Looking for games like GTA while waiting for GTA VI? Here are 7 open-world crime games worth playing.
With Grand Theft Auto VI currently scheduled for November 19, 2026, the wait is getting shorter, but there is still plenty of time. So if you are looking for other similar open worlds to explore or games like GTA VI, this list is for you.
If you are searching for games like GTA, however, simply picking any open-world action game will not do. The best alternatives capture at least some of what makes Grand Theft Auto special: detailed cities, driving, crime stories, side activities, freedom, memorable characters, or the sheer ability to cause absolute chaos. Here are seven worth checking out, ranked from the weakest fit to the strongest.
7. Saints Row (2022)
Released in 2022 and developed by Deep Silver Volition, Saints Row is a complete reboot of the series. You play as The Boss, building a criminal empire in Santo Ileso alongside three friends while taking on three rival factions: Los Panteros, the Idols, and Marshall Defense Technologies. The game combines shooting, driving, criminal ventures, customization and a large open world with a deliberately exaggerated tone.
The problem is that this Saints Row reboot feels like a weaker version of what the series had already done rather than a compelling new take on the formula. It certainly qualifies as one of the GTA alternatives you can play while waiting, but its characters and writing are nowhere near Rockstar’s strongest work, and its open world lacks the density that makes Liberty City or Los Santos memorable. It is worth considering if you want goofy criminal sandbox gameplay, but it lands at the bottom of this list because several other games offer a much stronger experience.
6. The Precinct
Released in 2025 by Fallen Tree Games, The Precinct takes one of the most interesting approaches to the GTA formula: here you play on the other side of the law. Set in Averno City in 1983, the game follows rookie police officer Nick Cordell Jr., who joins the city’s troubled police department while trying to uncover the truth surrounding his father’s death. You patrol the city, respond to crimes, chase suspects, make arrests and get involved in increasingly dangerous confrontations with its criminal gangs.
That makes The Precinct one of the more unusual GTA alternatives. But its top-down perspective and police-focused gameplay also make it fundamentally different from GTA, and you aren’t building your own criminal career or freely behaving like a criminal. Still, the dynamic crime system, vehicle chases and living city make it a fascinating choice for anyone who has ever wondered what GTA would be like if the entire game were built around playing as a cop.
5. Just Cause 3
Just Cause 3, developed by Avalanche Studios and released in 2015, follows Rico Rodriguez as he returns to his Mediterranean homeland of Medici to overthrow the dictator General Di Ravello. The game gives you an enormous open world filled with vehicles, weapons, military bases and destructible environments, while Rico’s grappling hook, parachute and wingsuit allow you to move through the world in ways that few other open-world games can match.
It stands on this list because it captures the freedom of GTA better than it captures its crime and character-driven side. There is an absurd amount of fun to be had simply experimenting with the world, destroying bases and creating ridiculous chains of destruction, but you aren’t getting the same kind of grounded crime drama, relationships or city life that define GTA. Think of it as the “what if GTA stopped caring about realism entirely and gave you a grappling hook?” option.
4. Mafia II
Released in 2010 and developed by 2K Czech, Mafia II follows Vito Scaletta, a war veteran who returns to Empire Bay and becomes involved with the city’s Mafia families while trying to escape his father’s debts and build a better life. Set between 1945 and 1951, the game combines a period crime story with driving, shooting, exploration and a detailed city filled with period architecture, cars, music and atmosphere.
Mafia II is recommended if you love games like GTA because it can scratch the itch for you if you like GTA primarily for its crime stories and characters. It is not nearly as much of a sandbox, and Empire Bay does not offer the same level of activities or gameplay as a Rockstar open world. But Vito’s journey, the relationship between Vito and Joe, and the game’s strong period atmosphere make it a very good choice if the criminal underworld is what attracts you to GTA in the first place. It is less “go anywhere and do anything” and more “live through a Mafia movie.”
