The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a 2011 open world action role playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, in which the player takes the role of the Dragonborn, a figure prophesied to be capable of defeating Alduin, a dragon destined to destroy the world, while freely exploring the fictional northern province of Skyrim and its many independent quests and factions. The game placed comparatively little emphasis on a fixed main story path, instead building its reputation on the scale and density of its open world and the freedom given to players to ignore the central plot indefinitely in favor of self directed exploration. It sold more than sixty million copies across repeated re-releases on successive console generations, popularized large open world design in mainstream fantasy role playing games, and became the subject of enduring internet memes referencing its frequently repeated dialogue.