For what it’s worth, the seemingly endless wait for GTA 6 might be the biggest test of patience in modern gaming, made no easier by Rockstar’s justifiable continued commitment to excellence. The new release date, now set for November 19, 2026, will arrive six months later than the May 2026 window teased in the second trailer. This delay is costing Rockstar money by the minute; competitors are adjusting their schedules to avoid a clash, and fans are stuck in a cycle of anticipation and frustration.

Nothing but the arrival of blockbuster GTA 6 will make things any better for all parties (except the competitors), but while waiting for the biggest gaming release of the decade, revisiting other open-world titles might help get past (hopefully) the last round of the wait faster. Here are six of such titles that come close.

Sleeping Dogs (United Front Games)

Over a decade after its release, Sleeping Dogs’ exploration of Hong Kong’s criminal underworld still feels wholly alive. It’s perfect for anyone interested in the living world experience of the GTA series, albeit from the perspective of an undercover cop turned criminal. You won’t get GTA’s combat focus or its run-and-gun chaos, but you’re assured a riveting plot filled with conflicting loyalties, betrayals, and cinematic action centred around the martial artist protagonist Wei Shen.

Watch Dogs 2 (Ubisoft Montreal)

Developer Ubisoft Montreal redeemed the Watch Dogs name with its sequel, turning the flaws of the first instalment into a polished, energetic experience. Watch Dogs 2 corrected the stiffness of its predecessor with a more vibrant setting in a fictionalised San Francisco Bay Area and a charismatic cast of hacktivists led by Marcus Holloway. The game offers freedom similar to GTA, complemented by its tongue-in-cheek critique of Silicon Valley’s tech culture, street crime, and the excesses of America’s tech ecosystem.

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)

Red Dead Redemption 2, the very peak of Rockstar’s craft, is the gold standard of open-world immersion. It follows Arthur Morgan, an outlaw and senior enforcer for the Van der Linde gang in 1899. Set in the dying days of the American frontier, Red Dead Redemption 2 captures loyalty, loss, and lawlessness with unmatched cinematic weight. Every detail, from the weathered guns to Morgan’s quiet introspection, draws you deeper into a living, breathing world. It’s slower and more deliberate than GTA, but every bit as rewarding.

Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red)

For a game that had a disastrous launch, riddled with bugs and broken promises, Cyberpunk 2077 has made quite the comeback. After its rocky start, Night City has finally become the neon sprawl it was meant to be: dense, vertical, and pulsing with life. With the Phantom Liberty expansion, CD Projekt Red delivered gripping storytelling, improved driving, and police chase systems that bring the chaotic vehicle gameplay GTA fans crave. For players seeking the urban chaos and freedom that define GTA, this is the next best thing.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio)

Set in Yokohama, Japan, Yakuza: Like a Dragon offers a fresh spin on Japanese crime stories, complete with some of the most bizarre, hilarious, and heartwarming side quests in gaming. It reimagines the series with turn-based combat and an eccentric, big-hearted protagonist in Ichiban Kasuga. Between street brawls and karaoke nights, Yakuza: Like a Dragon finds a balance between crime, comedy, and compassion that few open-world titles manage.

Just Cause 4 (Avalanche Studios)

Just Cause 4 takes open-world chaos to explosive new heights. Set in the fictional South American nation of Solís, it gives players near-limitless freedom to cause destruction using Rico Rodriguez’s signature grappling hook, wingsuit, and arsenal of over-the-top weaponry. It’s pure mayhem, a sandbox of explosions and physics-driven fun that keeps the adrenaline pumping.