25 Best Crime Games To Play Right Now (2026) Ranked From Petty Theft To Criminal Empire
- Niels Gys
- 9 hours ago
- 13 min read
Updated monthly based on player activity, community reception, CRIMENET criminal standards, and whether the game still deserves your criminal energy in 2026.
TL;DR For Busy Criminals
If you only have time for the shortlist:
Play GTA V if you want the best all-round crime sandbox.
Play PAYDAY 2 if bank robbery with friends sounds like emotional damage worth experiencing.
Play Schedule I if your dream job involves becoming a digital drug kingpin.
Play Hitman: World of Assassination if professionalism and murder are your thing.
Play Mafia if you want organised crime done properly.
Play Sleeping Dogs if you somehow missed one of gaming’s most criminally underrated masterpieces.
Ranked By Criminal Energy, Chaos, And Whether They Still Deserve Your Time
Crime games are quietly having a ridiculously strong moment.
The old kings still dominate.
GTA continues behaving like the crime genre personally belongs to it.
PAYDAY 2 refuses to die.
Meanwhile, bizarre newcomers about drug empires, cleaning murder scenes, and laundering suspicious mountains of cash somehow became some of the most-played criminal fantasies.
Frankly?
Good.
Heroism is exhausting.
This list ranks the best crime games to play right now in 2026, based on:
✅ player activity
✅ community reception
✅ criminal fantasy quality
✅ whether the game still feels worth your time today
✅ CRIMENET’s deeply questionable criminal standards
No copaganda.
No detective simulators pretending to be crime games.
No “technically illegal” nonsense where stealing one bicycle apparently turns you into Pablo Escobar.
Only games where crime is the fantasy.
Updated monthly based on player activity, community reception, and whether the game still deserves your criminal energy.
In This Ranking
Quick Ranking Table
Rank | Game | Why Play It |
GTA V | The undisputed king of crime sandboxes | |
PAYDAY 2 | Still the best co-op heist addiction | |
Schedule I | Drug empire chaos we cannot stop playing | |
GTA IV | Rockstar’s grittiest crime story | |
Hitman: World of Assassination | Elite assassination fantasy | |
Crime Scene Cleaner | Shockingly satisfying criminal cleanup | |
Cash Cleaner Simulator | Money laundering strangely made fun | |
Mafia III: Definitive Edition | Brutal organised crime revenge | |
Crime Simulator | Pure burglary-and-chaos criminal sandbox | |
A Way Out | Brilliant co-op prison escape crime story |
Criminal Royalty (#1–5)
#1 GTA V
Still The King Of Digital Crime
CRIMENET Verdict: Essential Criminal Behaviour
Let’s stop pretending.
If crime games had a throne, GTA V would still be sitting on it wearing sunglasses, counting stolen money, and ignoring everybody else.
Even thirteen years later.
Even after Rockstar has sold this thing more times than suspicious street-market electronics.
Why?
Because nobody does criminal fantasy quite like GTA.
You rob stores.
Steal cars.
Run criminal businesses.
Smuggle weapons.
Pull off heists.
Manipulate illegal empires.
Cause city-wide destruction because someone mildly annoyed you in traffic.
And somehow it all still works beautifully.
Best For
open-world crime
solo & multiplayer chaos
criminal empire building
heists
Skip If
You are somehow tired of GTA after buying it six separate times.
Related:
#2 PAYDAY 2
Still The Best Way To Ruin A Perfectly Good Bank
CRIMENET Verdict: Crime Addiction With Excellent Masks
No game understands:
“One more heist…”
quite like PAYDAY 2.
You and your crew rob banks, transport cocaine, survive police assaults, steal absurd amounts of valuables, and somehow always have one teammate who plays like public safety personally insulted his family.
The genius of PAYDAY 2 is how committed it is to the fantasy.
This is not:
“crime-adjacent.”
This is:
full-time professional criminal behaviour.
And despite its age?
Still wildly alive in 2026.
Best For
co-op crime
organised chaos
bank robberies
teamwork
Skip If
You dislike yelling at friends for failing simple instructions.
Related:
→ Payday 2 Review
→ Best 25 Heist GamesTo Play Right Now
#3 Schedule I
The Walter White Simulator We Cannot Stop Playing
CRIMENET Verdict: Criminal Empire Crack
Nobody expected Schedule I to explode like this.
And yet here we are.
A game about building a drug empire somehow became one of Steam’s biggest criminal obsessions.
You manufacture product.
Expand territory.
Manage operations.
Grow your illegal empire.
Avoid collapse.
Repeat.
