Grand Theft Auto VI is finally locked in for November 19, 2026, and the wait is starting to feel real. After two delays, Rockstar has confirmed the date, the marketing push is ramping up, and Leonida is about to become the setting every open world fan is talking about for the rest of the year. If you are already thinking about how you want to play when launch day hits, this is a good time to talk gear, and a good time to talk about what to play in the meantime.

Why the Heist Edition Fits the Moment

The new Heist Edition Performance Thumbsticks were built with exactly this kind of open world action in mind. They come in a Flamingo Pink and Miami Blue colorway with a palm tree design, which lines up nicely with the neon, Vice City inspired aesthetic Rockstar has been teasing for GTA 6. It is a fun detail, and for anyone who wants their setup to match the game or the vibe they are hyped for, it matches the aesthetic.

Aside from the incredible colorway, these thumbsticks are built for the kind of gameplay GTA 6 is expected to lean into. The mid-rise height gives you more precise stick movement, which matters whether you are lining up a shot during a firefight or threading a car through traffic during a getaway. The GripTek material keeps your thumbs locked in during long sessions, and the four-prong design keeps the sticks securely attached so nothing shifts mid-mission. Plus, the added cushion and comfort they provide your thumbs lets you counteract any fatigue that comes from extended playing time. They are available for PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S, so no matter which platform you land on for launch, you can get your controller dialed in ahead of time.

Games to Hold You Over Until November

Fall is still a few months out, so here are a handful of open world and crime genre games that can scratch the same itch while you wait.

Grand Theft Auto V is still the obvious starting point if you have not spent time in Los Santos in a while, and honestly it holds up well enough that it is worth a full replay rather than a quick revisit. The three protagonist structure is still the game's best trick, letting you switch between Michael, Franklin, and Trevor mid-mission for completely different perspectives on the same heist. The heist missions themselves remain some of the best mission design Rockstar has ever put out, with planning stages, approach choices, and payouts that change based on how you play. On top of that, GTA Online is still getting regular content drops in 2026, so there is a genuinely active multiplayer scene to dive into alongside the single-player campaign. Between constant aiming during shootouts and threading vehicles through traffic, the added height on the Heist Edition sticks gives you a bit more precision for lining up shots. At the same time, the GripTek material keeps your thumbs from slipping during high-speed chases. If you want to go in blind or almost blind on story details before GTA 6, this is the game mode to spend your remaining months with.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a different pace, but the same studio's attention to detail carries over. If you want a slower burn with a story that has real weight behind every decision, this is worth a replay or a first playthrough. Dead Eye targeting and long-range hunting reward small, controlled adjustments over quick reactions, and the mid-rise height on the Heist Edition sticks helps you make those fine movements without overshooting your target, whether you are lining up a duel or tracking game through the brush.

Cyberpunk 2077 scratches a similar itch from a different angle. It trades Rockstar's satire for a neon soaked, branching narrative, but the open city structure and the freedom to cause chaos on your own terms feels familiar. Night City firefights tend to move fast and at range, and the extra stick height gives you a wider arc for tracking targets during shootouts, while the secure four-prong fit means nothing slips during a hectic escape from the police.

Saints Row: The Third leans all the way into the absurd. If your favorite part of GTA has always been the mayhem rather than the drama, this is one of the most purely fun open world sandboxes ever made. Hours of nonstop destruction tend to mean sweaty palms and sticks that slip at the worst time, and the GripTek material on the Heist Edition is built for exactly that, keeping your thumbs locked in no matter how long the chaos runs.

Sleeping Dogs is worth a look if you have never played it. It swaps guns for a strong martial arts combat system, wrapped around an undercover cop story set in a beautifully designed open world city. That melee-heavy combat calls for fast, responsive stick movement, and the ergonomic design of the Heist Edition sticks makes it easier to chain combos and dodge cleanly without your thumbs fatiguing during longer fights.

Any of these will keep you busy through the rest of summer and into fall, right up until Leonida opens up.

Getting Your Controller Ready

Whether you spend the next few months revisiting Los Santos or exploring Night City, having thumbsticks that give you reliable grip and precise control makes a real difference, especially in games built around fast reactions and tight aiming. The Heist Edition set is a simple way to upgrade your setup now, so when GTA 6 finally lands in November, your controller is already dialed in and ready.

You can check out the Heist Edition thumbsticks here: KontrolFreek Heist Edition