With GTA 6 now confirmed for November 19, 2026, the wait has felt longer than ever especially since the release date has already slipped twice from its original 2025 target. The good news is that the open-world genre has had one of its strongest runs in years, and there’s no shortage of excellent games to keep you busy until Vice City finally opens up.
Here are 10 open-world games worth playing right now, whether you want a crime-and-chaos fix, a slower narrative adventure, or something completely different from the GTA formula.
10 Best Open-World Games
| S.N. | Game | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| 2 | Cyberpunk 2077 | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| 3 | Assassin’s Creed Shadows | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| 4 | Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| 5 | Forza Horizon 5 | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| 6 | Elden Ring | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| 7 | Starfield | Xbox Series X/S, PC (Game Pass) |
| 8 | Ghost of Tsushima | PS4, PS5 |
| 9 | Crimson Desert | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| 10 | No Man’s Sky | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Switch |
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
If you want the closest thing to GTA 6’s tone and quality from Rockstar itself, this is the obvious starting point. Red Dead Redemption 2 delivers a sprawling, meticulously detailed world, a genuinely emotional story following outlaw Arthur Morgan, and the same attention to small details that makes Rockstar’s games stand out — from dynamic weather to NPCs who remember how you treated them. Years after launch, it remains one of the best-reviewed open-world games ever made.
2. Cyberpunk 2077
Years after a rocky launch, Cyberpunk 2077 has been transformed through years of updates and its Phantom Liberty expansion into one of the best open-world RPGs available today. Night City offers a completely different flavor of crime and chaos compared to GTA, wrapped in a genuinely gripping sci-fi story about identity, corporate power, and survival. If you skipped it at launch due to the negative buzz, it’s worth revisiting now.
3. Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Released in March 2025, Shadows is widely considered one of the best entries in the Assassin’s Creed series’ open-world era, selling over 3 million copies in its first month. Set in 1579 feudal Japan, it features two playable protagonists — Naoe, a stealth-focused shinobi, and Yasuke, a katana-wielding samurai based on a real historical figure — across a beautifully realized, seasonally-changing map spanning multiple provinces.
4. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Released in February 2025, this is one of the most immersive medieval RPGs ever made. It drops you into 15th-century Bohemia as Henry of Skalitz, with realistic combat and a world that reacts believably to your choices — right down to needing to eat, sleep, and keep yourself presentable before talking to nobles. It’s not for everyone, but few games offer this level of historical immersion.
5. Forza Horizon 5
Not every open-world game needs guns and crime. Forza Horizon 5 is set in a vibrant, fictionalized recreation of Mexico spanning roughly 107 square kilometers, and remains one of the best-looking, most content-rich racing games ever made. With a roster of over 500 cars and constant seasonal events, it’s easy to lose dozens of hours here without realizing it. Originally an Xbox/PC exclusive, it came to PS5 in April 2025.
6. Elden Ring
If you haven’t experienced FromSoftware’s take on open-world design yet, Elden Ring remains a benchmark for the genre — a massive, interconnected world packed with secrets, punishing combat, and genuine discovery at every turn. Unlike most open-world games, it trusts players to find their own path with minimal hand-holding, which makes every discovery feel earned.
7. Starfield
Bethesda’s space RPG has grown significantly since launch, with recent updates adding vehicles, reworked points of interest, a new Cruise Mode for smoother space travel, and a story expansion called Terran Armada. If you want an open world that spans entire star systems rather than a single city, this is worth revisiting — especially if you have Xbox Game Pass.
8. Ghost of Tsushima
A gorgeous samurai-era open world set on Tsushima Island, blending intense sword combat with quieter, more meditative exploration — including activities like composing haikus or cutting through bamboo stalks. Its sequel, Ghost of Yotei, released in 2025 and moves the setting forward to 1603 Hokkaido, so there’s now even more of this series to sink into if you finish the original.
9. Crimson Desert
One of 2026’s most talked-about open-world releases, Crimson Desert puts you in the role of Kliff in a massive, detail-packed fantasy world centered on reviving the Greymanes. It’s a divisive game among players — brilliant and visually stunning in some moments, uneven in missions and boss fights in others — but its sheer ambition and constant post-launch support make it worth trying.
10. No Man’s Sky
Few games have redeemed themselves as thoroughly as No Man’s Sky. Since its rocky 2016 launch, developer Hello Games has released over 20 major free updates, adding base building, multiplayer, underwater exploration, mech suits, and settlement management — turning a once-controversial release into one of the most content-rich open worlds on any platform, spanning over 18 quintillion procedurally generated planets.
How These Games Compare to What GTA 6 Is Expected to Offer
While none of these games will fully replicate the specific blend of satire, crime, and chaos that defines the GTA series, they each capture a different piece of what makes Rockstar’s games special — whether that’s Red Dead’s attention to detail, Cyberpunk’s morally complex city, or Crimson Desert’s sheer scale. Playing a mix of these in the months before launch is a good way to reset your expectations and appreciate different approaches to open-world design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which game on this list feels most similar to GTA?
Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 are the closest matches — both come from studios known for GTA-style detail, storytelling, and open-world chaos, just in different settings.
Are any of these games free to play?
Most on this list are paid titles, though several — like Starfield — are available through subscription services such as Xbox Game Pass.
Is GTA 6 definitely releasing on November 19, 2026?
That’s Rockstar’s officially confirmed date as of now, though the game has already been delayed twice before landing on this date, so it’s worth keeping an eye on official announcements as launch approaches.
Will any of these games get a sequel before GTA 6 releases?
Ghost of Yotei (the Ghost of Tsushima sequel) already released in 2025, and several other franchises on this list have sequels in active development, though none are confirmed to land before GTA 6.
Which of these games has the biggest open world?
No Man’s Sky technically has the largest scope by far, with over 18 quintillion procedurally generated planets, though Red Dead Redemption 2 and Crimson Desert offer some of the most densely detailed single maps in the genre.
Release dates, platforms, and game details are accurate as of publication and are subject to change with future updates or ports.
