15 Best Open World Games Under 20GB (2026) Explore Without the Download

Open world games are supposed to feel huge. GTA V is 109GB. Red Dead Redemption 2 is 120GB. But huge worlds do not always mean huge file sizes. These 20 open world games are all under 20GB and most of them will keep you busy for 40 to 100 hours.

If you are on a 256GB SSD with Windows already eating 40GB, every gigabyte matters. On a 50Mbps Jio Fiber connection, even a 15GB game downloads in under 30 minutes. All sizes verified April 2026 from Steam and GOG store pages.

Quick note: this list is specifically about file size. If you want games filtered by PC specs instead, check the Best Open World Games for Low End PC. For the broader size-filtered lists, see Best PC Games Under 20GB, Best PC Games Under 10GB, and Best Games Under 5GB.

Quick Reference: All 20 Games at a Glance

20 Best Open World Games Under 20GB for PC

1. Minecraft Java Edition

Developer: Mojang Studios | Release: 2011 | Size: ~1GB | World: Infinite procedurally generated sandbox world

Minecraft is around Rs 1,700 and is still the most played sandbox game ever made. One gigabyte gives you infinite worlds. You can build anything, explore cave systems that go kilometres deep, fight the Ender Dragon, or spend 200 hours just constructing a city. The world is truly unlimited.

For Indian players on low-RAM machines, set the render distance to 8 chunks and allocate 3-4GB RAM to Java. Runs fine on integrated graphics at low settings. Mods like OptiFine push performance even further.

2. Terraria

Developer: Re-Logic | Release: 2011 | Size: ~200MB | World: Procedurally generated 2D world with underground biomes, bosses, and multiple dimensions

200MB. That is smaller than most WhatsApp videos. Yet Terraria has 97% positive reviews on Steam with over 900,000 ratings. It has 20 biomes, 30+ bosses, hundreds of items, and multiple progression paths. The 2D open world generates fresh every run.

Available at around Rs 250 on Steam, frequently on sale for Rs 62 during Steam sales. Runs on literally any PC made in the last 15 years. If you have never tried it because it looks “too simple,” you are missing one of the best games ever made.

3. GTA Vice City

Developer: Rockstar Games | Release: 2002 | Size: ~1.6GB | World: 1980s Miami-inspired open city with beaches, malls, and gang territories

GTA Vice City packs Tommy Vercetti’s entire criminal empire into 1.6GB. The neon-soaked Miami map has two islands, 100 story missions, properties to buy, businesses to run, and radio stations that still slap in 2026. Vice City was a cultural moment when it launched and it holds up better than most modern games that are 50x its size.

Priced around Rs 750 on Steam or grab all three classic GTAs (III, Vice City, San Andreas) together for Rs 1,500. That is three full open-world games totalling under 8GB combined. Hard to beat that value.

4. Valheim

Developer: Iron Gate Studio | Release: 2021 | Size: ~1.3GB | World: Procedural Viking world with distinct biomes, Norse mythology, and survival mechanics

Valheim generated a billion rupees in revenue within two weeks of launch in early access, which says everything about how good it is. You land in a procedurally generated Viking purgatory and have to fight your way through biomes: Meadows, Black Forest, Swamp, Mountains, Plains and beyond. Each biome has its own boss, materials, and gear tier.

At Rs 800 and 1.3GB, this is absurd value. The world generates from a seed so every run is different. Four-player co-op works seamlessly and does not require a dedicated server. GTX 950 handles it at medium settings fine, which is well within Indian budget PC range.

5. GTA San Andreas

Developer: Rockstar Games | Release: 2004 | Size: ~4.7GB | World: Three full cities: Los Santos, San Fierro, Las Venturas plus countryside and desert

Three cities, desert, countryside, mountains, an airport, and over 100 story missions. GTA San Andreas is still one of the biggest open worlds ever made in terms of content density, and it fits in under 5GB. CJ’s story from Ganton to running all of San Andreas takes 30 to 40 hours on the main story alone.

