It is a widely known fact that the Grand Theft Auto franchise is one of the most beloved video game franchises out there due to its unique gameplay elements and the freedom it provides to the players.
However, it has been almost a decade now since the last GTA game was released, and by this time, it is possible that some players are feeling a bit worn out by it.
While we all wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 to be released, here are 15 games similar to the GTA series to keep you busy.
GTA Game Features
 Release Date: | 28 November 1997 |
 Developer: | Rockstar Digital Eclipse |
 Publisher: | Rockstar Games |
 Platforms: | Android Dreamcast Fire OS Game Boy Advance Game Boy Color iOS macOS Microsoft Windows MS-DOS Nintendo DS Nintendo Switch Oculus Quest 2 PlayStation PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 PlayStation Portable Windows Phone Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox One Xbox Series X/S |
 Genre: | Action-adventure |
 Setting: | Real Life |
 Game Modes: | MultiPlayer |
1. Saints Row: The Third
Starting things off at number one we have Saints Row: The Third which is an action-adventure game developed by Volition and published by THQ.
The original version of the game was released back in November 2011 and is a direct sequel to Saints Row 2, a game released in 2008. A remastered version of the game titled Saints Row: The Third Remastered was released by Deep Silver in 2020 across multiple platforms.
Saints Row: The Third takes place a few years after the events of Saints Row 2 and the player is given control of the gang’s leader after the 3rd Street Saints have become famous.
The main goal of the game is to help the 3rd Street Saints gain control of the streets of the city of Steelport by winning the turf war against other rival gangs.
When it comes to gameplay, many consider Saints Row: The Third as a funnier version of Grand Theft Auto, and while that can be seen as correct to a certain degree, the game still provides a plethora of weapons that can be upgraded, a wide open world that you can explore at your leisure, a ton of missions to complete, and of course, the government’s special forces to hinder you every step of the way.
- Developer: Volition
- Publisher: THQ
- Release Date: 15 November 2011
- Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna
2. Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is an action-adventure game that was originally released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One back in October 2018.
Developed and published by Rockstar Games, the game serves as a prequel to the first Red Dead Redemption game. Red Dead Redemption 2 also received PC and Stadia releases in November 2019.
Red Dead Redemption 2 puts the player in control of an outlaw called Arthur Morgan and takes place in 1899 across five US states.
After one of your heists goes terribly wrong, the player is tasked with accompanying Arthur as he does everything he can to get away from the long arm of the law.
Due to being a Rockstar game, Red Dead Redemption has many things in common with the GTA titles, so much so that many players dubbed the game Wild West GTA.
- Developer: Rockstar Studios
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Release Date: 26 October 2018
- Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Google Stadia
3. Watch Dogs 2
Watch Dogs 2 is an action-adventure title that was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft.
The game was released in November 2016 and is a direct sequel to the original Watch Dogs game from 2014 and the second installment in the Watch Dogs franchise.
Taking place in a fictionalized version of the San Francisco Bay Area, the player is put in the shoes of a hacker called Marcus Holloway who works for DedSec, a hacker organization aiming to take down the town’s surveillance system called ctOS.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, Watch Dogs 2 focuses its gameplay more on the elements of specific GTA missions such as the “Life Invader” mission from GTA 5. Nevertheless, it is still an excellent open-world game that everyone should try.
- Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Release Date: 15 November 2016
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
4. Mafia: Definitive Edition
Mafia: Definitive Edition is an action-adventure game that was developed by Hangar 13 and published by 2K Games.
The game came out in September 2020 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows and is a remake of the original Mafia game that came out in 2002.
Just like the original Mafia, the events of Mafia: Definitive Edition take place in Lost Heaven a fictional city in Illinois sometime during the 1930s. The player is put in the shoes of Tommy Angelo, a cab driver who becomes a gangster within the Salieri crime family.
Similarly to GTA games, the game offers a plethora of activities for players to do such as complete missions, explore the open world and uncover various secrets and collectibles, rise through the ranks of the Mafia, and much more.
- Developer: Hangar 13
- Publisher: 2K Games
- Release Date: 25 September 2020
- Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
5. Scarface: The World Is Yours
We can’t talk about video games focused on criminal activity without mentioning Scarface: The World Is Yours. This action-adventure game was developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Games.
The game was released in October 2006 on PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox with the Nintendo Wii version being released later in 2007.
Scarface: The World Is Yours acts as a sequel to the 1983 movie, with the main character Tony Montana surviving the attack on his mansion. From there the player gains control over him and is tasked with re-establishing his criminal empire and exacting revenge on his enemies and rivals.
