In order for fast travel to stop being a common mechanic, we need to kill off "open world" games as they currently exist.

Because they value size and story over fun. Sure its cool to run my way to X town the first go around, getting lost exploring things I see along the path. But the 9th time I need to travel there to "talk to Y Guy" to progress a quest, they better let me just skip the walk that no longer has anything possibly interesting along it.