The modding scene is massive. You can install GTA SA on almost any Indian PC, regardless of age. Works on 2GB RAM with integrated graphics at low settings. At Rs 750 standalone or part of the Rs 1,500 classic trilogy bundle, it remains one of the best Rs-per-hour value games ever made.

6. The Forest

Developer: Endnight Games | Release: 2018 | Size: ~5GB | World: A forested peninsula with underground cave networks, cannibal camps, and full day-night survival cycles

You crash land on a peninsula and have to survive. The open world above ground is a dense forest with cannibal tribes, but the real depth is underground: an expanding cave system with mutants, artifacts, and an actual story. The Forest manages to be both terrifying and addictive.

At around Rs 550, this is one of the cheapest horror-survival open worlds on PC. Play it solo for the tension or co-op with friends. The sequel Sons of the Forest is larger but also heavier on file size. The original stays at 5GB and holds up well in 2026.

7. Raft

Developer: Redbeet Interactive | Release: 2022 | Size: ~3GB | World: Procedurally generated ocean world with islands, reefs, and story chapters

You start on a 2×2 wooden raft in the middle of the ocean. You have to hook debris, build your raft up, find islands, fight a shark, research technologies, and eventually reach story-specific locations. Raft turns the whole ocean into your open world and it works surprisingly well.

At Rs 500 and 3GB, Raft is excellent for Indian internet connections that struggle with large downloads. Co-op up to 8 players on the same raft. The story chapters added post-launch give you a proper 30-50 hour arc beyond just survival.

8. Just Cause 2

Developer: Avalanche Studios | Release: 2010 | Size: ~8GB | World: Fictional South East Asian island Panau with mountains, deserts, tropical jungles, and military bases

Just Cause 2 has a 1,000 square kilometre open world map. That is one of the largest open worlds ever made in a game under 10GB. You play Rico Rodriguez, grappling and parachuting across Panau, blowing up fuel tanks, hijacking military vehicles, and causing absolute chaos.

Available at around Rs 300, often on sale for Rs 75. The grapple hook mechanic alone makes this worth playing. You can tether a soldier to a gas tank and watch them fly. The world is filled with hundreds of military bases to liberate. 30 to 50 hours of content at a price most Indian students can afford.

9. No Man’s Sky

Developer: Hello Games | Release: 2016 | Size: ~14GB (verified April 2026) | World: 18 quintillion procedurally generated planets across a full galaxy

At launch in 2016, No Man’s Sky was 2.6GB. Years of free updates have grown it to around 14GB installed, but it still fits under 20GB while offering an infinite universe. The procedural generation creates planets with unique flora, fauna, weather systems, and resources. You can base-build, trade, fight space pirates, or just explore for 100 hours.

The game has had a complete redemption arc with 20+ free major updates. At Rs 2,000 and still under 20GB, it is the closest thing to a true open universe on PC. India note: needs 8GB RAM minimum, so pair it with a RAM upgrade if you are on 4GB.

10. Subnautica

Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment | Release: 2018 | Size: ~8GB | World: Alien ocean planet with deep-sea biomes, underwater caves, and a full survival story

Subnautica drops you on an alien ocean planet with no land. The entire open world is underwater: shallow coral reefs, deep kelp forests, lava zones, and the abyss. You build bases, scan creatures, craft submarine vehicles, and piece together what happened to the planet. It is part survival, part mystery, part exploration.

At Rs 800 and 8GB, Subnautica has one of the highest review scores on Steam. The thalassophobia (fear of deep water) this game generates is unique. GTX 550 Ti minimum but runs better on GTX 1050, which most Indian budget builds already have.

11. Fallout: New Vegas

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment | Release: 2010 | Size: ~10GB (with all DLC) | World: Mojave Wasteland post-nuclear open world RPG with faction warfare

Fallout: New Vegas is widely considered the best Fallout game ever made. The Mojave Wasteland is massive: Vegas casinos, desert highways, military bunkers, and the Hoover Dam. Your faction choices (NCR, Legion, House, or independence) mean every playthrough ends differently. The RPG depth puts games 10x its file size to shame.