Scarface: The World Is Yours offers a lot of activities similar to GTA games such as an open world to explore, a wide variety of weapons, missions to complete, and most importantly, freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want which is what lands it on this list.
- Developer: Radical Entertainment
- Publisher: Vivendi Games
- Release Date: 10 October 2006
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Wii
6. Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs is an open world action-adventure game developed by United Front Games and published by Square Enix Europe.
The game was released for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in August 2012 followed by PlayStation 4 and Xbox One releases in 2014 and a macOS release in 2016.
The game is set in contemporary Hong Kong with the player assuming the role of Wei Shen, a police officer who goes undercover and infiltrates the Sun On Yee Triad organization.
It is then up to the player to rise through the ranks of the organization and dismantle it from within without having his cover blown.
While the game does feature an open world and side missions that the player can complete, its best feature comparable to GTA games is its focus on melee combat and a variety of both legal and illegal side activities.
- Developer: United Front Games
- Publisher: Square Enix Europe
- Release Date: 14 August 2012
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS
7. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is an action RPG that somehow always makes it to our lists, regardless of the topic. Developed and published by CD Projekt Red, Cyberpunk 2077 was released back in December 2020 on multiple platforms with the latest generation of PlayStation and Xbox consoles seeing a re-release in February 2022.
Since its release, Cyberpunk 2077 received multiple DLC packs and currently has an expansion pack called Phantom Liberty in development which is scheduled to be released sometime in 2023.
Set in a fictional town called Night City in the Free State of North California, the player takes on the role of a customizable character named V who after a series of unfortunate events ends up sharing his body with Johny Silverhand, a deceased celebrity from the past.
At this point, the player is tasked with finding a way to survive before Johny takes over his body while at the same time trying to make it big in Night City.
Just like most GTA games, Cyberpunk 2077 comes with a whole bunch of things that players can do to keep themselves busy. Among these is a huge cyberpunk world to explore, a wide variety of weapons and cybernetic implants to use, plenty of missions to complete, vehicles to stale, and law enforcement to annoy and run away from.
- Developer: CD Projekt Red
- Publisher: CD Projekt Red
- Release Date: 10 December 2020
- Platform: Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Google Stadia, Microsoft Windows
8. Lego City Undercover
Lego City Undercover is an action-adventure platformer that was developed by TT Fusion and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Nintendo.
The game was originally released for Nintendo Wii back in 2013, however, Lego City Undercover received a multiplatform re-release in 2017.
Events of the game take place in Lego City with the players controlling the game’s protagonist Chase McCain, a policeman who is tasked with keeping the Lego City clean of all criminal activity. As the game progresses, the player can unlock a wide variety of other playable characters, as well as create their own custom ones.
Dubbed the “Lego Grand Theft Auto”, Lego City Undercover comes with many video game aspects you would expect to see in a GTA game such as a great story, a plethora of side quests to complete, cars and other vehicles to drive around the game’s world and various things to build.
- Developer: TT Fusion
- Publisher: Nintendo, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Release Date: 18 March 2013
- Platform: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, Microsoft Windows
9. The Simpsons Hit & Run
The Simpsons: Hit & Run is an action-adventure title that was developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Universal Games.
Based on the popular American animated series, The Simpsons, the game was released on multiple platforms in 2003 and has earned numerous awards including the Player’s Choice, Greatest Hits, and the Fave Video Game award.
Since it is based on the Simpsons series, the game takes place in the city of Springfield and its surrounding area with the player controlling various characters such as Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge, and Apu depending on the level.
Dubbed by many as a Grand Theft Auto game set in the Simpsons universe, the game features pretty much everything one would expect from a GTA title with weapons being a single notable exception.
That set aside, players can freely explore Springfield and its surrounding area, drive a wide variety of vehicles, discover and obtain various collectibles, assault random passengers and complete a plethora of missions.
- Developer: Radical Entertainment
- Publisher: Vivendi Universal Games
- Release Date: 16 September 2003
- Platform: PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Microsoft Windows
10. Payday 2
Payday 2 is a cooperative first-person shooter that was released in August 2013 for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
Developed by Overkill Software and published by 505 Games, the game serves as a direct sequel to 2011’s Payday: The Heist. Payday 2 received a re-release titled Payday2 Crimewave Edition in 2015 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as well as a Nintendo Switch version released in 2018.
The events of Payday 2 take place in Washington, D.C. a couple of years after the events of the previous game. The player is put in control of one of the twenty-two members of the Payday gang and with up to three accomplices is tasked with performing various types of heists.
