Agent

Yeah, you’ve probably heard of Agent, Rockstar’s electrifying spy opus. First announced as a PS3 exclusive way back in 2009, Agent pledged a Cold War era thrill-ride through the dangerous world of espionage, counterintelligence, and assassination, but much like the silent death knell of a secret agent, Agent’s fate has been silently snuffed. Rockstar have never officially announced its cancellation, so technically Agent could still be in the works. Given the evocative concept art which leaked a while back, let’s hope so – Agent looked great.

Slitterhead

Gory body horror from Team Silent originators meant Slitterhead’s 2021 announcement was met with much fanfare. Even – exclaim expectant fans – Silent Hill composer-in-chief Akira Yamaoka is along for the ride, lending his blend of warped ambience and bone-crushing guitar riffage to the game’s grisly take on shape-shifting parasites. Last we heard of Slitterhead was a dev diary back in June 2023, so not that long ago, meaning, you know, that Slitterhead is probably still in the works. Be nice to hear something affirmative as to release dates from Bokeh Game Studio though.

Ferocious

If it weren’t for the devlogs shared on February 26^th and April 15^th, we’d think prehistoric survive-a-thon Ferocious had gone extinct. This first-person shooter risks being overshadowed by incoming Jurassic Park: Survival if it doesn’t drop soon, but to be fair it’s blend of jungle stealth, strategy, and survival – with a healthy dose of axe swinging mayhem – looks spot on. Let’s hope the situation at developer OMYOG isn’t as grim as the game’s dinosaur infested isolation.

Pragmata

The sci-fi dad-in-space adventure Pragmata has been delayed indefinitely, so we at least know that this ambitious game has vanished for sure. Why though, the developer haven’t stated. Announced in 2020 with numerous release dates coming and going, the most recent of which was last year which passed without explanation. Even stranger was the developer releasing a brief trailer before the mysterious delaying – almost to remind us it exists before flinging into a black hole. Pragmata might not be in the deepest of development hells, but a window on when we can get our hands on it drifts endlessly further.

Perfect Dark

Just what has happened to Joanna Dark’s rebooted saga? Announced at The Game Awards 2020 with little data forthcoming in the three-and-a-half years since, this Xbox exclusive is likely a number of years from release. What does this mean for Perfect Dark? Well, nothing probably, just that development is probably happening at a very slow pace. The incredible graphics, slick movement, and tight gunplay will remain we hope.

Beyond Good and Evil 2

Despite little evidence, this long-awaited sequel to 2003 Beyond Good and Evil is apparently still in the works. First announced in 2008, it’s genuinely farcical how back in the developer stated in an investor call that development of Beyond Good and Evil 2 was still in its early stages despite contrarily announcing progress as trundling along nicely. The tragic sudden death of Beyond Good and Evil 2’s creative director might understandably have scuppered progress since, but the outlook for this game was bleak either way.

Project Awakening

Let’s be honest, how awesome was Project Awakening’s gameplay reveal? The slick, lifelike dragon slaying looked truly next-gen, but with radio silence for what seems like eons now, maybe next-gen at the time meant next next-gen. The Japanese developer behind Project Awakening Cygames isn’t some faceless corporation though, with Granblue Fantasy: Relink the most recent of their output. Most likely is Project Awakening has been shelved despite it still being listed on the developer’s website as a ‘next-gen’ title advertised as PS4 exclusive.

PLAN 8

This exo-suit MMO shooter was announced in 2019, yet in what is an increasingly crowded sphere of the video game-verse PLAN 8 still seems like it has enough to stand out in 2024. Shame then that the most recent glimpses on its progress date back to screenshots shared in January 2020. The writings on the wall with this one: it’s dead in the water. The developers are supposedly still working on the title but it’s next-gen, genre-defying announcement is going to be woefully out of date by now.

Everwild

Hopefully still incoming from legendary British studio Rare, now owned by Microsoft, is magical nature adventure Everwild. We say hopefully as the glimpses we’ve seen are utterly spellbinding. An MMO in the vein of Sea of Thieves but in a fantasy setting, Everwild looks to meld multiple genres and gameplay mechanics in what is a hugely ambitious project. Every scene in the trailers seen so far look like oil paintings so let’s hope an official reveal is not too far away.

ILL

One of the Unreal Engine 5 tech demo games that drum up reasonable hype but never actually see the light of day, ILL has immense intrigue in it’s The Evil Within-­style torment spliced within a setting reminiscent of John Carpenter’s The Thing. This narrative driven first-person horror has all the ingredients to be a game changer, it’s just that tech demos are hard to believe at the best of times, let alone for a game with little to no update barring a glimpse into gameplay over six months ago.

