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As anticipated from the past few days, GTA 6 has been delayed until May 2026. This means fans worldwide have to sit patiently until Rockstar launches its next release. Although the wait does appear elongated, countless amazing games can keep you occupied in the meantime. Regardless of whether you prefer vast open-world exploration, heart-pounding action, or deep immersive narratives, there is no shortage of incredible titles that can fill the void that GTA left in your life. This article rounds up five must-play games that get your heart racing and capture the utter chaos and boundless exploration that every GTA fan enjoys. From gritty tales to futuristic metropolises, these selections will help you bide your time until the new release—and perhaps even help you find a new favourite game.

Best Free Open World Games Like GTA (2025)

Throughout the years, Rockstar has become a popular name, especially with fans of video games, having broken multiple records with their GTA series. But let me tell you something. No, GTA is not the only captivating open-world game you can play. I know that this list is nowhere close to satisfying your thirst to play GTA 6 right now, but I am sure you will love these games. As fun as these titles are, I know they will help you cope with the GTA 6 delay, which is for next year. So here is our list of top 5 picks for free open-world games you must try while you wait for GTA 6.

Once Human

Once Human is a multiplayer open-world survival game that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that has been changed by a mysterious force known as Stardust. Players need to traverse this altered world while facing reality, life-threatening mutated creatures, and massive other hostile survivors, in order to collect resources, construct shelters and uncover the mysteries of Stardust.

Key Features:

Base Building: Design, erect, and personalise bases to offer accommodation, storage, and crafting stations which require defending from other hostile NPCs’ attacks.

Combat and Defence: Participate in fighting using a wide range of weapons against mutated monsters and other players, while also building fortifications and defensive structures to secure your base.

Crafting System: Advanced crafting mechanics allow for the creation of various tools, weapons, armour, building materials, and other essential items.

Mutated Creatures: Fight against various dangerous mutated creatures that have been changed by the Stardust. Each creature has its own set of behaviours and weaknesses.

Story and Lore: Complete different quests and interact with other survivors to figure out the mystery of the Stardust and its impact on the world.

Multiplayer Interactions: Work together or against other players in the world to form alliances or engage in PvP.

Progression System: Enhance your character with skills and abilities to increase efficiency in combat, crafting, and survival.

Off the Grid

Players scavenge, craft, and build a life beyond the boundaries of a meticulously monitored and AI governed megacity—navigating a sprawling industrial wasteland that is in stark contrast to the megacity. At the outset, they are regarded as outcasts or prisoners of the 'Off the Grid' zone. The AI empowered megacity endlessly looms ahead. Players must learn to survive in a most unwelcoming terrain, forge alliances among fellow survivors and build a shelter to adapt to their living conditions all the while discovering the mystery behind their exile, and the true motives that drive the AI-controlled megacities.

Key Features:

Open World Exploration: Experience a new ecosystem filled with relic factories, desolated train yards, polluted rivers, and bustling settlements while traversing the expansive off-grid world. 

Survival Mechanics: To ensure continued existence, balance maintaining hunger and thirst alongside shedding fatigue and prolonged exposure to harsh weather conditions. Hunting and scavenging, or even farming, are vital in ensuring survival. 

Crafting System: Build customised weaponry, tools, and even wearable armour from the resources you gather,r while cybernetics can be secured and upgraded. 

Base Building: Players are free to customise their base and upgrade it to serve as strongholds, fortifications, and fortified stores. Expansion positions your civilisation as the key to succeeding in the game.

RPG Characteristics: Players advance by selecting skills, attributes, and perks. NPCs can be interacted with through dialogue options and choices which impact the main story and personal relationships. There is a faction system where different survivor groups compete for dominance. 

Cyberpunk Inspirations: Incorporates cybernetic augmentations, hacking, AI interaction, espionage, and social critique concerning technology and power 

Responsive Considerations: Impact gameplay through weather, day-night cycles, and other environmental threats. AI patrols and surveillance systems must be avoided or disabled.

