Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Might Be Only Game to Compete with GTA 6

With GTA 6's release now just a month away, there's a growing sense that nothing releasing next year, or maybe even beyond, will be able to match it. GTA 6 is shaping up to be the most expansive open world yet, along with one of the most realistic sandbox experiences around, and that's based on just a single gameplay trailer, even if that trailer ran over 25 minutes.

Still, looking ahead at the release calendar, Naughty Dog's new IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, could end up being GTA 6's closest rival in terms of detail. First announced back in 2024, the studio still hasn't shown a trailer or any gameplay, but Neil Druckmann recently confirmed a full reveal is coming in 2027, calling it the studio's most ambitious game yet. Right now, with so little actually shown, it might not feel like one of the most anticipated titles out there, but that's almost certainly going to change next year.

GTA 6 and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet are obviously very different projects, but they share one thing: both have the potential to define their genres for years to come. We already know a lot about GTA 6, but Naughty Dog's new IP remains far more mysterious. Officially, it's set in the distant future on the planet Sempiria, cut off from the rest of reality for 600 years starting sometime in the 1980s. Players can expect combat against robots and other creatures, along with semi-open, linear environments to explore, piecing together the remnants of a vanished civilization.

Things get more speculative once you factor in unofficial leaks. One claims the game will include RPG elements, a leveling system, detailed gear and weapon customization, and an immersive world where NPCs actually respond to player actions. Given how Druckmann described it as "the most ambitious game yet," it's not a stretch to imagine the game going further still, offering dialogue choices and possibly even multiple endings shaped by player decisions.

Other unconfirmed details floating around include a glider for exploring the semi-open world, a combat system reminiscent of God of War (2018), and even horror or suspense elements. Combine that with rumors the game could be roughly 2.5 times bigger than The Last of Us Part II, and it's easy to see why people are already drawing comparisons to GTA 6. Interestingly, someone claiming to be a former Rockstar Games tester once described GTA 6 as feeling like "The Last of Us Part II in an open world," largely because of its attention to detail and technical leap forward. That comparison alone says a lot about how meticulously Naughty Dog tends to approach its games, and it'll be fascinating to see how much its new IP ends up shifting the landscape.

A handful of other upcoming games could theoretically rival GTA 6 in certain respects too: CD Projekt RED's The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 for open-world and sandbox design, Larian's Divinity for sheer immersion, and The Elder Scrolls VI for sheer map scale. None of those are likely arriving anytime soon, though, which makes Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet the more realistic candidate for a genuine "who does it better" conversation. The two games couldn't be more different in style, but they're probably the ones people end up comparing most when it comes to world detail and realism.

Grand Theft Auto VI launches November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a PlayStation 5 exclusive, still doesn't have a confirmed release date, though it's rumored to launch next year.