7 best games to play while waiting for GTA 6

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GTA 6 is just under two weeks away and the statement feels unreal after almost two decades of waiting. Rockstar Games is preparing to release the highly anticipated title on November 19, 2026.

While the wait for GTA 6 is almost over, we still have almost two weeks left. Two weeks seems long but you can make the time pass very fast by playing some games in the meantime. There are plenty of open-world games worth checking out. Here are seven of the best games you can play while waiting for GTA 6.

7 games that you can play while waiting for GTA 6

1) Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the best games to try if you enjoy Rockstar’s open-world design and storytelling. Set in 1899, the game follows Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang as they struggle to survive in a changing America.

You can explore a massive open world filled with towns, forests, mountains, and random encounters. If you want to experience Rockstar’s attention to detail before GTA 6, Red Dead Redemption 2 is the best choice. Also, everything you experience in RDR 2 will be getting an upgraded version in GTA 6.

2) Crimson Desert

Crimson Desert will offer you a plethora of different gameplay mechanics (Image via Pearl Abyss)

Crimson Desert is another great option, especially following the release of its Charting the Unknown DLC. Developed by Pearl Abyss, the game takes place in the fantasy world of Pywel, where you can do almost anything.

The mechanics here are unlike those of any other game because you can ride a dragon, use a mech suit, use magic, or just relax in the beautiful open world. The new expansion introduces new storylines for Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane, along with ocean exploration.

3) Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk offers a great story experience (Image via CD PROJEKT RED)

Cyberpunk 2077 is worth playing if you want a modern open-world experience with a strong focus on storytelling. The game takes place in Night City, a futuristic metropolis where crime is just as common as opportunity.

You play as V, a mercenary whose decisions can influence the story and relationships with other characters. The Phantom Liberty expansion also adds a new storyline and the Dogtown district, giving you even more content to explore. Note that you will not get the best open world or exploration experience in Cyberpunk 2077 but the story and characters make up for that.

4) Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 is a more relaxed and quirky open-world experience (Image via Ubisoft)

Watch Dogs 2 is one of the closest alternatives to GTA when it comes to exploring a modern city. Set in a fictional version of the San Francisco Bay Area, the game follows Marcus Holloway, a hacker working with the DedSec group.

A lot of players compare Watch Dogs 2 with GTA 5 but that is unfair because the two games have completely different gameplay mechanics. The open-world experience is not the best, something that we have come to expect from Ubisoft games. However, if you want to get into a city where you can wreak havoc, this is the game to go for.

5) Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

Sleeping Dogs is a great game with some amazing combat experience (Image via United Front Games)

Sleeping Dogs is an open-world action game set in Hong Kong. You play as Wei Shen, an undercover police officer who infiltrates a criminal organisation while trying to maintain his cover.

Unlike GTA, Sleeping Dogs places greater focus on martial arts and close-range combat. The Definitive Edition also includes previously released downloadable content, making it the best version to experience the complete game. Play this game for the dark and gritty world and of course, the combat experience.

6) Saints Row: The Third Remastered

Saints Row The Third Remastered is an over-the-top open world experience (Image via Deep Silver)

If you enjoy the more exaggerated side of GTA, Saints Row: The Third Remastered is worth checking out. The game takes place in Steelport, where the Third Street Saints attempt to expand their influence.

The game focuses heavily on humour and over-the-top situations rather than realistic storytelling. It is a good alternative if you want a less serious open-world experience before GTA 6 arrives. Avoid the latest Saints Row because it is a dull husk of what the franchise initially promised.

7) Grand Theft Auto V

GTA 5 offers a great open-world experience, despite being 13 years old (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA 5 remains one of the best games to revisit before the next instalment arrives. The story follows Michael, Franklin, and Trevor, three protagonists whose lives become connected through a series of events in Los Santos.

It is quite unbelievable that a game that’s 13 years old is still getting a mention in 2026 because of the game’s quality. As you prepare to enter Vice City and see what the latest hardware can offer, playing GTA 5 is a great way of paying homage to a game that kept gamers entertained.

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Edited by Pranay Mishra

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