3. Watch Dogs 2
Released in 2016 and developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal, Watch Dogs 2 moves the series to the San Francisco Bay Area and introduces Marcus Holloway, a young hacker who joins DedSec after being wrongly profiled by the city’s ctOS system. Marcus can hack phones, vehicles, cranes, security systems, drones and other connected devices, allowing missions to be approached through stealth, hacking, driving or more direct combat.
This is one of the strongest GTA alternatives because it actually understands the appeal of living in a city that functions as a playground. San Francisco is filled with people, vehicles, buildings and systems that Marcus can manipulate, and the hacking mechanics create situations you simply cannot reproduce in GTA. Its lighter tone and hacker-focused story won’t appeal to everyone, but if what you want is a modern city where you can constantly experiment with the environment, Watch Dogs 2 is an excellent substitute.
2. Sleeping Dogs
Released in 2012 and developed by United Front Games, Sleeping Dogs puts you in the role of Wei Shen, a Hong Kong police officer who goes undercover inside the Sun On Yee Triad. Wei has to maintain his criminal identity while balancing his police work against his growing relationships with the people inside the organization. The game combines driving, shooting, parkour, criminal activities and an unusually deep hand-to-hand combat system inspired heavily by Hong Kong action cinema.
This might be the strongest choice on the list because Sleeping Dogs understands what makes GTA’s formula work while giving it an identity of its own. Hong Kong isn’t just a backdrop for missions. You can explore its streets, drive through its neighborhoods, take part in activities, interact with characters and get involved in the criminal world while constantly dealing with Wei’s undercover situation. United Front Games specifically emphasized the combination of melee combat, gunplay, driving and exploration when discussing the game’s design.
The undercover-cop premise also creates something GTA hasn’t given us: a protagonist who is simultaneously part of the criminal world and trying to bring it down. That creates genuine tension throughout Wei’s story, particularly as his relationships with the Triads become more complicated. Its combat remains one of its biggest advantages, and its combination of open-world crime, cinematic storytelling and martial arts makes it feel like much more than a GTA clone.
Honorable Mention – Grand Theft Auto IV
Released in 2008 and developed by Rockstar North and Rockstar Toronto, Grand Theft Auto IV follows Niko Bellic, an immigrant from Eastern Europe who arrives in Liberty City hoping to escape his past and pursue the American Dream. Instead, Niko gets dragged into debt, organized crime and a world of criminals, con artists and violent opportunists.
It might seem strange to put another GTA game on a list of games like GTA, which is why we put it as an honorable mention. GTA IV deserves a place here precisely because it is so often overlooked. GTA V has dominated the conversation for years, while the older PS2-era games Vice City and San Andreas benefit from nostalgia, GTA IV is ignored by many players. That is a shame because Liberty City is one of Rockstar’s most detailed worlds, and the game is packed with little touches that make it feel like somewhere Niko actually lives. You can watch television, use the internet, go bowling, play pool and darts, visit bars, take taxis, maintain friendships and simply wander around the city.
The story is also a major reason to revisit it. GTA IV is considerably more grounded than GTA V, and Niko’s journey is built around his past, his search for a better life and the consequences of trying to escape violence by becoming involved in more violence. So if it has been over a decade since you played GTA IV, or have never played it, now might be the time!
1. Cyberpunk 2077
Released in 2020 and developed by CD Projekt Red, Cyberpunk 2077 takes you to Night City, a huge futuristic metropolis where corporations, gangs, mercenaries and criminals fight for power. You play as V, a mercenary whose life takes a disastrous turn after a heist leaves them sharing their mind with the engram of Johnny Silverhand. Alongside its main story, the game gives you countless side jobs, vehicles to drive, weapons to collect, cyberware to install and districts to explore, giving Night City plenty to do beyond the main campaign.
While Cyberpunk 2077 is much more of an RPG, it can scratch many of the same itches. You can steal cars like you do in GTA, get involved with criminal gangs, take on mercenary jobs, explore a huge city and approach many situations through combat, stealth, hacking or different character builds. It also has the kind of detailed urban environment that makes simply wandering around worthwhile. If what you want from GTA is a massive modern city packed with crime, characters and things to discover, Night City is one of the best places to go while waiting for GTA VI.
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