The fantasy is simple:
Become terrifyingly successful through extremely questionable life choices.
And honestly?
It is dangerously compelling.
Like watching Breaking Bad and thinking:
“Yes, but what if I was financially irresponsible too?”
Best For
criminal business building
progression addicts
solo empire fantasy
Skip If
You hate management systems.
Related:
→ Schedule I Review
#4 GTA IV
The Crime Story Rockstar Never Quite Replaced
CRIMENET Verdict: Criminal Cinema
Where GTA V became bigger and louder, GTA IV became darker.
Grittier.
More grounded.
You play Niko Bellic, an immigrant dragged into Liberty City’s criminal underworld while trying to outrun a very unhealthy relationship with violence.
The physics still feel fantastic.
The atmosphere remains unmatched.
And the criminal storytelling?
Still some of Rockstar’s best work.
This is GTA at its most:
“crime has consequences.”
before somebody inevitably launches a grenade anyway.
Best For
serious crime stories
immersive criminal worlds
older GTA fans
Skip If
You want modern GTA Online systems.
Related:
→ GTA IV Review
#5 Hitman: World of Assassination
Professional Murder With Terrifying Efficiency
CRIMENET Verdict: Elegant Criminal Excellence
Right.
Technically:
Agent 47 is not a gangster.
But professionally planned murder absolutely counts as crime.
And Hitman: World of Assassination remains one of the best criminal sandboxes ever made.
You infiltrate.
Disguise yourself.
Sabotage systems.
Manipulate environments.
Turn chandeliers into weapons.
Transform everyday accidents into deeply suspicious coincidences.
The genius here is freedom.
There are hundreds of ways to eliminate targets.
Some elegant.
Some ridiculous.
Some so absurdly elaborate they feel like criminal theatre.
Which, honestly, makes them better.
Best For
stealth crime
planning lovers
replayability
Skip If
You hate patience.
Related:
→ Hitman: World of Assassination Review
Elite Criminal Enterprises (#6–10)
#6 Crime Scene Cleaner
The Weirdest Crime Game Somehow Became Brilliant
CRIMENET Verdict: Suspiciously Addictive Criminal Cleanup
Nobody expected one of the year’s best crime-adjacent games to involve:
mopping blood while hiding evidence for gangsters.
And yet.
Here we are.
In Crime Scene Cleaner, you work for criminals after the mess happens.
Bodies gone.
Evidence removed.
Police confused.
Job done.
The fantasy sounds ridiculous on paper.
Then suddenly you are three hours deep, obsessively scrubbing murder scenes like somebody turned organised crime into oddly satisfying therapy.
What makes it work is commitment.
The game understands the fantasy.
You are not a hero.
You are not solving crimes.
You are helping very dangerous people avoid consequences.
Deeply immoral.
Wonderfully entertaining.
Best For
simulator fans
slower criminal gameplay
dark humour lovers
Skip If
You want action instead of cleanup.
Related:
→ Crime Scene Cleaner Review
#7 Cash Cleaner Simulator
Money Laundering Has Never Looked This Stupid
CRIMENET Verdict: Financial Crime But Make It Weird
Most games ask:
“Want to save the world?”
Cash Cleaner Simulator asks:
“Want to clean suspicious money for criminals?”
Finally.
A game brave enough to chase the fantasy of financial misconduct.
You sort dirty cash.
Clean it.
Organise operations.
Manage criminal finances.
And somehow turn what sounds incredibly boring into something strangely hypnotic.
It scratches the same dangerous brain itch as:
PowerWash Simulator
House Flipper
Drug Dealer Simulator
Except now everything feels vaguely illegal.
Which, naturally, improves things.
Quite a lot.
Best For
simulator fans
oddly relaxing criminal games
people who enjoy optimisation
Skip If
You want explosions every five minutes.
Related:
→ Cash Cleaner Simulator Review
#8 Mafia III: Definitive Edition
Revenge, Organised Crime, And Brutal Violence
CRIMENET Verdict: Criminal Revenge Fantasy
This remains one of the most underrated mafia games around.
Yes.
People complained about repetition.
Fair.
But Mafia III still nails something beautifully:
building a criminal empire through violence.
You play Lincoln Clay, systematically dismantling organised crime families while building your own operation.
District takeovers.
Racketeering.
Territory control.
Mob politics.
Violent revenge.
And enough betrayal to make family dinners feel dangerous.
The atmosphere still carries this game hard.
New Bordeaux drips with criminal energy.
Dirty.
Corrupt.
Tense.
Exactly what a mafia fantasy should feel like.
Best For
organised crime
revenge stories
criminal empire building
Skip If
You hate repeated mission structure.
