GTA 6 delayed: 5 epic games you can play right now while you wait for the much-awaited release

Yes, it’s happened. Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed yet again, now slated for November 19, 2026. Cue the resurgence of the “We got abc before GTA 6″ memes. The game was officially announced way back in December 2023, and since then, anticipation has reached a fever pitch. Its second trailer alone racked up over 250 million views, proving that no other gaming franchise commands quite the same global obsession.

ALSO READ: GTA 6 launch delayed yet again; here’s when it’s finally coming

Rockstar calls GTA 6 its most ambitious project ever; an open-world odyssey set in Vice City, promising lifelike visuals, dynamic weather, and characters that feel genuinely alive. But with more than a year to go, fans are left in limbo, engines idling.

The good news? There are plenty of games that capture the same spirit of freedom, crime, and chaos. Here are five titles that’ll help you survive the long wait for GTA 6.

Red Dead Redemption 2: The Wild West GTA you didn’t know you needed

If you love the cinematic storytelling and sprawling chaos of GTA, Red Dead Redemption 2 is basically Rockstar’s cowboy cousin. You swap neon skylines for dusty sunsets, and cars for horses; but the thrill is all the same.

You play as Arthur Morgan, an outlaw navigating the dying embers of the Wild West. The story is layered, the characters unforgettable, and the world so detailed you can practically smell the campfire smoke. It’s slower paced than GTA, but every shootout, heist, and heartbreak hits harder.

Cyberpunk 2077: GTA meets Blade Runner

After its rocky launch, Cyberpunk 2077 has transformed into one of the most immersive open-world games out there. You play as V, a mercenary tearing through the neon-lit streets of Night City, where power, crime, and chaos rule in equal measure.

Think of it as GTA 5 reimagined through a futuristic, dystopian lens. You can hijack cars, complete wild gigs, and build alliances (or destroy them). Add in a moody Keanu Reeves cameo and stellar recent updates, and it’s now every GTA fan’s dream detour.

Sleeping Dogs: Hong Kong’s answer to Los Santos

Sleeping Dogs may be more than a decade old, but it remains criminally underrated. Set in a fictionalised Hong Kong, you play as an undercover cop infiltrating the Triads; a premise that perfectly balances story-driven drama and open-world anarchy.

Where GTA relies on bullets, Sleeping Dogs favours fists and fluid martial-arts combat. Its hand-to-hand fighting system feels electric, its writing is tight, and its world hums with energy. If you’ve ever wanted GTA with more grit and fewer gunfights, this is it.

Watch Dogs 2: Hack the system, own the city

While Watch Dogs 2 trades bank heists for hacking networks, it channels that same rebellious GTA spirit. You roam a stylised version of San Francisco as Marcus Holloway, a young hacker fighting back against corporate surveillance.

ALSO READ: GTA 6 rumour round up: Release date, Vice City return, gameplay, and more

You can commandeer cars, drones, and even security cameras to outsmart enemies or cause utter mayhem. It’s not as brutal as GTA, but it offers the same sandbox freedom, just with more code and fewer bullets.

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected: When GTA went to space (almost)

Saints Row IV doesn’t just break the rules, it pretty much vapourises them. You’re the President of the United States, fighting off an alien invasion with superpowers and a dubstep gun. Subtle? Not even close. Fun? Absolutely.

This is GTA’s over-caffeinated cousin, fast, absurd, and gloriously unhinged. The Re-Elected edition bundles in every DLC, turning this chaos fest into one of the most joyously ridiculous open-world experiences you can have before GTA 6 finally lands.

Which one are you playing?

While Rockstar fine-tunes the next big chapter of Grand Theft Auto, these five games keep the spirit alive; crime, cars, chaos, and all. Whether you want realism, mayhem, or something in between, each one offers its own brand of lawless freedom until that long-awaited GTA 6 November 2026 arrival (unless it’s postponed again).

Which one are you giving a go? Drop a comment to let us know.