Best Games to Play While You Wait for GTA 6

November 19 is closer than it's ever been, but it's still a wait. Here's what's actually worth your time until then, real games, real release info, no filler picks.

Quick Answer

GTA V, If Somehow You Haven't Finished It

Rockstar's own GTA V (2013) is still the most direct answer, especially if you've never fully explored Los Santos or gone deep into GTA Online. It's also the best way to understand what GTA 6 is building on, see our [GTA 6 vs GTA 5 comparison] for exactly what's changing.

Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar's Other Masterwork

If what you love about GTA is Rockstar's density of detail and world reactivity rather than the crime-city setting specifically, Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) delivers that at an even slower, more deliberate pace. It's a different genre, a western, not a crime game, but it's the clearest example of the studio's current design philosophy, the same one shaping GTA 6.

Sleeping Dogs, For a Tighter, More Focused Crime Story

Sleeping Dogs (2012, United Front Games/Square Enix Europe) is smaller in scope than GTA, but its Hong Kong setting and focused undercover-cop storyline make it one of the tightest open-world crime games ever made. If GTA 6's map size sounds overwhelming and you'd rather have a shorter, more concentrated experience, this is worth revisiting.

Watch Dogs: Legion, Modern City, Different Hook

Watch Dogs: Legion (Ubisoft, 2020) trades GTA's character-driven crime story for a "play as anyone" system across a modern, hackable London. It won't scratch the same narrative itch as GTA, but if what you actually want is a living, systemic modern city to cause chaos in, it's a legitimate option with a very different core mechanic.

Saints Row (2022), Know Before You Buy

Saints Row's 2022 reboot leans into GTA-adjacent open-world chaos with a more comedic, over-the-top tone than Rockstar's games. Worth flagging honestly: it launched to mixed reviews, citing technical issues and dated gameplay elements at release, and developer Volition was shut down by parent company Embracer Group in August 2023, so there's no confirmed active sequel in development. It's still playable and can be fun in short bursts, but go in with those caveats rather than expecting a GTA-tier polish level.

Mafia: The Old Country, Different Structure, Same Atmosphere

Mafia: The Old Country (Hangar 13/2K, August 2025) is worth including with a clear caveat: it's a linear, story-driven prequel set in 1900s Sicily, not an open-world game. If what draws you to GTA is the mob-drama atmosphere and character-driven crime story rather than open-world freedom, it's a genuinely well-regarded pick, just don't expect a sandbox.

Related Reading

• Want the full confirmed picture of what's actually coming? Read our Origins pillar: [GTA 6: Everything We Know So Far], anchor: "everything confirmed about GTA 6," placed in the intro.
• Curious exactly how big a jump GTA 6 is from the last mainline entry? See our Comparisons piece: [GTA 6 vs GTA 5: What's Actually Different], anchor: "GTA 6 vs GTA 5 comparison," placed in the "GTA V" section (already linked above).
• Want to know how the mainline series stacks up historically? Check our Tier Lists ranking: [Every Mainline GTA Game Ranked], anchor: "how the mainline GTA games rank," placed near the Quick Answer table.

Sources

• Wikipedia, Saints Row (2022 video game), Mafia: The Old Country, Mafia (series)
• GameSpot, "Saints Row Studio Volition Shut Down Just After 30-Year Anniversary": https://www.gamespot.com/articles/saints-row-studio-volition-shut-down-just-after-30-year-anniversary/1100-6517393/
• GameSpot, "Mafia: The Old Country – Release Date, Trailer, $50 Price, Smaller Time Commitment": https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mafia-the-old-country-release-date-trailer-story/1100-6531409/
• Rockstar Games, official GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 pages: https://www.rockstargames.com/