At the Game Developers Conference (GDC), Cameron Williams, former game designer for GTA6 and Red Dead Redemption Online, pointed out that seemingly vast and free open-world games may actually have some pitfalls that lead to "exploration fatigue".

In his presentation titled "Common Open World Problems", Williams mentioned that one of the main problems is that "players don't explore". He explained that this could be because the game is too action-oriented, or because the player lacks motivation to explore, or it could be because the game requires a lot of time and it is difficult for the player to pick it up and put it down at any time.

He believes that these problems can lead to "open world fatigue" and reduce the willingness of players to explore. Question marks or other icons on the map, while directing the player to a specific location, can also cause "exploration anxiety" in the player. Players will be hesitant to spend a lot of time traveling to these locations and whether the end result will be worth it.

In addition, Williams also pointed out that there are challenges in designing landmarks in open-world games. Good landmarks can attract players, but too many landmarks can make players feel "paralyzed" and difficult to choose. He cites a study on supermarket shopping, which found that customers are more likely to buy items when they are faced with fewer choices.