At around Rs 400 on Steam and often Rs 75 on sale, New Vegas with all DLC is 10GB of content that some players have 500 hours in. Runs on basically any PC with a dedicated GPU. Install the fan-made New Vegas Script Extender and Viva New Vegas mod guide for a modern experience.

12. Outer Wilds

Developer: Mobius Digital | Release: 2019 | Size: ~8GB | World: A miniature solar system with 5 unique planets, each with environmental physics puzzles and ancient ruins

Outer Wilds is one of the most talked-about games of the last decade and it fits in 8GB. You explore a solar system stuck in a 22-minute time loop. Every planet has unique physics. One is covered in sand that acts like water. Another has twin planets orbiting each other so close you can fly between them. The world-building is incredible.

No combat, no levelling, no hand-holding. Pure exploration and discovery. At Rs 800, this is a game you will think about for weeks after finishing. The Echoes of the Eye DLC adds another 5-8 hours of horror-adjacent exploration.

13. Sleeping Dogs (Original)

Developer: United Front Games | Release: 2012 | Size: ~3GB (IMPORTANT: Definitive Edition is 17GB. Check your version before downloading.) | World: Hong Kong open world with triads, martial arts combat, and street racing

Sleeping Dogs is the most underrated GTA-style open world game ever made. You play Wei Shen, an undercover cop infiltrating Hong Kong triads. The hand-to-hand combat is inspired by Donnie Yen films. Brawling through Hong Kong markets, fish stalls, and rooftops feels completely different to any other open world game.

Size warning: the original Sleeping Dogs is 3GB. The Definitive Edition jumps to 17GB with upgraded textures and all DLC. Both versions are sold on Steam separately. If you want to stay under 20GB, either version works. But if storage is the primary concern, the original at 3GB is the pick at around Rs 400.

14. Mafia II Classic

Developer: 2K Czech | Release: 2010 | Size: ~8GB (IMPORTANT: Mafia II Definitive Edition is 44GB. Classic version only.) | World: Empire Bay, a 1940s and 1950s American city with mafia storyline

Mafia II is a love letter to postwar American crime cinema. Empire Bay is a detailed open world city that changes visually as the story moves from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s: snow in winter, sun in summer, period cars, period music. The story is the main draw, but the city itself is worth exploring.

Size warning: this is the most dramatic version gap on this list. Mafia II Classic is 8GB. The Definitive Edition is 44GB because it replaces all textures with high-resolution versions and includes DLC. For the purpose of this list, get the Classic version. It looks slightly older but saves you 36GB.

15. Saints Row: The Third

Developer: Volition | Release: 2011 | Size: ~7GB | World: Steelport, a chaotic fictional city with gang warfare, customization, and absurd side missions

Saints Row: The Third goes completely off the rails in the best way. Where GTA takes itself seriously, Saints Row leans into the absurdity: gun that shoots mind-controlling squid, attacking a penthouse in a VTOL with a dubstep gun, wrestling with a giant. Steelport is a full open-world city that is pure chaos from start to finish.

At around Rs 300, this is one of the cheapest open-world games on this list. The co-op campaign is fun. For Indian players who have already played all the GTA games, Saints Row III is the logical next step if you want that same style but cranked up to maximum stupidity.

16. Far Cry 3

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal | Release: 2012 | Size: ~15GB | World: Rook Island, a tropical open-world with pirates, wildlife, and outpost liberation

Far Cry 3 defined the modern open-world FPS template. Rook Island is lush, beautiful, and full of things to do: outposts to liberate, radio towers to climb, animals to hunt, and the story of Jason Brody unravelling psychologically as he becomes a killer. Vaas is still one of gaming’s greatest villains.

At 15GB it is the largest game on this list, but it is well under the 20GB limit. Far Cry 4 (26GB) and Far Cry 5 (28GB) both cross the line, so Far Cry 3 is the pick specifically for size. At Rs 500 and frequently discounted, it is one of the better Ubisoft open-world deals available. On a 50Mbps Jio Fiber it downloads in about 25 minutes.

