Modern open‑world blockbusters love to test not only your reflexes but also whatever hardware you’re running. The bigger the worlds get — the more your GPU starts to sweat. Yet gaming isn’t only about high‑end graphics.
Plenty of players also spend time on lighter entertainment like casino games, where platforms such as Playin rate online venues and show you where to spin or bet comfortably even on a phone. Two different sides of gaming — one for pushing boundaries, one for relaxing with pocket‑sized fun.
Here, we’re looking at the former: massive 3D worlds that really want to see how fast your fans can spin.
The Line‑Up: Five Heavy Hitters
We selected some of the most talked‑about AAA giants from 2023–2025:
- GTA 6 — The still‑mysterious king of future demands (PC version expected later)
- Borderlands 4 — Fresh 2025 release, already raising the hardware bar
- Black Myth: Wukong — A visually stunning 2024 showcase of Unreal Engine power
- Starfield — CPU‑hungry space epic from Bethesda
- Hogwarts Legacy — A 2023 reference point for open‑world performance
This mix shows where the industry started the new hardware arms‑race — and where it’s heading.
Quick Breakdown: Minimum vs. Smooth Play
| Game | Minimum Specs Target | Recommended Specs Target |
| Borderlands 4 (2025) | RTX 2070 / RX 5700 XT, 16 GB RAM | RTX 3080 / RX 6800 XT, 32 GB RAM |
| Black Myth: Wukong (2024) | GTX 1060 / RX 580, 16 GB RAM | RTX 2060 / RX 5700 XT |
| Starfield (2023) | GTX 1070 Ti / RX 5700, 16 GB RAM | RX 6800 XT / RTX 2080 |
| Hogwarts Legacy (2023) | GTX 960, 16 GB RAM | GTX 1080 Ti / RX 5700 XT |
| GTA 6 (est.) | GTX 1660 / RX 5700, 16 GB RAM | RTX 3070 / RX 6800 XT |
A clear trend: 32 GB RAM is becoming the new “recommended” for smooth 1440p+ gaming.
CPU vs GPU: Who Hurts More?
- Starfield is the CPU killer here. Even decent 6‑core processors struggle to keep performance stable.
- Borderlands 4 is the most demanding all‑around — heavy GPU and memory usage even before ray tracing.
- Black Myth: Wukong hits the GPU hardest, especially with high‑end effects turned on.
- GTA 6 could surpass all of them eventually, but without real PC benchmarks we’re still guessing.
- Hogwarts Legacy feels like a “last‑gen” open world at this point — still demanding on Ultra, but reasonable compared to newer giants.
If your rig is older than 2020 — expect compromises.
Game‑By‑Game Stress Score
| Game | CPU Load | GPU Load | Overall Hardware “Pain” |
| Borderlands 4 | 🔥🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | 9/10 |
| Starfield | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥🔥 | 8.5/10 |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | 8/10 |
| GTA 6 (est.) | 🔥🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | 8–9/10 |
| Hogwarts Legacy | 🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥🔥 | 7/10 |
Translation: If your PC fans sound like a drone taking off — don’t worry, that’s normal.
What This Means for Players?
To stay comfortable with new open‑world releases over the next few years, you’re looking at:
- CPU: At least 8 cores with strong single‑thread performance
- GPU: RTX 3080 / RX 6800 XT or better for 1440p High‑Ultra
- RAM: 32 GB becoming the new sweet spot
- Storage: SSD only — and plenty of it (100+ GB per title!)
The “high‑end” bar keeps rising — and fast.
Final Thought
Whether you’re soaring above futuristic Miami in GTA 6 or sprinting across ancient China as the Monkey King — modern blockbusters are turning PC hardware into their personal gym equipment.
But the beauty of gaming is that there’s a place for every mood: intense cinematic worlds when your rig is ready to roar, and casual gaming on services like Playin when you just want entertainment that fits in your pocket.
Either way — fun doesn’t always require a power supply upgrade.