Related:
→ Mafia III: Definitive Edition Review
#9 Crime Simulator
Pure Criminal Sandbox Energy
CRIMENET Verdict: Crime Without The Nonsense
Some games complicate crime.
Crime Simulator basically says:
“What if we just let people do crimes?”
And honestly?
Respect.
Rob houses.
Steal valuables.
Cause chaos.
Sneak around.
Grab loot.
Escape consequences.
That is the fantasy.
No moral lecture.
No dramatic speech about redemption.
No detective yelling at you.
Just:
crime.
Sometimes simple is better.
And Crime Simulator understands that beautifully.
Best For
sandbox crime
burglary fans
co-op criminal nonsense
Skip If
You need deep storytelling.
Related:
→ Crime Simulator Review
#10 A Way Out
The Best Prison Escape Story In Gaming
CRIMENET Verdict: Essential Co-Op Crime
If you have a friend and enjoy shouting:
“WHY DID YOU DO THAT?”
then A Way Out is mandatory.
You play two prisoners attempting to escape prison and survive life on the run.
And unlike many co-op games that feel bolted together like discount furniture, this one genuinely works.
Every sequence feels cinematic.
Escapes.
Shootouts.
Chases.
Planning.
Criminal survival.
The story keeps momentum beautifully.
And because the entire game is built around two players, it constantly creates brilliant chaos.
Especially if one of you is dramatically less competent than the other.
Which tends to happen.
Best For
co-op storytelling
prison escapes
crime drama
Skip If
You play alone.
Related:
→ A Way Out Review
Criminal Specialists (#11–15)
#11 Watch Dogs 2
Hacker Crime Done Properly
CRIMENET Verdict: Criminal Tech Fantasy
Unlike the aggressively serious first game, Watch Dogs 2 finally understood something important:
Crime is more fun when everybody loosens up slightly.
You play hacker vigilante Marcus Holloway, infiltrating systems, stealing data, manipulating technology, and causing digital chaos.
The fantasy here feels fantastic.
Hijack systems.
Hack infrastructure.
Manipulate police.
Steal vehicles.
Cause public chaos remotely.
Essentially:
Cybercrime with style.
And unlike many “hacker” games that make hacking feel like filing taxes, Watch Dogs 2 actually makes it fun.
Best For
hacker fantasy
open-world chaos
tech crime
Skip If
You dislike Ubisoft open-world structure.
Related:
→ Watch Dogs 2 Review
#12 Mafia: Definitive Edition
The Best Traditional Mafia Story
CRIMENET Verdict: Pure Organised Crime Cinema
If The Godfather and old gangster films are your thing:
Start here.
Few games nail classic organised crime atmosphere this well.
You rise through mafia ranks.
Do dirty work.
Handle collections.
Commit violent crimes.
Become increasingly trapped inside mob politics.
The remake massively modernised visuals while keeping the criminal fantasy intact.
This is less sandbox than GTA.
More:
carefully crafted mob story.
And it still works beautifully.
Best For
mafia storytelling
organised crime fans
narrative lovers
Skip If
You want complete open-world freedom.
Related:
→ Mafia: Definitive Edition Review
#13 PAYDAY 3
The Redemption Arc Is Finally Happening
CRIMENET Verdict: Worth Watching Again
Launch?
Disaster.
The kind of launch that makes players stare at the ceiling questioning their life choices.
But in 2026?
PAYDAY 3 is finally becoming worth your time.
More updates.
Better balance.
More content.
Stronger heisting.
It still is not PAYDAY 2 levels of criminal greatness.
But it is improving.
Rapidly.
And the core fantasy remains excellent:
masked professionals committing highly organised stupidity.
Best For
modern co-op heists
returning PAYDAY fans
Skip If
You expect PAYDAY 2 depth immediately.
Related:
→ Payday 3 Review
#14 Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Organised Crime With Maximum Weirdness
CRIMENET Verdict: Brilliant Criminal Chaos
Trying to explain Like a Dragon sounds ridiculous.
And yet:
It works.
Beautifully.
Gang politics.
Criminal underworld drama.
Emotional storytelling.
Business crime.
Absurd humour.
Turn-based combat.
Yes.
Turn-based combat.
Somehow.
The result feels unique.
The organised crime fantasy stays strong, while the bizarre tone somehow makes everything more memorable.
Few games balance:
heartfelt drama and complete nonsense
this confidently.
Best For
crime stories
RPG fans
organised chaos
Skip If
You hate weirdness.
Related:
→ Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review
#15 Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition
The Most Criminally Underrated Crime Game
CRIMENET Verdict: Mandatory
This game deserved far more success.
