Games like GTA on PC: what to do before the release of GTA 6
Main points
- Cyberpunk 2077 And Mafia: Definitive Edition remain the most technologically advanced projects with a dense open world.
- For comfortable gaming without microfreezes, you need an NVMe SSD of 5000 MB/s and at least 32 GB DDR5.
- Full GTA alternatives complement the sandbox with role-playing elements, a deep combat system and vertical exploration.
- Preparing your PC for GTA 6 requires 12–16 GB of VRAM and an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor.
Introduction
The wait for the release of GTA 6 is dragging on, and the thirst to explore criminal metropolises, steal supercars and arrange large-scale shootouts is only growing. Full GTA alternatives They can not only brighten up the evenings, but also surprise with their sophisticated physics, varied plot and high-tech graphics.
Modern GTA style games have long gone beyond simply copying the mechanics of Grand Theft Auto. The developers offer unique settings - from the noir Chicago of the 1930s to the neon Night City of 2077. Before launching large-scale sandboxes, make sure that your PC is ready for increased loads: it will help you choose the optimal configuration gaming PC configurator.
1. Crime sandboxes
Projects close to GTA
Main games similar to GTA, offer absolute freedom of action in detailed virtual cities. Flagship of the direction - Cyberpunk 2077: Night City surpasses Los Santos in verticality, traffic density and architectural detail.
The second important pillar of the genre is Mafia: Definitive Edition. The project focuses on a strict cinematic narrative, where each chase feels realistic thanks to the authentic physics of cars of the first half of the 20th century. Third player - Watch Dogs 2, giving maximum freedom to interact with city systems through hacking.
Comparative analysis of top analogues
To simplify the choice, we have compared the key parameters of projects that can replace Grand Theft Auto:
| Game | Developer | Strengths | Auto physics | Average FPS (RTX 4070, 1440p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | CD Projekt RED | Neon metropolis, deep plot, variable action | Medium/Arcade | 85–100 FPS (with DLSS 3.5) |
| Mafia: Definitive Edition | Hangar 13 | Atmosphere, plot drama, believable crime | Realistic/Heavy | 110–120 FPS |
| Watch Dogs 2 | Ubisoft | Interactive city, hacking, vertical parkour | Arcade | 100–115 FPS |
| Saints Row (2022) | Volition | Crazy sandbox, customization, co-op | Arcade | 95–110 FPS |
| Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition | United Front Games | Hand-to-hand combat, Asian flavor | Drift / Dynamic | 144+ FPS |
Peculiarities
- Event density: random gang shootouts, street racing and orders to eliminate targets.
- Variability of passage: a combination of stealth, hacking or open combat.
- Physics of transport: vehicle weight distribution, road grip and body damage.
Pros
High variability of gameplay, hundreds of hours of content, freedom of movement and high replayability.
Cons
Very high demands on the processor and storage due to constant streaming loading of objects.
2. Open world and adventure
Alternatives in spirit
If you want to dilute the classic crime scene with the exploration of wild territories or other eras, pay attention to projects with an emphasis on research. Mad Max takes driving mechanics to a brutal post-apocalyptic setting open world, where customization of a combat vehicle becomes the basis of survival.
Series Like a Dragon (Yakuza) suggests looking at crime otherwise: instead of a huge map, there is a compact but entertainment-rich district of Kamurocho.
Pros and cons of popular projects
Cyberpunk 2077 (Phantom Liberty)
For: stunning graphics with Ray Tracing Overdrive, incredible storyline and large-scale city.
Against: High system requirements and arcade-style damage system for civilian vehicles.
Mafia: Definitive Edition
For: 1930s atmosphere, detailed driving and a mature dramatic script.
Against: minimal freedom outside the main story missions.
Hardware requirements
For Quad HD (2560x1440) at high settings you will need:
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (12 GB VRAM) or AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT (16 GB VRAM).
- CPU: 8-core/16-thread Intel Core i5-14600K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D.
- RAM: 32 GB DDR5-6000 in dual channel mode.
- Storage: M.2 NVMe SSD PCIe 4.0 with read speed from 5000 MB/s.
3. What you need from a PC
Graphics card and SSD for the open world
Modern projects with GTA-style open world generate huge amounts of data in real time. When driving fast, the system should instantly load high-poly building geometry, high-resolution textures and pedestrian models.
An outdated HDD leads to delays, freezes and dropped textures. A modern NVMe drive with DirectStorage transfers data directly to video memory (VRAM), bypassing the processor.
Amount of RAM and CPU load
RAM stores the geometry of the environment, artificial intelligence data and physical models. In 2026, 16 GB of RAM has become the absolute minimum at which stuttering is possible. More details in the manual about amount of RAM for modern games.
“The main mistake users make when building a PC for open-world projects is saving on the processor and storage. In GTA-like games, the processor calculates the logic behind the behavior of hundreds of NPCs and vehicle traffic. If the CPU can’t cope, 1% low FPS drops, and the game becomes jerky even with a powerful video card.”
4. Getting ready for GTA 6
Configurations for GTA 6
To prevent the technical parameters of future Rockstar Games releases from becoming an unpleasant surprise, you should take care of the upgrade in advance.
Recommended hardware configurations (2026)
Current configurations are divided by target resolution and graphics level:
| Permission | Processor (CPU) | Video card (GPU) | RAM | Storage (SSD) | power unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | Intel Core i5-13400F | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8GB | 16 GB DDR4/DDR5 | 1 TB NVMe M.2 | 650W Gold |
| 1440p (2K) | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12GB | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 2 TB PCIe 4.0 | 750W Gold |
| 2160p (4K) | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super 16GB | 32 GB DDR5-6400 | 2 TB PCIe 5.0 | 850W ATX 3.0 |
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What to expect from future sandboxes
Developers are implementing neural network algorithms to simulate the behavior of giant crowds and the physics of liquid media. New graphics standards require hardware Path Tracing, making modern RT cores critical.
FAQ (Frequently asked questions) We have prepared the answers.
- What to play while there is no GTA 6? The highest quality experiences are offered by Cyberpunk 2077 (deep futuristic city and action), Mafia: Definitive Edition (classic story-driven crime) and Watch Dogs 2 (hacking and exploration sandbox).
- What games are most similar to GTA? The maximum similarities are demonstrated by the Saints Row, Sleeping Dogs and Mafia series: vehicle theft, shootouts from shelters, police chases and city exploration.
- What do you need from a PC for open world games? You need 32 GB of fast DDR5 memory, a high-speed M.2 NVMe SSD and a multi-threaded processor to calculate the artificial intelligence of city traffic.
- Does SSD affect frame rate (FPS)? SSD does not increase Max FPS, but does affect 1% and 0.1% Low FPS. High speed prevents stutters, freezes and texture loss when driving fast.
Conclusion
Quality games like GTA are able to completely cover the need for scale, crime and dynamic chases. While the industry awaits the biggest blockbuster of the decade, dozens of open-world projects are delivering hundreds of hours of deep gameplay.
To enjoy high frame rates and ultra settings without compromise, trust the professionals to build your system. A ready-made or custom solution is available in the catalog HYPERPC computers.