deserves the benefit of the doubt.

It is interesting to hear insights like this from the perspective of people behind our favorite gaming experiences. It's hard to imagine just how much pressure is on the developers to deliver a game that evokves the feeling of joy and discovery, which is often what makes open world games so captivating in the first place.

With GTA 6 set to come out later this year—hopefully we'll get a new glimpse of the game on Tuesday, March 25, courtesy of Game Informer—we'll find out soon enough if it will deliver, just as Domino's is daring it to do.