With the buzz surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI at an all-time high, and the game officially set to release on November 19, 2026, gamers are searching for similar open-world games to dive into while they wait for the title’s drop. If you love crime-based gameplay, huge maps, and freedom-based storytelling, this curated list of games like GTA 6 will keep you hooked for all of 2026.
Here’s a list of some of the best, trending and immersive games that give you the same thrill, sandbox chaos and narrative freedom as the GTA franchise.
GTA 6: 10 Best Alternatives In 2026
GTA 5 (Grand Theft Auto Five)
GTA 5 is the best approximation of what GTA 6 is going to be, and it’s still the best-selling
game in 2026. Still the gold standard for a modern sprawling open world crime simulator, enhanced by the huge ecosystem of GTA Online, frequent content updates and a very active global playerbase.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar’s side project brings the action back to the waning days of the America Wild West, but it’s still the same GTA DNA, with a deep, emotionally engaging story and an incredibly immersive world. The sheer amount of environmental detail and freedom of behavior makes this one of the greatest open world achievements in gaming.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is a beautifully polished experience in 2026, after definitive structural updates and expansions. It’s a neon-lit dystopian open world fueled by meth. It’s a good branching narrative. You can go around doing GTA-style crime in some grungy futuristic city.
Sleeping Dogs
This criminally underrated gem of a beloved turns the streets of America into a Hong Kong lit by bright neon. It has a great undercover cop story, a complex martial arts fighting system, and an open world city beautifully blended. The gaming community considers it one of the greatest GTA-style sandbox games ever created.
Watch Dogs: Legion
Set in a very tightly controlled near future London it puts a lot of weight behind hacking mechanics, stealth and high tech exploration.<br/><br/> The trick is that you can recruit and play as literally any NPC you meet on the street, giving the open-world crime formula a unique tactical twist.
Mafia III (2016)
Mafia III is a gripping story of revenge based on history, set in the fictional New Orleans in 1968. Period-accurate vehicle handling, visceral open-world tactical gameplay and turf-takeover missions that speak to the gritty reality of organiszed crime.
Saints Row III
If you want something a lot more crazy, over-the-top and satirical than the classic GTA formula then the Saints Row series is your game. It has crazy story missions, stupid weapons, deep customization and full sandbox freedom for pure, unadulterated fun.
Far Cry 6 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X)
Far Cry 6 is set in a huge tropical open world with loads of vehicles to customize and a variety of weapons and guerrilla warfare. It’s not the third-person view we’re used to in GTA but the systemic freedom to approach objectives however you see fit feels completely familiar.
Just Cause 4:
If you’re all about destruction, physics-defying stunts and mayhem then Just Cause 4 is a win. Unlimited arsenal, wingsuit and grappling hook means tearing through massive maps with over the top action and explosive physics.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human.
You have your survival-horror zombie outbreak, but the fluid first-person parkour traversal system and massive urban sandbox delivers something else altogether. Faction choice. The city map is treacherous and exploring the rooftops is a fun change of pace from the usual driving game fare.
Priyanshu Naithani writes about the fast-moving world of technology, including gadgets, apps, software, cybersecurity, digital trends, artificial intelligence, and innovation. His coverage is designed to make complex tech topics easier to understand and more useful for everyday readers.