You technically play undercover cop Wei Shen.
But let us be honest:
The fantasy feels criminal as hell.
You infiltrate gangs.
Do criminal work.
Street race.
Fight rivals.
Climb Triad ranks.
Operate inside organised crime.
And the combat still slaps.
Hard.
Hong Kong feels alive.
Brutal.
Stylish.
Dirty.
Few games blend:
crime sandbox + martial arts chaos
this well.
Frankly?
If you skipped Sleeping Dogs, fix that immediately.
Best For
organised crime fans
martial arts combat
GTA alternatives
Skip If
You only want multiplayer.
Related:
→ Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition Review
Crime Classics Still Worth Playing (#16–20)
#16 GTA San Andreas
Still One Of Rockstar’s Greatest Criminal Fantasies
CRIMENET Verdict: Mandatory Criminal History
There is nostalgia.
Then there is GTA San Andreas nostalgia.
The kind where somebody hears the opening music and suddenly starts talking like it is 2004 again.
And honestly?
Fair.
You play CJ, returning to Los Santos and slowly climbing through gang wars, corruption, betrayal, and criminal empire-building.
This game still gives you absurd freedom:
Gang territory.
Property.
Car theft.
Robberies.
Customisation.
Chaos.
And somehow Rockstar stuffed more systems into this game than certain modern developers manage with budgets large enough to bankrupt countries.
Yes, it feels older.
Yes, some mechanics show their age.
Still brilliant.
Best For
gang crime fantasy
nostalgia
classic Rockstar chaos
Skip If
You cannot tolerate older game design.
Related:
→ GTA: San Andreas Review
#17 Mafia II: Definitive Edition
Organised Crime Done Beautifully
CRIMENET Verdict: Mob Story Excellence
Few games understand organised crime this well.
Mafia II feels less like an open-world sandbox and more like:
living inside a mob movie.
You rise through criminal ranks.
Do collections.
Pull jobs.
Get dragged deeper into dangerous family politics.
And the atmosphere still works beautifully.
Snow-covered streets.
Classic cars.
Sharp suits.
Criminal tension everywhere.
If Mafia Definitive Edition gives you the rise…
Mafia II gives you the consequences.
Best For
mob storytelling
organised crime immersion
Skip If
You want GTA-level freedom.
Related:
→ Mafia II: Definitive Edition Review
#18 Back To Dawn
Prison Survival Done Properly
CRIMENET Verdict: Hidden Criminal Gem
One of the biggest surprises on this list.
Back To Dawn quietly became one of the most interesting prison crime games.
You survive prison politics.
Build alliances.
Manipulate gangs.
Smuggle contraband.
Plan escapes.
Manage rivalries.
And slowly realise prison feels suspiciously like office politics with more stabbing.
The roleplaying systems are excellent.
The freedom feels real.
And the criminal fantasy works beautifully.
A genuine hidden gem.
Best For
prison crime stories
RPG fans
survival systems
Skip If
You dislike slower progression.
Related:
#19 Yakuza 0
Peak Organised Crime Storytelling
CRIMENET Verdict: Criminal Storytelling Masterpiece
If Like a Dragon feels too weird:
Start here.
Yakuza 0 remains one of the strongest organised crime stories ever made.
The underworld drama is exceptional.
The criminal politics feel tense.
The emotional storytelling lands hard.
And then, without warning:
You are suddenly doing karaoke or helping a man emotionally recover from poor business decisions involving disco dancing.
Because Yakuza.
Somehow ridiculous.
Somehow brilliant.
Best For
crime storytelling
emotional drama
organised crime fans
Skip If
You want pure sandbox freedom.
Related:
→ Yakuza 0 Review
#20 GTA Vice City
Cocaine, Neon, And Terrible Life Decisions
CRIMENET Verdict: Criminal Nostalgia Gold
Vice City feels like:
Miami crime fantasy injected directly into your bloodstream.
You rise through criminal ranks.
Build power.
Take territory.
Accumulate wealth.
Cause chaos.
And look stylish doing it.
The atmosphere still carries this game hard.
Neon lights.
Palm trees.
80s criminal energy.
Everything feels gloriously excessive.
Like somebody handed Scarface an unlimited budget and zero supervision.
Which, frankly, sounds fantastic.
Best For
retro criminal vibes
classic GTA fans
Skip If
You struggle with older mechanics.
Related:
→ GTA: Vice City Review
Criminal Wildcards (#21–25)
Still scrolling through 25 criminal masterpieces like a goblin looting Steam sales at 2AM?
