What to Play Before GTA 6 Releases: Best Games to Fill the Wait

Wondering what to play before GTA 6 releases? The short answer: start with Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 5 / GTA Online, then revisit the original Vice City to get reacquainted with the setting. GTA 6 is officially confirmed to launch November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, which leaves plenty of time to clear a backlog of open-world games before the return to Vice City and the state of Leonida.

What GTA 6 is (the confirmed basics)

Before lining up your GTA 6 wait list, here is what Rockstar has actually confirmed. The game stars two protagonists, Jason and Lucia (full names Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos per the official trailers), and is set in a modern Vice City inside the wider fictional state of Leonida, Rockstar's take on Florida. The release date is November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S at launch. A PC version has not been officially dated. Anything beyond those points (map size, mission count, online plans) is currently expected or rumored, not confirmed. You can track every locked-in detail on our GTA 6 hub.

The essential Rockstar games to play first

If you want the closest tonal match to GTA 6, stay inside Rockstar's own catalog.

• Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018): the single best primer. It uses the same engine philosophy GTA 6 is built on, with dense systems, reactive NPCs, and the most detailed open world Rockstar shipped before VI. The story follows outlaw Arthur Morgan in 1899, and Red Dead Online adds dozens of hours on top.
• GTA 5 (2013): the direct predecessor, still actively updated. The enhanced edition arrived on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on March 15, 2022 with up to 4K, 60fps, and ray tracing. Its three-protagonist structure is a useful preview of how a dual-lead GTA 6 might handle perspective switching.
• GTA Online: bundled with GTA 5 and still receiving content. Heists, businesses, and weaponized vehicles can soak up months. If you want a head start on mechanics, our GTA 6 cheats and tips page covers what carries over conceptually.

Revisit the classics that shaped Vice City

GTA 6 returns to Vice City, so the older entries set there carry real nostalgic weight.

• GTA Vice City (2002): the original Miami-inspired city, starring Tommy Vercetti in 1986 (voiced by Ray Liotta). It is short by modern standards, which makes it an easy pre-launch replay. A remastered version shipped as part of the Definitive Edition in 2021.
• GTA San Andreas and GTA 4: not set in Vice City, but both show how Rockstar evolved scale and storytelling between eras. GTA 4's grounded tone is the clearest ancestor of the more serious GTA 6 trailers.

Games like GTA 6 outside Rockstar

If you have already played the Rockstar library, these fill the open-world crime niche.

• Saints Row (2022): Volition's reboot set in the fictional Santo Ileso, inspired by Las Vegas. It leans into over-the-top humor rather than realism, so treat it as a lighter palate cleanser. Reviews were mixed, but the co-op campaign is a fun way to pass time.
• Watch Dogs 2 and Sleeping Dogs: both deliver drivable open cities with their own twist (hacking in one, Hong Kong undercover action in the other) if you want variety while you wait.

How to plan your GTA 6 wait

A simple order works best: play Red Dead Redemption 2 for the cinematic single-player fix, keep GTA Online running for the multiplayer itch, then do a quick Vice City replay in the final weeks before launch to reset your expectations for the setting. With release locked to November 19, 2026, there is no need to rush any of it. For the latest confirmed media as it drops, check our GTA 6 screenshots gallery.

Sources

• Grand Theft Auto VI is Now Set to Launch November 19, 2026 - Rockstar Games
• Grand Theft Auto VI - Wikipedia
• Red Dead Redemption 2 - Wikipedia
• GTAV and GTA Online Coming March 15 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S - Rockstar Games
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - Wikipedia
• Saints Row (2022 video game) - Wikipedia