The wait for GTA 6 is starting to feel like a myth passed down from ancient gamer scrolls, although the drop of the second trailer and reveal of a May 26, 2026, release date suggests the end could be near. Every new trailer breakdown, leak, “Vice City license plate” deep dive just adds fuel to the hype train that still hasn’t reached the station. However, while Rockstar cooks up whatever magic it’s hiding in Miami, there’s a whole buffet of open-world games out there that offer their own chaotic playgrounds, gripping stories, or neon-soaked distractions to keep players busy in the meantime.
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This list isn’t just about clones or knock-offs—it’s about games that echo something GTA fans crave, whether that’s high-speed chases, city-based sandboxes, deep crime drama, or just pure, unfiltered freedom. Some are grounded, some are absurd, but all of them scratch that elusive “one more mission” itch that GTA 6 is destined to ignite. So while the countdown continues after the recent delay to 2026, these are the best worlds to get lost in.
7 Watch Dogs 2
You Can’t Spell “Watch Dogs” Without “Chaos”
Watch Dogs 2
- Released
- November 15, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action, Adventure
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
There’s something beautifully ironic about Watch Dogs 2. It’s a game about digital surveillance, data privacy, and systemic control—yet players inevitably end up speeding through San Francisco in a stolen sports car, launching grenades from drones and accidentally taking out a hot dog stand.
Ubisoft’s pivot from the bleak, brooding tone of the first Watch Dogs to the vibrant, almost sitcom-esque chaos of Watch Dogs 2 paid off hard. Marcus Holloway is infinitely more likable than Aiden Pearce, and DedSec operates more like a bunch of rebellious college hackers than a shadowy cabal. What really makes it a perfect stopgap for GTA fans is the amount of freedom in its sandbox. Whether players want to go full-stealth with hacked cameras and RC bots, or barge into restricted areas with an arsenal of smart gadgets, the game rarely punishes improvisation.
And San Francisco is a digital marvel. From the graffiti-soaked corners of Oakland to the tech industry’s polished facades in Silicon Valley, it’s a map that doesn’t just look alive—it feels like it’s watching back. It might not have GTA’s satirical sting, but its tongue-in-cheek jabs at tech culture still land, especially when players start hijacking SUVs and launching EDM raves in quiet suburbs.
6 Saints Row 4
Superpowers, Mayhem, And A Lot Of Dubstep Guns
Saints Row 4
- Released
- August 20, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
Saints Row 4 doesn’t just break the rules—it throws them into a black hole, then hits the floss dance on their remains. This is what happens when a crime sandbox series gets infected by a superhero fever dream and never looks back.
Set in a simulated version of Steelport after an alien invasion, the game throws realism out the window immediately. Players are the President of the United States. Then aliens destroy Earth. Then it becomes The Matrix with aliens, and suddenly you’re sprinting up skyscrapers and bodyslamming tanks from orbit. It’s insane in a way that only works because Saints Row had already been drifting further into chaos with every installment.
In terms of scratching that GTA itch, it’s the perfect palate cleanser. It reminds players that open-world games don’t need to be grounded in gritty realism to be fun. It also arguably has one of the most absurdly entertaining weapon lineups in any open-world game, including the infamous Dubstep Gun, which lets players obliterate enemies with weaponized bass drops. And for those who enjoyed the property management and gang warfare mechanics from San Andreas, there’s still empire-building to be done, just now with alien-infested crackhouses and black hole launchers.
5 Sleeping Dogs
Hong Kong’s Underworld, With Extra Elbow Strikes
Sleeping Dogs
- Released
- August 14, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- United Front Games
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Players who crave the hand-to-hand combat that GTA always dabbles in but never quite masters will find Sleeping Dogs an irresistible alternative. Set in a richly detailed Hong Kong, this criminal underworld story leans hard into martial arts combat, undercover cop drama, and neon-lit cityscapes dripping with tension.
What really makes Sleeping Dogs stand out is its melee system. Wei Shen isn’t just some street thug; he’s a trained enforcer who can string together brutal combos, environmental takedowns, and slow-mo counterattacks that feel like a Jackie Chan movie choreographed by the people behind Arkham City. Car chases, shootouts, and side missions are all here, but they exist alongside things like cockfighting rings, karaoke bars, and food vendors that boost stats when you eat from them.
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And unlike a lot of open-world games, it tells a surprisingly mature story. Wei’s loyalty to the triads versus his duty as a cop slowly tears him apart, and players feel that strain every time they have to balance brutal enforcement with maintaining their cover. It may not have the sprawling size of GTA V, but its densely packed streets and tight narrative give it a sharper edge.
