If what you loved in Skyrim was not just “fantasy,” but the freedom to pick a direction, improvise a build, and disappear into a world for weeks, these are the strongest next stops.
Quick Picks
- Best overall next step: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Best if you want deeper role-play and stronger party choices: Baldur’s Gate 3
- Best if you want harder exploration and less hand-holding: Elden Ring
Who This List Is For
This page is for players who want another big RPG where wandering, build identity, and long-term immersion matter more than a short main story.
It is less useful if what you loved most about Skyrim was specifically modding or pure comfort wandering on Switch.
The Best Games
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Why it stands out: It is the strongest all-around follow-up if you want another huge world that still rewards getting distracted for the right reasons.
- Best for: Players who want sharper quest writing without losing long-form exploration.
- Watch out for: It is more authored and less sandboxy than Skyrim.
Baldur’s Gate 3
- Why it stands out: It replaces Skyrim’s freeform wandering with much stronger role-play consequence and party dynamics.
- Best for: Players who want another giant RPG where their choices and build shape the run.
- Watch out for: Turn-based combat and denser systems raise the upfront friction.
Elden Ring
- Why it stands out: It hits the same “go anywhere, find trouble, grow into your build” nerve, but with much harsher combat.
- Best for: Players who want exploration freedom with real danger attached.
- Watch out for: It is far less readable and far less forgiving.
Cyberpunk 2077
- Why it stands out: It gives you another build-driven world to inhabit, just in neon sprawl instead of frozen fantasy.
- Best for: Players who want role-play flavor, side stories, and a stronger modern combat loop.
- Watch out for: It is more narrative-forward and less “live in the world however you want.”
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Why it stands out: It works if what you want is another enormous world where wandering and slow progression are part of the reward.
- Best for: Players who enjoy settlement-building, exploration, and long sessions in one setting.
- Watch out for: It is broader, more repetitive, and less flexible in build expression.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
- Why it stands out: It is a good pivot if you want to keep RPG progression and party chemistry, but with much stronger cinematic focus.
- Best for: Players who want a more directed, polished follow-up after a long Skyrim phase.
- Watch out for: It is much smaller in freedom and far more linear.
How We Picked These Games
We prioritized games that share at least one major Skyrim strength:
- a world worth living in for weeks
- role-play or build expression that changes how you approach the game
- rewarding exploration beyond the main critical path
- a strong sense of “make your own pace”
Where to Go Next
- Open Best Games with Great Exploration if wandering and discovery matter more than direct Skyrim similarity.
- Open Games Like The Witcher 3 if what you really want is another giant authored fantasy RPG.
- Open Best Games for Story-First Players if your version of Skyrim-love leans more toward world stories and quest immersion.
Final Recommendation
- Pick The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt if you want the closest all-around answer.
- Pick Baldur’s Gate 3 if you want deeper role-play and party consequence.
- Pick Elden Ring if what you really want is another world that trusts you to figure it out yourself.