Grand Theft Auto 6 is now set to launch on November 19, 2026, which gives players plenty of time to revisit Rockstar classics and explore other open-world crime games before returning to Vice City. Rockstar officially confirmed the new release date on its Newswire.
But the best games to play before GTA 6 are not only GTA clones. Some games prepare you for Rockstar-style storytelling, while others offer city chaos, fast cars, crime drama, police chases, explosions, and side activities.
Quick takeaway: If you want the closest GTA 6 warm-up, play GTA 5. If you want Rockstar’s best storytelling, play Red Dead Redemption 2. If you want a different city-based crime game, try Cyberpunk 2077 or Sleeping Dogs.
1. Grand Theft Auto V
Why GTA 5 Is the Best Game to Play Before GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto V is the most obvious game to play before GTA 6 because it is still the closest direct experience to Rockstar’s next open-world crime game. It gives you everything that defines the modern GTA formula: a huge city, multiple protagonists, heists, cars, shootouts, satire, side missions, and unpredictable chaos.
GTA 5 follows Michael, Franklin, and Trevor across Los Santos. Each character brings a different side of the criminal world. Michael represents the retired criminal pulled back into trouble, Franklin is trying to rise above street crime, and Trevor is pure madness.
Why it matters before GTA 6: GTA 5 shows the foundation Rockstar is likely building from, especially in mission design, open-world pacing, and cinematic storytelling.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Huge open world with city, countryside, beaches, highways, and mountains
- Three playable protagonists with connected storylines
- Heist missions with planning and execution
- Police chases, driving, shooting, flying, and side activities
- GTA Online for multiplayer missions, businesses, cars, and chaos
Best For
Players who want the closest possible GTA 6 preparation.
If you want to understand how Rockstar may evolve its open-world formula, start with GTA 5 and then read our guide on the GTA 6 features fans are most excited about.
2. Red Dead Redemption 2
Why Red Dead Redemption 2 Shows Rockstar’s Best Open-World Design
Red Dead Redemption 2 is not a modern crime game, but it may be the most important Rockstar game to play before GTA 6. It shows Rockstar’s strongest work in storytelling, character development, world detail, and immersion.
Instead of fast cars and neon streets, Red Dead Redemption 2 gives you horses, outlaws, small towns, forests, mountains, and a slow-burn story about the collapse of the Van der Linde gang.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Deep character writing and emotional storytelling
- A world that reacts naturally to the player
- Random encounters that make exploration feel rewarding
- Detailed NPC behavior, wildlife, towns, camps, and weather
- Strong themes of crime, loyalty, betrayal, and survival
Rockstar reminder: GTA is faster and louder, but Red Dead Redemption 2 proves how detailed and emotional Rockstar’s open worlds can become.
Best For
Players who want story, realism, immersion, and world-building before GTA 6.
If GTA 6 brings the same level of detail to Vice City and Leonida, it could be Rockstar’s most ambitious open world yet. You can also compare expectations in our GTA 6 map vs GTA 5 map breakdown.
3. Cyberpunk 2077
Why Cyberpunk 2077 Is a Strong City-Based GTA Alternative
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the best games to play before GTA 6 if you want a dense city filled with crime, gangs, vehicles, weapons, police systems, side missions, and stylish chaos.
Night City is very different from Vice City, but it offers the same feeling of being inside a massive, dangerous urban world. You play as V, a mercenary trying to survive in a city controlled by corporations, fixers, gangs, and cyber-enhanced criminals.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- A huge futuristic city with different districts
- Driving, weapons, gangs, police encounters, and crime missions
- Strong side quests with memorable characters
- Multiple playstyles, including hacking, stealth, shooting, and melee
- A darker, more RPG-focused take on open-world crime
Best For
Players who want a dense city sandbox with more RPG depth than GTA.
Best reason to play: Night City feels dangerous, stylish, and alive. It is one of the strongest urban open worlds to explore while waiting for GTA 6.
4. Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition
Why Sleeping Dogs Is Still One of the Best GTA-Like Games
Sleeping Dogs is one of the best GTA-style games ever made. It follows Wei Shen, an undercover cop who infiltrates the Hong Kong criminal underworld. The result is a stylish crime drama with street fights, police work, driving, racing, gang missions, and emotional storytelling.