4 Just Cause 4
Explosion Physics: The Real Star of the Show
Just Cause 4
- Released
- December 4, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Avalanche Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
No other open-world game weaponizes chaos quite like Just Cause 4. Set in the fictional South American country of Solís, this game is less about criminal underworlds and more about one man’s quest to overthrow a dictatorship with nothing but a grappling hook, a wingsuit, and an unhealthy disregard for gravity.
Rico Rodriguez is back, and this time he’s battling armies, launching himself into tornadoes, and strapping balloons to tanks for reasons that barely need explaining. Just Cause 4 leans into physics-based destruction harder than its predecessors, giving players tools that would feel overpowered in any other game—but here, they’re practically required. The grappling hook now supports tethers, boosters, and lifters, allowing for absolutely bonkers creations like rocket-propelled cows or flying boats.
While it lacks the narrative depth of GTA, Just Cause 4 is the perfect pick for players who miss the chaos of open-world car chases, shootouts, and daring escapes—only here, they’re happening in the middle of lightning storms and sand tornadoes. It’s not trying to say anything deep, but sometimes, blowing up an oil refinery with a weaponized bulldozer says enough.
3 Mafia: Definitive Edition
A Mafia Story That’s All About Atmosphere
Mafia: Definitive Edition
- Released
- September 25, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
There’s a haunting beauty to Mafia: Definitive Edition that most crime games can’t quite match. It’s not about throwing players into a freeform sandbox full of distractions. It’s about placing them in the tailored suit of Tommy Angelo, a cab driver turned mob enforcer in 1930s Lost Heaven, and dragging them through a life of loyalty, betrayal, and consequence.
This remake of the 2002 cult classic doesn’t try to modernize its structure—it embraces it. Missions are tightly crafted, often linear, but packed with tension and emotional punch. Driving through the rain-slick streets in a classic Packard while old jazz music plays on the radio might not feel like GTA’s brand of chaos, but it scratches a different kind of itch. One that values tone, setting, and slow-burn storytelling.
Lost Heaven itself might not be filled with minigames and distractions, but it’s meticulously built. The architecture reflects a nation between wars. The cars handle like they’re made of bricks and raw horsepower. Even the police behave realistically, pulling over players for running red lights or driving recklessly. It’s a different pace, but one worth settling into.
2 Cyberpunk 2077
Night City Might Be A Dystopic Mess, But It’s Also Brilliant
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
When Cyberpunk 2077 launched, it didn’t so much arrive as it did explode in a fireball of broken promises and hilarious bugs. But time, patches, and the Phantom Liberty expansion have been kind to it. In its current form, Night City is a dense, dangerous, and deeply immersive place to get lost in.
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Players who love GTA for its crime drama and emergent chaos will find plenty to chew on here. V’s story is deeply personal, but filled with side quests that rival Witcher 3 in complexity. Whether it’s hacking through corpo networks, gunning down cyberpsychos in back alleys, or getting caught in a heist gone very wrong, the game delivers that underworld fantasy through a futuristic lens. And unlike most open-worlds, verticality plays a huge role. Rooftops, neon-lit alleyways, high-end nightclubs, and grimy megabuildings all feel distinct.
Plus, the combat finally feels punchy. Guns kick hard, melee weapons are brutal, and hacking gives players another avenue for chaos. Cyberpunk isn’t perfect, but it’s gotten close enough that stepping into a futuristic GTA-style crime spree feels natural, not wishful thinking.
1 Red Dead Redemption 2
The Peak of Rockstar’s Craft
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t just Rockstar’s best open-world—it’s a thesis statement. On immersion. On consequence. On building a world so rich in detail it feels like a real place players just happened to stumble into. It’s also the clearest lens through which to view what GTA 6 might become.
Arthur Morgan’s journey is unforgettable, but what really keeps players coming back is the world itself. Horses react to terrain changes. NPCs remember crimes and greet players differently based on their clothes, hygiene, and past actions. Even the wildlife has its own ecosystem, with predators stalking prey while weather patterns shift dynamically across the map.
While GTA is about modern anarchy, RDR2 is about slow decay. The Van der Linde gang is falling apart, the West is dying, and every choice Arthur makes matters. Yet, it still lets players rob trains, get into shootouts, customize guns, play poker, and accidentally punch a horse in the face mid-bar fight. It balances story with freedom like no other.
And if RDR2 is any indication of the attention to detail and scope Rockstar is aiming for, then GTA 6 might just be the biggest leap forward the genre has seen since players first stepped out of that taxi in GTA 3.
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