Free-to-play GTA 6 rival is the perfect stop gap before Rockstar's launch day

Grand Theft Auto VI is now available to preload for those who have pre-ordered the game digitally, with code-in-a-box preloads set to open tomorrow, on November 12.

There’s still a short wait ahead, though, until we reach GTA VI’s launch day on November 19.

It’s for that reason that ROB RUN has completely blown up, a new free-to-play open-world offering that borrows from the Grand Theft Auto franchise’s crime sandbox formula.

Developed by Kefir, ROB RUN hasn’t been made with the same budget as GTA VI, so we’re certainly not deeming it a worthy rival.

What this title does, however, is scratch a similar itch and with over a week to go until launch day, it could just be the perfect stopgap - if you have a PC, you can temporarily ditch your console for.

ROB RUN is a multiplayer title in which you can either play as a cop or criminal in a vast open world.

If you’re a cop, your job is to put a stop to the criminals roaming the game’s streets; if you’re a criminal, you’ll want to wreak as much havoc as possible without being caught.

While you can operate solo, it’s best as a criminal if you team up with other players, forming your own crime family or syndicate.

Kefir

Within groups, you can assign roles, organise raids, take over certain territories, wage gang wars, negotiate truces, and more.

Of course, anyone within your crime group could betray you at any moment. It’s all about where you secure your biggest payday - and perhaps that’s by betraying your allies.

“You risk losing absolutely everything every minute. Someone can easily take what's yours, but the same is true the other way around,” devs warn.

“To survive, you have to be able to plan, make quick decisions, and pull the trigger at the right moment.”

With all of the heists, robberies, and general criminal chaos, you can see why ROB RUN evokes the same feeling as the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

Away from said chaos, players also have the opportunity to build a base - better known as a hideout for the vast majority of players who will choose the criminal life.

There, you can store loot, vehicles, and safes, and tinker away on workbenches.

READ MORE: GTA 6's first player ratings surface early via PlayStation Store, oops

You’ll need allies if you want to succeed in ROB RUN

Again, ROB RUN isn’t going to blow your socks off as an all-time great. It’s available to play on the PC storefront Steam, where it holds a Mixed 47% user score.

It was faring pretty well, but the community spirit of the European servers has particularly come under fire, with a significant proportion of the player base reportedly ruining the experience for others.

“Decently fun.. at first. Criminal vs Criminal should have a disable option. Clans will completely overtake a server, and you'll get absolutely nowhere. LOTS of potential... needs some tweaks,” said one player.

Another wrote: “Good concept, the servers and party lobby need to work for the game to have a future.”

READ MORE: GTA 6: How to avoid spoilers on PlayStation, Xbox, and social media

It sounds like either too many cops or too large a criminal clan are banding together, making the experience unplayable for anyone who comes up against them.

Kefir could tweak the formula though, perhaps putting a limit on alliances. Even so, plenty of players are diving into ROB RUN, with an all-time player peak of 197,753 set just a few hours ago, correct at the time of writing.

GTA VI will be here before long, but this could be the perfect play in the meantime.