17. The Witcher 1 Enhanced Edition

Developer: CD Projekt RED | Release: 2007 (Enhanced 2008) | Size: ~8GB | World: Geralt’s story begins in Temeria, a rich open-world fantasy region with monsters, politics, and moral grey zones

The Witcher 1 Enhanced Edition is available free on GOG. That is 35 to 60 hours of open-world RPG for zero rupees. Geralt’s first adventure through Temeria is dark, morally complex, and full of choices that do not have clean right or wrong answers. The combat is dated but the world and writing are timeless.

For players who got into The Witcher 3 first, going back to the original is a rewarding experience. Temeria is a fully realised medieval open world packed with quests, monsters, and political intrigue. At 8GB and free, this is one of the best value RPGs ever made.

18. RimWorld

Developer: Ludeon Studios | Release: 2018 | Size: ~1GB | World: Procedurally generated colony world on an alien rim planet with dynamic AI storytellers

RimWorld is a colony simulation where three survivors crash land on a procedurally generated alien world and you have to build a colony and eventually escape. The AI storytellers (Cassandra, Phoebe, Randy) dynamically generate events: raids, disease outbreaks, fires, mad animals, wandering traders, mental breaks. Every colony run tells a completely different story.

At Rs 1,000 and 1GB, RimWorld has thousands of Steam reviews calling it one of the best games ever made. Some players are at 2,000+ hours. The modding community adds hundreds of content packs. If you want a deep, open-ended open world that runs on any PC and never gets old, RimWorld is the answer.

19. Stardew Valley

Developer: ConcernedApe | Release: 2016 | Size: ~500MB | World: Pelican Town and Stardew Valley: an open farm world with mines, a community centre, and four seasons

500MB. One game. 200 hours minimum. Stardew Valley is one of the most complete gaming experiences available at any file size. You inherit your grandfather’s farm and build it up over multiple in-game years: grow crops, raise animals, go fishing, fight in mines, befriend villagers, and potentially get married. The world expands significantly with each real-world update.

At Rs 450 on Steam, this is a permanent recommendation for any Indian gamer on any PC. Runs on anything, looks beautiful on any screen, and has no performance requirements worth mentioning. The 1.6 update added multiplayer farmhands for up to 4 players. One of those rare games where 97% positive reviews on Steam actually makes sense.

20. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind GOTY

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios | Release: 2002 (GOTY 2003) | Size: ~1GB | World: Vvardenfell island, one of the most alien and original open worlds in RPG history

Morrowind is the most exotic open world Bethesda ever made. Vvardenfell is an alien island with mushroom trees, giant insect mounts, ash storms, ancient Dunmer ruins, and a deeply layered lore that Skyrim only scratches the surface of. The RPG system gives you complete freedom: no quest markers, no hand-holding, you find your way by reading directions in books.

At Rs 500 and 1GB, Morrowind with the OpenMW open-source engine mod runs perfectly on modern Windows. It is the starting point for deep Elder Scrolls lore. If you finished Skyrim and wanted more, Morrowind goes further and deeper. 60 to 120 hours to see the main story and major questlines.

Open World Games That Are NOT Under 20GB

A lot of articles list games as “small” without verifying the current size. Here are the games people think are under 20GB but are not:

Open World Gaming on Indian Budget PCs

Most of these 20 games run on a GTX 1050 or RX 570, which are the most common Indian budget GPU tier at this point. You do not need a new GPU for any game on this list except No Man’s Sky (GTX 1060 recommended).

Storage maths for a 256GB SSD after Windows install:

• GTA III + Vice City + San Andreas combined: about 8GB total for three full open worlds
• Far Cry 3 at 15GB downloads in 25 minutes on 50Mbps Jio Fiber
• The bottom 10 games on this list (all under 10GB) total about 57GB combined. That is 10 open world games on your SSD with room to spare
• Terraria + Stardew Valley + RimWorld + Valheim + Minecraft combined: about 4GB. Five games, infinite playtime

For GPU upgrade advice relevant to running these games and beyond, see our Best Graphics Card Under 20000 India guide. For laptop recommendations that handle this entire list easily, check Best Gaming Laptops Under 50000.