Unlike some other titles on this list, Payday 2 only shares specific aspects of the GTA franchise with the main gameplay focus being on planning and executing various types of break-ins, robberies, and other forms of criminal activity. If you are somebody who enjoys GTA 5 heists, then you will definitely like Payday 2.
- Developer: Overkill Software
- Publisher: 505 Games
- Release Date: 13 August 2013
- Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Linux
11. Yakuza 0
Yakuza 0 is an action-adventure game that was developed and published by Sega and released back in March 2015.
Being the sixth main installment in the LIka a Dragon video game series and serves as a prequel to the original Yakuza game from 2005.
Yakuza 0 takes place in the fictional areas of Kamurochō and Sotenbori during 1988/1989, which were based on Tokyo’s Tokyo’s Kabukichō and Osaka’s Dōtonbori areas.
The player assumes the role of two characters, Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, and alternates between them as the game’s story progresses.
While Yakuza 0 is similar to GTA in many ways, it does contrast the series in one specific aspect. Namely, it doesn’t let the player go nuts and beat up random people on the street. However, it still allows you to go on a killing spree and unleash endless combos on thugs as much as you desire.
- Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher: Sega
- Release Date: 12 March 2015
- Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Amazon Luna
12. L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire is a detective action-adventure game that was developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar Games which is more than enough to include it on this list alone.
The game was released on multiple platforms on May 17th, 2011 with an enhanced version for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One being released later in November 2017.
In December of the same year, a game called L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files was released for virtual reality platforms featuring a select number of cases from the original game.
The game is set in Los Angeles during the year 1947 with the player walking in the shoes of detective Cole Phelps as he rises through the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department and solves a wide variety of cases and uncovers a massive conspiracy involving numerous prominent LA figures.
L.A. Noire significantly differs from the Grand Theft Auto franchise in terms of gameplay with the game being much more linear, the world not being as open as in GTA titles, and mostly focusing on mystery and solving puzzles rather than providing the player with the freedom to do whatever they want.
- Developer: Team Bondi
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Release Date: 17 May 2011
- Platform: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
13. Bully
Bully is an action-adventure title that was developed by Rockstar Vancouver and published by Rockstar Games.
Known as Canis Canem Edit in the PAL region, the original game was released back in October 2006 for PlayStation 2 however, a remastered version of the game titled Bully Scholarship Edition was later developed by Mad Doc Software and released in 2008 for various other platforms and later re-released on PlayStation 4 in 2016.
An updated version of the game titled Bully Aniversary edition was developed by War Drum Studios and released on Android and iOS.
Bully is set in the fictional town of Bullworth, located in New England, United States. The player assumes the role of James Hopkins, a fifteen-year-old who had been expelled from multiple schools before being sent to a private boarding school called Bullworth Academy.
Being a Rockstar game, Bully is in many ways similar to GTA including a big open world which you can navigate on foot or by vehicles such as scooters, bicycles, or skateboards, various missions that you can complete to become more popular, beat-up jocks at school, complete your class assignments, and a lot more.
- Developer: Rockstar Vancouver
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Release Date: 17 October 2006
- Platform: Android, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, iOS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Wii
14. Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham City is an action-adventure game that received a multiplatform release back in 2011.
Developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Batman: Arkham City is the second installment in the Batman: Arkham franchise and serves as a direct sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum which was released in 2009.
The game takes place in Gotham City, eighteen months after the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum, with the player once again assuming the role of our favorite caped crusader who finds himself imprisoned at Arkham City, a prison in which some of Gotham’s most heinous criminals are held and allowed to do whatever they want as long as they don’t try to escape.
Batman: Arkham City allows the player to freely roam around and explore Gotham City, a multitude of ways to approach different objectives, the ability to glide over the rooftops of the city, and have fun with many other gadgets from Batman’s arsenal such as the grapnel gun.
- Developer: Rocksteady Studios
- Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Release Date: 18 October 2011
- Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Wii U, macOS
15. Prototype 2
Prototype 2 is an open-world action-adventure title developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Activision.
The game was released in 2012 and is the second installment in the Prototype franchise serving as a direct sequel to 2009’s game simply titled Prototype. The game also received a re-release for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One later in July 2015.
Prototype 2 takes place in New York City, now called New York Zero or NYZ for short, after the events of the first game. The player takes control of a military Sargent called James Heller who is looking to take revenge on the protagonist from the previous game, Alex Mercer.
Prototype 2 lets the player roam around the open world offering complete freedom to pretty much whatever they want. Aside from the main storyline, players can choose to complete side missions and have a wide variety of both weapons and abilities which they can utilize in combat.
- Developer: Radical Entertainment
- Publisher: Activision
- Release Date: 24 April 2012
- Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
