Prepare for GTA VI with these six open-world crime games
- Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for release on November 19, 2026.
- Players can access the game early via New Zealand store methods.
- Six recommended alternatives include Watch Dogs 2 and Sleeping Dogs.
- The new free-to-play game Rob Run offers a massive crime sandbox.
- Traders on Polymarket give GTA VI an 89% chance of winning Game of the Year.
Rockstar Games will release Grand Theft Auto VI for PlayStation and Xbox platforms on November 19, 2026.
The release schedule concludes on November 19 at 6am UTC in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. In the United Kingdom, the game goes live at 12am UTC on November 19.
Players can gain early access to the game by using specific regional strategies. Xbox users can access the game early by changing their console location settings to New Zealand and restarting the device.
PlayStation users can access the game early by creating a new network account set to New Zealand. Users must purchase the title from the New Zealand store and enable console sharing and offline play.
Traders predict high performance for Grand Theft Auto VI
Ninety-six percent of Polymarket users believe the game will break first-day sales records.
Traders also predict success in specific award categories, including a 70% chance for Best Game Direction, 55% for Best Narrative, and 53% for Best Audio Design. Pre-orders are currently available for £48 instead of the standard £65.
Censorship rumors regarding the new title refuted
Reports from ladbible.com indicate that rumors regarding censorship in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 are refuted. Online rumors previously suggested that the New Zealand version of the game faced censorship, leading players to speculate that they would need to wait for a global release to access the full title.
An anonymous Reddit user refuted these claims by citing the official Australian classification page. This page lists the game as R 18+ with no amendments made. Under Australian consumer law, any amendments or censorship applied to a product must be made public.
Six open-world crime games to play while waiting
Players waiting for the upcoming release can explore various open-world crime titles. Ubisoft released Watch Dogs 2 in 2016, which follows hacker Marcus Holloway in the San Francisco Bay Area. The game features hacking mechanics that allow players to manipulate traffic lights, security cameras, and electronic devices.
United Front Games released Sleeping Dogs in 2012. This title is set in Hong Kong and follows undercover police officer Wei Shen as he infiltrates Triad organizations. No Man’s Sky also is a vast open-world alternative, having launched over 10 years ago.
Volition released Saints Row 2 in 2008. The game is set in the fictional city of Stilwater, where players work to rebuild the Third Street Saints gang. Radical Entertainment developed the 2006 game Scarface, which follows Tony Montana as he attempts to rebuild a drug empire in Miami following the events of the 1983 film. This game includes business management systems that allow players to invest money earned from drug deals into properties and possessions.
In this game, areas under German control appear in black and white, with color returning to the environment as players liberate neighborhoods. Mafia II uses period-appropriate cars, radio music, clothing, architecture, and changing seasons to create an immersive atmosphere.
The National News mentions an unnamed crime game that utilizes a restrained approach to the genre, prioritizing cinematic missions and storytelling over optional distractions. This game includes driving vintage cars through snow-covered streets while listening to music on the radio.
Rockstar Games released GTA III in 2001, which helped redefine the open-world game genre. Rockstar Games also released a Table Tennis game following the launch of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Rob Run offers a new free-to-play crime sandbox
Developer Kefir released a free-to-play co-op crime game titled Rob Run on Steam in November 2026.
Kefir describes the title as "a brutal crime sandbox featuring thousands of players" where users role-play as robbers, cops, or civilians. Gameplay varies by role, with robbers participating in third-person extraction shooter missions, cops playing as survival shooters, and civilians engaging in a sandbox life sim experience.
The game features open-world maps that support 5,000 players in shared environments. SteamDB recorded a peak of over 80,000 concurrent players on November 7. Some players have labeled the title as a "lite version of GTA 6 Online".
Discounts available on existing Rockstar titles
The Saints Row Day One Edition for the PS5 is available on Amazon for £11.44.
Jason and Lucia take center stage in Vice City
Grand Theft Auto VI features two playable characters, Jason and Lucia, within the setting of Vice City.
Rockstar Games described the pair as being "on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each".
Frequently Asked Questions
- Six open-world crime games to play while you wait for Grand Theft Auto VI | The National (thenationalnews.com)
- The Best GTA Alternatives For Kids And Families - GameSpot (gamespot.com)
- New Game Is Like GTA 6 Online Lite, But Fans Aren't Happy - OpenCritic (opencritic.com)
- Time running out for PS5 players to grab GTA VI pre-order for £48 instead of £65 - Manchester Evening News (manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
- 89% of People Think GTA 6 Will Win Game of the Year at The Game Awards - Insider Gaming (insider-gaming.com)
- GTA 6 censorship rumours debunked for version of game that will allow you to play earlier than the rest of the world (ladbible.com)
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