Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed. again. We can all take a cue from the “I’m disappointed beyond measure, my day is ruined” meme, but the truth is that few actually expected GTA 6 to stick to its May 2026 release date. Considering the scale of the project, the amount of detail visible in both trailers, and the astronomical polish standards we’ve come to expect from Rockstar Games games, Grand Theft Auto 6 clearly needs more time in the car shop.
But take heart, because there’s still more to play. There are always more games to play. New ones, old ones, and the scariest of all: those in the backlog. But if you can’t have the real thing, it’s natural to want something that feels like it. So this will be a list of “We have GTA 6 at home” games.
Surprisingly, but understandably, the third-person open world crime genre hasn’t been overrun with games. There was a time when we had several “GTA clones” – True Crime, Saints Row, Mafia. But open-world action-adventure games—where you can freely drive a car, perform open-ended missions, and play in a giant sandbox—are expensive and difficult to make. It doesn’t help that GTA is too big to handle. As a result, only a few offer a GTA-adjacent experience. Here, we’ll take a look at five relatively modern open-world crime games that you can play while you wait for GTA 6.
Grand Theft Auto IV (PC, PS3, Xbox)
Okay, I cheated. There is no better way to get the GTA experience than playing a GTA game. If you’re going to do that, why not play the best of them all (sorry, GTA 5 fans). Grand Theft Auto 4 came out in 2008 and it’s still more atmospheric than games being made today.
The GTA series has been, for the most part, gorgeous, colorful, and light-hearted, but GTA 4 has a darker tone and really sells the dead American dream. The game’s New York City (Liberty City) setting remains iconic; Niko Bellic remains undefeated as the most interesting protagonist in GTA; and nearly two decades after its release, the visuals still hold up very well!
Grand Theft Auto 4 takes on a darker tone
Image source: Rockstar Games
Watch Dogs 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
However, if you want something that matches the GTA 6 color palette, Watch Dogs 2 is the right choice. The first Watch Dogs was a disappointment on almost every level, but the second game in the series is actually pretty good. The San Francisco setting, dynamic cast of characters, and flexible hacking sandbox make the game a lot of fun.
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
This is a given. Sleeping Dogs is one of the coolest open world crime games ever made. In GTA, you always play a criminal. But Sleeping Dogs answers the question: What if you were a criminal working as an undercover cop?
Set in Hong Kong, the game borrows heavily from Asian action movies to create an immersive and engaging open world. The story is great too. Conflicting loyalties, betrayal and cinematic action – what more do you need? Sleeping Dogs also carved a unique identity for itself with its excellent martial arts melee combat, something you won’t find anywhere else in the genre.
“Sleeping Dogs” is set in Hong Kong
Image Credit: Square Enix/United Front Games
Saints Row IV (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Saints Row has always been the king of GTA clones. You could say this series is a messy, wacky, low-budget version of Grand Theft Auto, but it’s much more than that. “Saints Row” continues the style of GTA games, allowing you to run wildly in the open world.
Saints Row 4 takes this level of madness to a hundred. You are the President of the United States and you also have super powers. Need I say more? Add to that the over-the-top missions, alien invasions, and arsenal of weapons, and this is no longer a Grand Theft Auto experience. It’s its own thing, but it’s also really fun.
Mafia 3 has a compelling protagonist and story
Image source: 2K/ Hangar 13
Mafia III: Definitive Edition (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Mafia 3 isn’t the best mafia game. Its mission design is flawed, often problematic, and repetitive. But it features the series’ most interesting protagonist and a compelling story. Mafia 3 is set in New Bordeaux, a fictional setting of 1960s New Orleans, and puts you in the role of Lincoln Clay, a Vietnam War veteran on a road of revenge.
Mafia games are told from the perspective of a gangster. But here, as Clay, you’re an outsider hunting down the city’s crime families. Mafia 3’s technical challenges and uninspired open-world campaign detract from the experience, but its emotionally charged narrative, memorable characters, and evocative ’60s setting make up for most of its shortcomings.
