What to Play While Waiting for GTA 6: GTA 5, Red Dead and the Classics Worth Revisiting

GTA 6 lands on November 19, 2026, which leaves roughly three weeks of waiting. The good news: Rockstar's back catalog has never been easier to play, and several of its classics now run at 60 frames per second on PS5 and Xbox Series. Here is what to fire up before launch day, how long each one takes, and which ones are the smartest warm-up for a return to Vice City.

The essentials

• Best overall warm-up: GTA 5 story mode. It is the closest thing to what GTA 6 builds on: three-character storytelling, heists, a huge open map. Around 30 hours for the story.
• Best story: Red Dead Redemption 2. Rockstar's most recent open world, and the clearest preview of its current approach to detail and NPC behavior. Plan 50 hours or more.
• Best short option: Red Dead Redemption. The 2010 western got native PS5, Xbox Series and Switch 2 versions on December 2, 2025, at up to 4K and 60fps, with a free upgrade for existing owners.
• Best nostalgia trip: GTA Vice City. The original Vice City is the clearest reference point for GTA 6's setting, available in The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition.
• Short on time? Pick one big game, not three. Three weeks is enough for one long campaign, not a backlog.

1. GTA 5: the obvious choice, for good reasons

If you only play one game before GTA 6, make it GTA 5. Not GTA Online, the story mode. It is the game GTA 6 is most directly built on, and replaying it now is the best way to measure what Rockstar changes next.

Why it is the best warm-up:

• Heists. The heist structure (planning, crew choice, approach) is the system fans most expect to return in some form. Our GTA 5 story missions in order guide lists every heist and the choices that change them.
• Multiple protagonists. Michael, Franklin and Trevor showed how Rockstar handles more than one lead. GTA 6 has two, Jason and Lucia, and how switching will work is still an open question.
• Scale. Los Santos is the baseline everyone compares the GTA 6 map to. If you are curious about the numbers, see is the GTA 6 map bigger than GTA 5 and RDR2.

Which version? On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, play the current-gen version released in March 2022, with its performance mode and faster loading. On PC, the free Enhanced edition (March 2025) brings the same upgrades; our GTA 5 Enhanced vs Legacy comparison explains the differences and the save migration.

How long? Around 30 hours for the main story, far more if you chase 100%. The detailed breakdown is in how long to beat GTA 5.

Tip: if you have already finished it, start a new save and play only the heists and the final missions. You get the best of the game in 10 to 15 hours.

2. Red Dead Redemption 2: Rockstar at its most ambitious

GTA 5 shows where GTA 6 comes from. Red Dead Redemption 2 shows where Rockstar was heading after it. Released in 2018, it is the studio's most recent open world, and many of the small touches seen in the GTA 6 trailers (crowded streets, believable reactions from passers-by, natural animations) follow the same philosophy.

What makes it a good warm-up:

• The pace. RDR2 is slow and deliberate. GTA 6 looks faster and louder, but expect the same attention to detail.
• The world. Camps, towns and wilderness all live without you. It is the best demonstration of how Rockstar builds a living world.
• The story. Arthur Morgan's arc is widely considered one of the best in the medium.

Which version? There is still no native PS5 or Xbox Series version. Insiders have mentioned a current-gen upgrade for years, but Rockstar has not announced anything, so treat it as a rumor. The PS4 and Xbox One versions run on current consoles through backward compatibility, at 30fps on PlayStation. On PC, the 2019 version remains the best way to play.

How long? Count roughly 50 hours for the main story, and well over 100 if you explore. With three weeks left, that is tight but doable if you focus on the story.

3. Red Dead Redemption: the short western that got a second life

If RDR2 feels too long, the original Red Dead Redemption (2010) is the perfect compromise. On December 2, 2025, Rockstar released native versions for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2:

• Up to 4K and 60 frames per second on PS5 and Xbox Series, with HDR.
• Free upgrade for those who already owned it digitally on PS4, Switch or Xbox One (backward compatible version).
• Undead Nightmare included, the zombie expansion that is a cult classic in its own right.

The story of John Marston takes around 15 to 20 hours, which fits neatly into the time left before November 19. And if you go on to play RDR2 one day, you will see the two stories from both ends.

4. The GTA Trilogy: Vice City first

GTA 6 returns to Vice City and the state of Leonida, inspired by Florida. Going back to the original 2002 Vice City is the most direct way to measure the leap Rockstar is making.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition bundles GTA 3, Vice City and San Andreas. Two things to know:

• The 2021 launch was rough. The remaster was heavily criticized at release for bugs and visual issues. Several patches have improved it since, but it is still not a flawless remaster.
• On mobile, it is included with Netflix. Netflix subscribers can download the Trilogy on iOS and Android at no extra cost, which is the cheapest way to replay Vice City.

What to look for in Vice City: Ocean Beach, the neon, the 80s radio. GTA 6 moves to the present day, but the trailers already show how much of that DNA remains. Our article on GTA 5 and GTA 4 characters who could return in GTA 6 covers the series' recurring faces.

San Andreas is the other must if you have time: around 30 hours of story, and the gang territory system many fans hope to see again.

5. GTA 4: for the fans of a grounded story

Underrated by part of the community, GTA 4 (2008) has the most serious tone in the series and a car physics model that still has fans. Niko Bellic's story is dark, close to the crime drama tone the GTA 6 trailers seem to go for with Jason and Lucia.

Where to play: on PC, the Complete Edition (with the Lost and Damned and Ballad of Gay Tony episodes) is the version to get. On Xbox Series, the Xbox 360 version is playable through backward compatibility. It has never had a native PlayStation 4 or PS5 release.

Which one should you choose? Our quick table

Story lengths are rough averages from player reports and vary a lot depending on how much you explore.

Our recommendation:

• You have little time (under 20 hours): Red Dead Redemption, or GTA 5's heists on a fresh save.
• You have the evenings free: GTA 5 in full, then Vice City if time allows.
• You want the best story experience: RDR2, focused on the main missions.

What not to do in the next three weeks

• Do not start a new GTA Online grind. GTA 6 has its own economy, and there is no indication that GTA Online money will carry over. Play Online for fun, not for profit.
• Do not buy expensive remasters on impulse. Check what you already own, what is included in your subscriptions (PS Plus, Game Pass, GTA+, Netflix) and what has a free upgrade, like Red Dead Redemption.
• Do not forget the console. Free up storage space and update your system before launch day. Our pre-launch checklist for PS5 and Xbox covers everything.

FAQ

Should I play GTA 5 before GTA 6?

It is not required: GTA 6 tells a new story with new characters. But GTA 5 is the best way to understand what Rockstar is building on, and it makes the jump to the new game more striking.

Is Red Dead Redemption 2 available on PS5?

Not natively. The PS4 version runs on PS5 through backward compatibility. A native current-gen version has been rumored for a long time but has not been announced by Rockstar.

What is the cheapest way to replay Vice City?

If you have Netflix, the mobile Trilogy is included in the subscription at no extra cost on iOS and Android. On console and PC, The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is sold separately and is often discounted.

Which game is closest to GTA 6?

On paper, GTA 5 for structure (heists, protagonists, open crime world) and Red Dead Redemption 2 for the level of detail. GTA 6 is expected to combine the two, but only the final game will tell.