With Grand Theft Auto 6 officially delayed to 2026, players are looking for their next open-world crimefest to get stuck into. Fortunately, it’s proven a popular genre over the last few decades, giving players plenty of different takes on the formula. With the list below, I’ve tried to capture the breadth of modern open-world crime games, giving everyone something to put on their radar while they wait for GTA 6. That means covering both sides of the criminal spectrum, as a few of the games below let you play on the copper’s side of the law for a change of pace.
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Here are six open-world crime worlds that you can dive into. The list below is presented in alphabetical order, so don’t read too much into the numbering.
1) Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077‘s Night City is a living, breathing city filled with things to do. While the main story is worth diving into, developer CD Projekt Red has packed Night City with side content. A lot of that is more structured narratively than the open-world hijinks you can dive into in GTA’s universe, but it has a similar vibe.
Plus, you can go off the beaten path and make your own fun, just like GTA. You might not be able to rob random stores in Cyberpunk, but you can cause large-scale mayhem throughout the city. Just be ready for an increased police presence following the launch of Update 2.0 in 2023.
2) L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire puts players on the “good” side of the law. You’ll step into the shoes of Cole Phelps, an LAPD detective, and solve all kinds of grisly cases around Los Angeles. L.A. Noire is more linear than GTA, but you do unlock Free Roam mode for each segment of the story after you wrap them up.
There’s not a ton to do in the Free Roam mode outside of solving Street Crimes. These are less intense versions of the main story missions and are worth playing through if you’re loving the noir vibe of Los Angeles. And if you want to cause some chaos around the city, you can do so without penalty as long as you don’t let your partner die in the crossfire.
3) Saints Row
When it launched in 2022, the Saints Row reboot garnered mixed critical reviews, and not without reason. Volition’s game was filled with bugs, and the story lacked the over-the-top fun of earlier entries in the series.
However, the open-world city of Santo Ileso is a blast to explore, especially as you get into the city proper and can use some of the verticality to your advantage in combat. Look, Saints Row is far from a perfect game, but if you want to dive into large-scale combat throughout a vibrant city, there aren’t many better options. And if you want more structured crime, Saints Row lets you do everything from drug trafficking to insurance fraud.
4) Schedule 1
Schedule 1 has absolutely exploded in popularity since launching in March 2025. While it’s still in early access, it is the game on this list that fits the “open-world crime” label best. You play as a low-level drug dealer and work your way up the chain, expanding your operation and hiring employees to keep the drugs running.
Because Schedule 1 is still in active development, you can expect even more features over the coming months. Recently, the developers dropped the Cartel Update, which added a new rival faction to keep veteran players on their toes while pushing drugs.
5) The Precinct
In stark contrast to Schedule 1‘s focus on committing crime, The Precinct is all about stopping it. You’ll step into the shoes of Officer Nick Cordell Jr., a rookie cop who’s trying to clean the streets of Averno City.
It’s a love letter to classic cop movies, mixing police sim gameplay with a massive sandbox filled with crimes to solve and conspiracies to unravel. If you’re the kind of GTA Online player who loves to roleplay as the police, The Precinct is worth checking out. Where else can you spend a shift tracking down litterers to give them a proper fine?
6) Yakuza 0
The Yakuza series is one of the best crime series out there. Its game world isn’t as massive as Grand Theft Auto, but developer RGG does an incredible job of making the cities of Kamurocho and Sotenbori feel like a lived-in space. There isn’t as much opportunity for in-game hijinks, but the streets are filled with side activities that let Kiryu and Majimi get involved in every aspect of organized crime.
While every Yakuza game is great, Yakuza 0 remains the best jumping-on point for new fans. Simply put, if you’re looking for a game that matches up with GTA’s fully-realized cities and twisting narrative, Yakuza 0 will more than fit the bill.
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