Unlike GTA, Sleeping Dogs focuses heavily on martial arts combat. The hand-to-hand fighting is brutal, fast, and cinematic, making every street fight feel satisfying.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Undercover crime story with strong characters
- Hong Kong-inspired open world with neon streets and markets
- Excellent hand-to-hand combat
- Street races, police chases, side activities, and gang missions
- A focused story that never feels bloated
Hidden gem alert: Sleeping Dogs may not be as big as GTA, but it has one of the best crime-game atmospheres ever.
Best For
Players who want GTA-style crime with better melee combat and a tighter story.
5. Saints Row IV
Why Saints Row IV Is the Wildest GTA-Style Sandbox
Saints Row IV takes the GTA-style crime sandbox and turns it into complete madness. Instead of trying to be realistic, it gives players aliens, superpowers, simulations, comedy, and over-the-top destruction.
You play as the leader of the Saints, who somehow becomes the President of the United States before an alien invasion changes everything. From there, the game becomes a wild open-world playground.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Open-world chaos with no serious limits
- Superpowers, alien weapons, huge jumps, and fast movement
- Comedy-heavy missions and ridiculous set pieces
- Character customization and wild weapons
- A sandbox that rewards experimentation
Best For
Players who want pure chaos, comedy, and freedom.
Not for realism: Saints Row IV is not the closest GTA 6 alternative, but it is one of the most fun games to play while waiting.
6. Just Cause 4
Why Just Cause 4 Is Perfect for Open-World Destruction
Just Cause 4 is not a crime game, but it delivers the kind of open-world destruction many GTA fans love. If your favorite part of GTA is stealing vehicles, blowing things up, escaping enemies, and creating action-movie chaos, this game is worth trying.
You play as Rico Rodriguez, a one-man army with a grappling hook, parachute, wingsuit, explosives, and access to all kinds of vehicles.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Massive open world built for destruction
- Grappling hook, parachute, wingsuit, and vehicles
- Explosions, military bases, helicopters, jets, and tanks
- Over-the-top action instead of realistic crime
- Freedom to create your own chaos
Best For
Players who want vehicles, explosions, and sandbox freedom.
Play Just Cause 4 when you want less story and more action. It is the best pick on this list for players who simply want to break everything.
7. Watch Dogs 2
Why Watch Dogs 2 Feels Like a Tech-Focused GTA Alternative
Watch Dogs 2 is a great option if you want a modern city sandbox with driving, police chases, stealth, hacking, drones, and missions built around technology.
Set in the San Francisco Bay Area, the game follows Marcus Holloway and DedSec as they take on corrupt tech companies and surveillance systems. It has a brighter and more playful tone than the first Watch Dogs, which makes it easier to recommend to GTA fans.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Modern city setting with cars, bikes, boats, and drones
- Hacking-based missions with creative solutions
- Police chases and stealth gameplay
- Satire of tech companies, influencers, and digital culture
- A lighter tone compared to many crime games
Best feature: Hacking changes how you approach missions. You can control cameras, vehicles, phones, traffic lights, and security systems without always using guns.
Best For
Players who want a modern open-world city with tech-focused gameplay.
8. Mafia: Definitive Edition
Why Mafia: Definitive Edition Is Great for Crime Story Fans
Mafia: Definitive Edition is more linear than GTA, but it is one of the best games to play before GTA 6 if you enjoy serious crime stories. It follows Tommy Angelo, a taxi driver who gets pulled into organized crime in the 1930s.
The game is not about causing endless chaos in a giant sandbox. It is about atmosphere, story, characters, and classic gangster drama.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Strong cinematic crime story
- Classic gangster setting
- Vintage cars and period-accurate city design
- Focused missions with shootouts and chases
- A more serious tone than GTA
Best For
Players who want a focused gangster story instead of a massive open-world playground.
Play this if: You like the crime side of GTA more than the random chaos.
9. L.A. Noire
Why L.A. Noire Is a Different Kind of Rockstar Crime Game
L.A. Noire is one of Rockstar’s most unique crime games because it puts you on the law enforcement side instead of the criminal side. You play as Cole Phelps, a detective solving cases in 1940s Los Angeles.
Instead of robbing banks or causing chaos, you investigate crime scenes, question suspects, follow clues, and uncover corruption.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Detective-based crime storytelling
- 1940s Los Angeles setting
- Interrogations, clues, cases, and investigations
- Police work instead of criminal missions
- Rockstar-style atmosphere and presentation
Different but worth it: L.A. Noire is slower than GTA, but it gives you a fresh look at crime from the other side of the law.
