Grand Theft Auto 6 has November to itself, and most of the industry has made peace with that. Enough developers pulled their releases out of the month to dodge it that the schedule looks lighter than a typical November. That’s bad news for anyone with no interest in Vice City.
Rockstar’s open-world crime game will probably be the biggest shared moment in gaming since Animal Crossing: New Horizons in 2020, with millions of players tied up in it. Everyone else still has things to play, and some of them are better than a supposedly empty month would suggest.
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Nintendo brought out the big one
Switch 2 won’t get GTA 6, so Nintendo needed a heavy hitter of its own. Its pick is a remake of the greatest game of all time.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arrives on Switch 2 on Nov. 5 with a fresh coat of paint: dreamy visuals, updated controls and a jump button, which the game has never had before. Link can finally jump when you tell him to.
Seven days later, on Nov. 12, Pikmin 4 gets a full Switch 2 Edition. It ranks among the Switch’s best games thanks to how satisfying it is to boss the little critters around and how good it feels to play overall. The new version adds Dandori Academy, a stage-based challenge mode that tests how organized you can be.
The nostalgia picks are the smartest counter-programming
For players of a certain era, World of Warcraft: Forever could matter as much as GTA 6. Blizzard is making an all-new version of its legendary MMO with retro graphics and brand-new content. It’s built for people who always wanted more WoW in the shape they remember from the game’s peak. It’s out Nov. 4 on Windows PC.
Anyone who owned a GameCube will remember Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, even if only for the cover art. The cult kaiju fighter comes back on Nov. 3, 24 years after it first launched, as a remaster with online multiplayer on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X. If you missed it the first time, give it a look. It’s a surprisingly fun casual fighter stuffed with classic monsters.
Barbie Rewind may be the cleverest counter-programming of the lot. While GTA 6 hands players a hyper-violent crime simulator, this cheerful retro collection gathers a long list of beloved Barbie games released between 1991 and 2007. It lands Nov. 12 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X. If Barbie: Super Model ate up your childhood, this could be your GTA 6.
Grab a friend (or three)
Looking for a multiplayer game to play in place of GTA 6? Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School is the strongest pick. The co-op puzzler sends you and a partner through a series of escape rooms made by designers who used to build real ones. Local split screen is included, so it’s a perfect couples game for Jason and Lucia. Look for it Nov. 5 on PlayStation 5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
Gravhounds was one of the few games that stood out during a crowded Gamescom Opening Night Live. In this co-op shooter, you and your friends are gun-toting dogs shooting your way across an alien planet, with base building and gravity-bending physics to play with. It has a shot at becoming a goofy multiplayer hit. Early access opens Nov. 2 on Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
Sonic isn’t afraid of GTA 6 either. To celebrate the Blue Blur’s 35th anniversary, Sega is releasing Sonic Pico Park, a Sonic-flavored offshoot of the multiplayer Pico Park series. It’s a 2D co-op puzzle platformer with lots of chances to yell at your friends. It arrives Nov. 12 on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and Windows PC.
Some names explain themselves. Warhammer Survivors is Vampire Survivors with Warhammer in it. The developers behind the excellent Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun made it, and that studio has already proved it can work Warhammer lore into a solid retro genre game. It’s out Nov. 10 on nearly every platform: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
The quietest option on the list
Milki Delivery is the pick for cozy gamers. The 2D indie arrives Nov. 17 on Windows PC and gives you a dairy delivery business to run. You cycle through scenic countryside bringing milk from your own cows to the locals, and the whole game has the warm, welcoming feel of a Studio Ghibli film.