Best GTA Alternatives in 2026 — Ranked
· 10 min read · By Justlikegames Editorial
Still waiting for GTA VI? Here are the 12 best open-world crime games available in 2026, ranked from best to most underrated.
GTA VI is still on the horizon. Until then, these are the 12 best open-world crime, sandbox, and chaos games available in 2026 — ranked.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
The undisputed king of open-world storytelling. Rockstar at their peak. If you have only one game on this list, make it this one.
2. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Post-2.0, Cyberpunk is finally the GTA-of-the-future people wanted at launch. Night City is the most reactive open world ever built.
3. GTA V: Enhanced Edition
Don't sleep on the original. GTA V is the highest-selling entertainment product of all time for a reason.
4. Yakuza: Like a Dragon + Infinite Wealth
Crime drama, turn-based combat, and Hawaii. The duology has the most personality of any game on this list.
5. Mafia: The Old Country (2026)
The newest entry in the Mafia series. Sicily, 1900s, family vendettas.
6. Saints Row: The Third Remastered
Still the best comedic crime sandbox. Skip the 2022 reboot.
7. Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition
Hong Kong's undercover cop saga. Better combat than any GTA.
8. Watch_Dogs 2
San Francisco, hacker collective, drone heists. The best Watch_Dogs by a wide margin.
9. Just Cause 4
Pure unfiltered chaos. The grappling hook is the best traversal in any open-world game.
10. Mafia: Definitive Edition
The 1930s remake of the original. Tighter than GTA, with a story that hits harder.
11. Sleeping Dogs successor: Triad Wars (cancelled — included for the legend)
Worth knowing it existed. A spiritual GTA Online competitor that died before launch.
12. The Precinct (2026)
Indie cops-and-robbers GTA throwback in a top-down 80s style. The dark horse pick of 2026.
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