Best For
Players who want detective work, police drama, and a slower Rockstar crime story.
10. Yakuza 0
Why Yakuza 0 Belongs on Every Crime Game List
Yakuza 0 is not a GTA clone, but it absolutely belongs on this list. It is one of the best crime dramas in gaming, with unforgettable characters, emotional storytelling, brutal street fights, and some of the funniest side activities you will find in any open-world-style game.
The game follows Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima in 1980s Japan. It has a serious underworld story, but it also lets you spend hours singing karaoke, managing businesses, playing mini-games, fighting thugs, and helping strange NPCs.
What GTA 6 Fans Will Like About It
- Strong crime story with emotional character arcs
- Dense city districts packed with side activities
- Street fights and stylish combat
- Serious main story mixed with hilarious side quests
- Memorable characters and excellent writing
Biggest surprise: Yakuza 0 does not need a massive map to feel alive. Its smaller city areas are packed with personality.
Best For
Players who want crime drama, strong characters, humor, and side activities.
How to Choose the Best Game to Play Before GTA 6
Play GTA 5 If You Want the Closest Experience
Choose GTA 5 if you want:
- The most direct GTA 6 preparation
- Rockstar-style heists
- Open-world driving and police chases
- Multiple playable characters
- A modern city crime sandbox
Play Red Dead Redemption 2 If You Want Rockstar-Level Storytelling
Choose Red Dead Redemption 2 if you want:
- Deep storytelling
- Realistic world design
- Strong character writing
- Immersive exploration
- A slower but richer Rockstar experience
Play Cyberpunk 2077 If You Want a Dense City Sandbox
Choose Cyberpunk 2077 if you want:
- A futuristic city
- Gangs, cars, weapons, and police encounters
- RPG-style freedom
- Strong side missions
- A darker open-world experience
Play Sleeping Dogs If You Want Crime and Hand-to-Hand Combat
Choose Sleeping Dogs if you want:
- A focused crime story
- Martial arts combat
- Hong Kong-style atmosphere
- Street races and police missions
- A shorter but memorable GTA-like experience
Play Saints Row IV or Just Cause 4 If You Want Open-World Chaos
Choose these games if you want:
- Explosions
- Superpowers
- Vehicle mayhem
- Over-the-top action
- Less realism and more fun
Final Verdict
If you only have time to play one game before GTA 6, play Grand Theft Auto V. It is still the best warm-up because it gives you Rockstar’s modern GTA formula in its most complete form.
If you want the best storytelling experience, play Red Dead Redemption 2. If you want a city-based alternative, play Cyberpunk 2077 or Sleeping Dogs. If you just want chaos, go with Saints Row IV or Just Cause 4.
Final pick: GTA 5 is the best overall game to play before GTA 6, but Red Dead Redemption 2 is the best reminder of what Rockstar can do when it goes all-in on world-building and story.
What is the best game to play before GTA 6?
The best game to play before GTA 6 is Grand Theft Auto V because it is the closest direct experience. It has Rockstar’s modern open-world design, heists, driving, crime missions, police chases, side activities, and GTA Online.
Which game is most similar to GTA 6?
GTA 5 is the most similar game overall. However, Sleeping Dogs, Watch Dogs 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Saints Row IV are also good choices if you want open-world city gameplay with crime, vehicles, missions, and action.
Should I play GTA 5 before GTA 6?
Yes, GTA 5 is the best game to play before GTA 6. It helps you understand Rockstar’s mission design, character switching, open-world structure, police system, driving, and heist gameplay.
Is Red Dead Redemption 2 worth playing before GTA 6?
Yes, Red Dead Redemption 2 is worth playing before GTA 6 because it shows Rockstar’s best storytelling, character writing, world detail, and immersive open-world design.
Are there any games like GTA 6?
Yes. Some of the best games like GTA 6 include GTA 5, Sleeping Dogs, Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs 2, Saints Row IV, Mafia: Definitive Edition, and Just Cause 4.
Which open-world game should I play while waiting for GTA 6?
If you want a Rockstar game, play GTA 5 or Red Dead Redemption 2. If you want a non-Rockstar alternative, play Cyberpunk 2077, Sleeping Dogs, Watch Dogs 2, or Yakuza 0.
Before you jump into the list, you may also want to check our breakdown of the biggest differences between GTA 6 and GTA 5 and how the GTA 6 map compares to GTA 5.