If you are specifically looking for games that run well on weak specs (not just small file sizes), the dedicated spec guide is at Best Open World Games for Low End PC. That list filters by CPU and RAM requirements, not storage size.

Frequently Asked Questions

What open world games are under 20GB on PC?

Verified open world games under 20GB on PC include Minecraft (~1GB), Terraria (~200MB), Valheim (~1.3GB), GTA Vice City (~1.6GB), Raft (~3GB), Sleeping Dogs original (~3GB), GTA San Andreas (~4.7GB), The Forest (~5GB), Saints Row: The Third (~7GB), Just Cause 2 (~8GB), Subnautica (~8GB), Mafia II Classic (~8GB), Outer Wilds (~8GB), The Witcher 1 (~8GB), Fallout: New Vegas (~10GB), No Man’s Sky (~14GB), Far Cry 3 (~15GB), RimWorld (~1GB), Stardew Valley (~500MB), and Morrowind GOTY (~1GB).

Is GTA V under 20GB?

No. GTA V is 109GB as of April 2026. It has grown significantly from its original install size due to years of GTA Online updates. Anyone listing GTA V as a “small” game is working off very old data.

What is the best open world game for low end PC?

If you want the best open world game for a low end PC in terms of both file size and system requirements, Terraria (200MB, runs on any PC), Stardew Valley (500MB, runs on any PC), and GTA San Andreas (4.7GB, runs on 2GB RAM) are the top picks. For a full spec-based list, see Best Open World Games for Low End PC.

What open world games can I play on a 4GB RAM PC?

Most games on this list run on 4GB RAM: Terraria, Stardew Valley, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, Valheim, The Forest, Raft, Just Cause 2, Fallout: New Vegas, Sleeping Dogs, Mafia II Classic, Saints Row: The Third, Far Cry 3, and Morrowind. No Man’s Sky is the only game here that needs 8GB RAM minimum.

Are there open world games under 5GB?

Yes. Open world games under 5GB include Terraria (200MB), Stardew Valley (500MB), Morrowind (1GB), RimWorld (1GB), Minecraft (1GB), Valheim (1.3GB), GTA Vice City (1.6GB), Gothic (2GB), Raft (3GB), Sleeping Dogs original (3GB), and GTA San Andreas (4.7GB). See the dedicated Best Games Under 5GB list.

Is Far Cry 3 under 20GB?

Yes. Far Cry 3 is approximately 15GB, well under the 20GB limit. However Far Cry 4 is 26GB and Far Cry 5 is 28GB, so those two do not qualify. Far Cry 3 is the only Far Cry game under 20GB.

What is the smallest open world game on PC?

By file size, Terraria (200MB) is the smallest open world game with serious content. By world size/map area, games like Batman Arkham Asylum and Yakuza are physically small maps. If we are talking about file size specifically, Terraria at 200MB is the pick on this list.

Can I play open world games without a graphics card?

Yes, with limitations. Games like Terraria, Stardew Valley, Minecraft (at low settings), Morrowind, and older GTAs run on integrated graphics like Intel HD or AMD Radeon Vega 8. Games like No Man’s Sky, Far Cry 3, and Valheim need a dedicated GPU. For games that run on integrated graphics specifically, check the low end PC open world guide.

Is Valheim under 20GB?

Yes. Valheim is approximately 1.3GB, making it one of the smallest open world games on PC relative to content. The game generates a procedural world from a seed, so the world data itself is calculated on the fly rather than stored. That is how it stays so small.

What open world games have the most content under 20GB?

For raw hours per gigabyte, RimWorld (1GB, 100-500 hours), Terraria (200MB, 80-200 hours), Stardew Valley (500MB, 80-200 hours), and Fallout: New Vegas (10GB, 60-100 hours with DLC) are the leaders. Morrowind (1GB) and Minecraft (1GB) also have essentially unlimited content.

All file sizes verified from Steam and GOG store pages, April 2026. Prices are approximate Steam India pricing and fluctuate with sales. Happy Gaming!