The Last Night

This is a strange one, as the most hype-accelerating aspect to The Last Night was a tweet some five-or-so years ago which shared a screengrab of its cyberpunk aesthetic comparing it to The Matrix. The loss of esteemed indie game publisher Raw Fury and controversy surrounding game director Tim Soret have likely contributed to The Last Night’s lengthy development., the former especially as developer Odd Tales had to work to reclaim their publishing rights. 19^th November 2023 was the last official update we had of The Last Night. It’s likely still in development, just that progress has been stifled by misfortune.

Vigilancer 2099

This one will ride on the coattails of Cyberpunk 2077 when it eventually drops, it’s neon-soaked cityscapes are so reminiscent of Night City. In Vigilancer 2099 you’ll play as a secretive bounty hunter in a densely populated open world, with limitless traversal options on hand to get to grips with the verticality of Vigilancer’s megabuilding. There’s been next to no news for a couple of years now, so maybe this small-team developer has unfortunately folded.

Splinter Cell Remake

From rumour to full-blown conclusion, it’s been a few years now that a remake to Sam Fisher’s first outing in Splinter Cell has been on the go, but at present it doesn’t feel like we’re close to reliving Sam’s formative missions. For what it’s worth, Splinter Cell remake is confirmed to feature an updated story that will appeal to a modern audience. As and when we get to relive the game, we don’t know, but info will hopefully be forthcoming soon.

Routine

Nearly a decade after it was first announced, sci-fi moon base horror Routine received a new trailer during Summer Game Fest 2022. It’s 80’s retro-future and creepy atmosphere conjure a deep feeling of dread through juxtaposition of style and gameplay, and whilst development has been restarted at least once since its original announcement the aforementioned indie publisher Raw Fury is on board to see this one through to completion. Routine looks genuinely exceptional.

Deep Down

Despite being near completion and never being officially cancelled action role-player Deep Down has still never been released. Instead, this souls like game has been treated to titbits of info over the years since its first announcement in 2013. The developer stated in 2019 that hope wasn’t completely lost on Deep Down, but all hope has all but died. Development might always pick up again seeing as the assets were reportedly close to conclusion, but there’s no sign of that presently.

As it happens, there’s a ton of games that pluck bits of GTA’s aesthetic and mould it into their own experience. The games on this rundown aren’t just crime orientated; many adapt an immersive, life sim experience into a vibrant open world. Check out these 15 upcoming GTA-like games, as there’ll certainly be a time when you’ll want another open world to dive into.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Like a Dragon’s likeable underdog Ichiban Kasuga unites with Yakuza mainstay Kazuma Kiryu in another spawling RPG epic set along the shorelines of tropical Hawaii alongside the more familiar districts of Japan. Set to be the longest game in the Yakuza oeuvre at 45-50 hours, our two larger-than-life heroes have been brought together by the hands of fate, joining forces to fight sinister foes. Jobs, skills, and outlandish scenarios return as well as turn-based combat. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth releases January 26^th, 2024, to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

InZOI

The goal of hyper-realistic life sim InZOI is to keep its denizens suitably fed, watered, and happy. There are jobs to apply for, chores to fulfil, instruments to play, and ovens to set on fire. With an extensive character customisation and in-depth build mode, InZOI promises hours of life affirming gameplay. Playable platforms aren’t confirmed at this stage, and we’re expecting to wait another year before we can dive in; InZOI is targeting a late 2024 release window.

VIGILANCER 2099

In this open-world RPG, you’ll play as a bounty hunter tasked with rising through a criminal empire whilst earning money on bounties to spend on weapons and upgrades. Of course, this being a Cyberpunk 2077 adjacent game, neon-lit rain-soaked city streets imbued in shades of pink and purple characterise the experience. In truth, VIGILANCER 2099’s puddle-strewn streets look incredible. Let’s hope the gameplay, touting flying vehicles and multiple traversal options – including a fun looking parkour mechanic – match up to the visual splendour. This one’s been in the works for a while; there’s no official release window, and up to now it seems to be PC only.

Everywhere

Rockstar alumni Leslie Benzies’ new studio Build a Rocket Boy’s first outing is a community-driven open world extravaganza, one whereby imagination runs riot, where players can build, play, and connect in newfound ways. What does this entail in terms of gameplay? Well, you and your mates can explore vast biomes, take down entire armies, race cars across crystal laser worlds, or simply hang out. Everywhere promises everything. A closed alpha began on December 5^th.