The First Descendant 

From developers Nexon Games, The First Descendant is a free-to-play, third-person looter shooter. It brings excitement through cooperative play focused on loot, progression, and action-packed combat. The grappling hook mechanic, along with character abilities,s transforms the genre. The following is an explanation of the game.

Key Features: 

Visuals: Artistic environments and graphics are built through Unreal Engine 5.

Character Customisation: Equip and adjust further changes to gameplay through characters’ external and internal appearance. 

Progression System: A system where players enhance their exo-suit by levelling up, unlocking new skills, and improving their gear.

Looter Shooter: Core gameplay consists of undertaking missions and defeating enemies to receive rewards like weapons, equipment, and crafting materials.

Co-op Action: Optimised for cooperative gameplay with four players. Victory relies on synergistic ability use and strategic team composition.

Character Variety: Each player can select one of the “Descendants”, which come with different abilities, skills, and playstyles contributing to diverse team compositions.

Sci-Fi World: Set in the future, and centred around a new threat facing humanity. 

The Descendants: Each player controls powerful warriors of a faction called Descendants, who have unique superhuman powers, and are charged with the protection of the remnants of humanity.

Players progress through lore missions and story campaigns that unlock the various histories and conflicts within the game world.

The Division Heartland

Division Heartland is a free-to-play survival action shooter set in the Division universe. Unlike the mainline games, it focuses on a smaller and more rural Silver Creek, a midwestern small town in the United States. Division Heartland strives to deliver a more authentic survival experience within the Division universe. The combination of PvPvE environment, rural setting, and environmental dangers offers a distinct atmosphere and challenges compared to the other games in the franchise. The game is aimed at having a large player base and being accessible due to it being free-to-play.

Key Features:  

Resource Gathering: Afterwards, scavenging is vital in finding supplies, including food, water, medicine, and crafting materials.

Crafting: Players can craft consumables, weapons and gear by utilising the resources collected.

Character Progression: Completion of missions provides experience, which helps in unlocking skills and abilities, allowing players to progress.

Faction Warfare: Players may choose to side with or against different factions fighting for control over Silver Creek.

Extraction: Players face the danger of being attacked by other AI enemies or players while trying to safely extract from the map with collected loot.

Survival Action: Beyond traditional shooter mechanics, the game incorporates scarcity—scavenging for materials, crafting equipment, and managing the player's health and status effects.

PvEvP: A distinctive feature of Heartland is the Player vs. Environment vs. Player PvEvP system where players compete against AI foes (named Vultures) and other player-controlled squads.

Storms and Contamination: Careful planning and navigation are crucial in dynamically changing weather and the presence of dangerous environmental hazards like toxic storms, which greatly reduce visibility.

Base of Operations: Players are able to set a domicile in which they can develop and upgrade equipment, stockpile supplies and plan their journeys into the town.

Allcreatures

AllCreatures is an open-world survival game that revolves around harvesting and caring for creatures. Every biome includes various species which players can interact, construct shelters, and unveil the secrets of an ecosystem. The game focuses on exploration, interacting with creatures, and maintaining an ecological equilibrium.

Key Features:

- Diverse Species: A wide variety of creatures with unique appearances, abilities, and behaviours.

- Taming and Bonding: Unique interactions and abilities can be achieved by forming bonds with previously untamable creatures.

- Creature Care: To maintain the well-being of their creatures, players need to ensure their animals are provided with food, proper housing, and social interaction.

- Breeding and Evolution: New variations with different traits can be created through breeding, and some traits may change over time. 

- Open World Exploration:

Nature Interaction: An Ecosystem where creatures interact with each other and the world around them, impacting the equilibrium of nature.

Hidden Secrets:  Secrets include ancient ruins, lost civilisations, and others that reveal the world’s history.

- Building and Crafting:

Habitats: From simple shelters to entire ecosystems, different dwarflings require something unique which can be tailored properly. 

Collection: Tools, equipment, and decorations for habitats require the use of sources gathered from the environment. 

Technologies: Improve care, breeding, and their behaviour with the help of new technologies.

Read More: GTA 6 Release Date Delayed To Next Year: Rockstar Games Confirms The Title Will Release In 2026