Over the last two decades, heist movies have become one of the most popular sub-genres around. WithOcean’s 11really kicking things off in the early 2000s, the heist genre has only continued to grow in popularity, so much so that their tropes have already become the focal point of parodies likeRick and Morty’s “One Crew over the Crewcoo’s Morty” episode. And where there’s popularity in the movie industry, the gaming industry isn’t usually too far behind it, withGrand Theft Autoleading the charge.
TheGrand Theft Autofranchise has always worn its influences on its sleeve, and the vast majority of those have been iconic crime and heist movies. But while heist movies have always been a big inspiration for the series, it took untilGrand Theft Auto 5before they’d take center stage, both in single-player and multiplayer. Letting players assemble their own crew, assign roles, take a cut, and engage in some incredibly cinematic getaways,GTA 5’s heistschanged the game, and in 2023, a number of inspired successors are looking to borrow the spotlight.
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Both Xbox and PlayStation Have GTA-Like Heist Games in the Works
2023 has already been quite the year for heist games, particularly those that have clearly beeninfluenced byGrand Theft Autoin one way or another. Back in March of this year,Crime Boss: Rockay Cityhit store shelves. A 1990s crime movie throwback,Crime Boss: Rockay Citywas a pretty big critical flop when it was released a few months ago, with its star-studded cast not even being able to save it. ButCrime Bosswasn’t all bad, and it managed to briefly scratch thatPaydayitch for some fans, at least before the proper game comes along later this year.
Announced right at the start of the year,Payday 3is the long-awaited sequel to the belovedPayday 2. WhileGTA 5changed the game for large-scale, cinematic heists,Payday 2did the same for smaller-scale heists, like robbing some jewelry stores, stealing some classified military documents, or breaking into a bank. Fans have been waiting a whole decade forPayday 3, and it’s just been given a release date of September 21 along with the confirmation that it’ll beavailable day one on Xbox Game Pass.
Though details are still quite scarce,Payday 3looks like a proper sequel to the intense 4-player co-op heisting action of its predecessor.Payday 3’s announcement trailerrevealed that players will be taking the action to New York City this time around, where they’ll be able to unlock a ton of new gadgets, abilities, and weapons. Though its gameplay might have looked a tad too similar to the last entry,Payday 3is definitely still one to watch out for, at least for anyone interested in the heist genre.
If one heist game wasn’t enough, then PlayStation is happy to give fans another. Debuted right at the beginning of PlayStation’s recent showcase,Fairgamesis the very first new IP from Haven Studios. Clearly inspired byPaydayandGrand Theft Auto,Fairgamestasks a team of players to successfully pull off a heist together, but there’s one big twist, they’re not the only ones after the loot.
An innovative choice,Fairgamesis a competitive heist game, pitting multiple teams of heisters up against one another, giving the classicPaydayandGTAformula a boldEscape From Tarkovtwist. WhileFairgamesdoesn’t have a confirmed release date just yet, and it’s extremely unlikely to hit this year, its announcement still makes 2023 the year of heist games with undeniable inspiration drawn fromGrand Theft Auto.