Nivalis 

Another life sim on this rundown, this time blending real-life visuals with a pixel art aesthetic, in Nivalis players can grow businesses and manage restaurants. Apartments can be bought and fish can be caught. The sky’s the limit in this city stretching from the shore to the clouds. Nivalis has a speculative 2024 release date, with PC looking like the only platform announced thus far.

Mumbai Gullies

Rise to high society in one of India’s most vibrant cities in Mumbai Gullies, a third-person open world adventure featuring more activities than you can shake a stick at. Invest in the stock exchange, go shopping, go out for lunch, explore the tourist traps all whilst reaching the top of a criminal empire. Mumbai seems an exceptional setting for an exciting experience. Coming to PC, with a release window yet to be announced, be sure to wishlist this one on Steam to keep in the loop.

171

Playable right now in early access is this Brazilian inspired Grand Theft Auto. 171 is an open world action adventure, one that’ll be immediately familiar to residents of Brazil. Here, every action has a reaction, aggression draws attention, wielding weaponry brings the full force of the law and a slew of bandits at your door. 171 is a living, breathing experience, densely populated with innocent civilians and interactive elements. Coming to PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC when the game’s alpha period is over.

Gangstar New York 

Originally set to release in 2022, perhaps owing to Gangstar New York’s lofty ambition the game has suffered numerous delays. An open alpha ended in May 2023, but a release date still isn’t forthcoming. When it does come out, expect a social sandbox experience set in a near-future New York that’s ripe for the taking by some criminal underling. Players will be free to traverse the world as they see fit, with running, driving, climbing, parkour, grapple hooks, ziplines, and jetpacks all on offer as players journey to the top of the criminal underworld. Hopefully everything is running smoothly behind the scenes, and we’ll see a release date soon.

The Precinct

Heavily indebted to old-school GTA only this time instead of becoming a criminal kingpin in a reimagined US city, players will rise through the ranks of fictional Averno City’s police force. This action sandbox features procedurally generated crimes, from petty misdemeanours like parking infractions and littering to halting illegal street races, undertaking exhilarating car chases through twisted streets and alleyways on the hunt for powerful enemies and responding to bank heists alongside Averno’s finest, with player choice on how to complete each mission front and centre. UK developer Fallen Tree Games are plotting a 2024 release, with PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S the announced platforms.

Project Balod

Another story-driven action adventure on this rundown taking place on the streets of an Indian city, Project Balod is semi-open world but features a heavily dose of shooting action, with a mysterious narrative to unspool amidst the chaotic urban backdrop. Not a lot is known about this Indian gangster game, with the developer yet to announce a release date or playable platforms.

Contraband

Contraband is an upcoming co-op heist game from Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios. Set in the fictional 1970s world of Bayan, Contraband is described as a smuggler’s paradise. Squads can plan heists from their base of operations, with a host of valuable loot on offer for well executed plans. There’s no release date confirmed for this one yet but owing to the studio’s pedigree this is sure to be a hit when it does come out.

Project Madras

Amongst the best-looking games on this rundown owing to its development in Unreal Engine 5, Project Madras takes place on the open world streets of Chennai. A vibrant, explorative affair, Project Madras will have players roaming the marinas, monuments, and side streets of this exhilarating city, a place with homely locals, and a side of spicy Chennai. A game in the early stages of development, no release window or playable platforms have been announced yet.

Star Wars Outlaws

With the slew of scoundrels dotted throughout the galaxy, it’s a marvel no studio has attempted a game like Star Wars Outlaws yet. Massive Entertainment’s open-world adventure through the retched hives of scum and villainy looks exceptional, with players’ plotting one of the biggest heists this side of the outer rim territories across the familiar deserts of Tatooine. Coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2024.

Cyberpunk 2077 Orion

Cyberpunk 2077 is well and truly redeemed, and whilst CD Projekt Red have announced they’re pooling resources into The Witcher 4, eyes will certainly be looking expectedly on codename Orion, Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel. For their part, the Polish developer are stationing a new team in Boston who’ll steadily plug away in the coming years. We can only imagine the splendour of Night City given a few years’ worth of development and expertise – let’s just hope this one is playable from the off.

Mafia 4 (Rumored)

Will there ever be a Mafia 4? Well, developer Hanger 13 announced in 2022 that Mafia’s fourth iteration was in active development. Since then, information has been scant. Latest rumours are that Mafia 4 will be set in 20^th century Sicily. Whether this rumour turns out to be true is anyone’s guess. Put this one firmly in the rumoured pile.