If CRIMENET helped you find your next digital felony, you can toss a coffee at the operation. It helps fund the testing, reviews, terrible financial decisions, and suspicious amount of crime-game research.
#21 Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Peak Outlaw Fantasy
CRIMENET Verdict: Criminal Driving Excellence
Technically?
Street racing.
Actually?
Pure outlaw energy.
Illegal races.
Police pursuits.
Wanted levels.
Underground reputation.
Most Wanted remains one of the best:
run-from-the-law fantasies
ever made.
The police chases still feel incredible.
And honestly?
Few things in gaming beat escaping ten police cars while your vehicle barely resembles a functioning automobile anymore.
Best For
outlaw fantasy
racing fans
adrenaline junkies
Skip If
You hate arcade racing.
Related:
→ Need for Speed Most Wanted Review
#22 Crime Boss: Rockay City
The Criminal Junk Food Of Crime Games
CRIMENET Verdict: Weirdly Fun
Look.
Is it messy?
Yes.
Is it sometimes ridiculous?
Also yes.
But Crime Boss has improved massively.
And beneath the chaos sits a surprisingly entertaining criminal fantasy.
You build crews.
Pull jobs.
Manage criminal operations.
Fight rival gangs.
Grow influence.
The story feels like somebody accidentally recreated a B-movie crime thriller after too many energy drinks.
And somehow?
That works.
Best For
co-op crime
criminal progression
chaotic fun
Skip If
You demand perfection.
Related:
→ Crime Boss: Rockay City Review
#23 Thief Simulator 2
Professional Burglary Without The Prison Sentence
CRIMENET Verdict: Pure Crime Fantasy
This is exactly what the title says.
And somehow that honesty is refreshing.
You case properties.
Learn schedules.
Break into homes.
Steal valuables.
Avoid detection.
Escape.
The fantasy works beautifully because:
crime requires planning.
You are not mindlessly smashing windows.
You are:
professionally stealing televisions.
Respectfully.
Best For
stealth crime
burglary fantasy
simulator fans
Skip If
You hate slower gameplay.
Related:
→ Thief Simulator 2 Review
#24 Drug Dealer Simulator 2
Criminal Empire Building At Full Scale
CRIMENET Verdict: Crime Tycoon Energy
If Schedule I hooked you but you want something deeper:
Try this.
Drug Dealer Simulator 2 expands everything.
Bigger criminal operations.
More territory.
More logistics.
More management.
More ways to accidentally ruin your criminal organisation.
The systems feel deeper.
The scale feels bigger.
And the fantasy of building something deeply illegal works extremely well.
Best For
empire builders
criminal progression
Skip If
You hate management systems.
Related:
→ Drug Dealer Simulator 2 Review
#25 Saints Row: The Third
Completely Unhinged Criminal Chaos
CRIMENET Verdict: Criminal Stupidity In The Best Way
This is where realism leaves the building.
Fast.
Gang warfare.
Ridiculous weapons.
Chaotic missions.
Complete nonsense.
And criminal energy dialled to eleven.
Saints Row: The Third knows exactly what it is:
GTA after drinking twelve energy drinks and making terrible decisions.
And honestly?
Sometimes that is exactly what you want.
Best For
chaotic fun
sandbox crime
co-op nonsense
Skip If
You want serious storytelling.
Related:
→ Saints Row: The Third Review
Final Verdict
Crime games are thriving.
The kings still rule:
GTA.
PAYDAY.
Hitman.
Mafia.
But newer weirdness like:
Schedule I, Crime Scene Cleaner, and Cash Cleaner Simulator
prove something important:
Players are still deeply obsessed with morally questionable career choices.
And frankly?
Understandable.
Heroism sounds exhausting.
Crime has better aesthetics.
At least digitally.
FAQ
What is the best crime game in 2026?
For most players, GTA V remains the best overall crime game thanks to open-world freedom, criminal businesses, heists, and multiplayer chaos.
What is the best heist game right now?
PAYDAY 2 remains the strongest pure heist fantasy, though PAYDAY 3 is finally improving.
What crime game is most played right now?
GTA V, PAYDAY 2, and Schedule I remain among the biggest criminal games in 2026.
What is the best mafia game?
Mafia: Definitive Edition and Mafia II remain the strongest organised crime experiences.
What game feels most like Breaking Bad?
Schedule I and Drug Dealer Simulator 2 come closest to building a criminal drug empire.
What are the best crime games on PC?
GTA V, PAYDAY 2, Hitman: World of Assassination, Mafia, Sleeping Dogs, and Schedule I are among the strongest options in 2026.
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