Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Don't miss these
GTA 6 protagonists Lucia and Jason stand poised for a confrontation, with both of them holding a gun while Lucia also carries a briefcase
Action Games GTA 6: Everything we know so far
An astronaut holding a gun points away, while another astronaut clutches his head
Co-op Games After 6 games in 15 years, dev loses it as over 10,000 Steam players flock to his new co-op game
Armored tank warrior walking in cathedral
Action Games Meet the dev who quit Rockstar Games during GTA 6 fever to make a single-player MMO-like
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 isn't "even at risk" of having product placement "because all the brands are made up"
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 $100 price fears seemingly squashed as Take-Two CEO stresses "our job is to charge way way way less of the value"
Two characters in S&box
Games Garry's Mod follow-up S&box will launch on Steam with "sustainable" payout for content creators
Fallout Xbox accidentally gave away the RPG that led to OG Fallout for free, and is now fixing broken copies
GTA 3
Grand Theft Auto GTA 3 cheats for unlimited money, weapons, armor, and much more
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto With GTA 6 PC release unconfirmed, Rockstar leak suggests GTA Online gets 97% of cash from consoles
How to enter GTA 5 cheats
Grand Theft Auto "My 20-year tenure is no longer good enough": GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption veteran says getting a job is a "toss of a coin"
Pickmon
Survival Games Pokemon and Palworld clone Pickmon changes its name by one letter to "better align with our brand identity and lore"
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker screenshot of Link conducting
Games In 2003, Shigeru Miyamoto figured it was Nintendo's "duty to produce alternatives to GTA"
Sky: Children of the Light screenshot of three figures playing different instruments
Games The best free Switch games available right now in 2026
Bearded man raises shovel in one hand and holds skull in the other as zombie army backs him
Simulation Games Stardew Valley-like with dead people Graveyard Keeper is free for a few days as dev announces sequel
Pickmon
Survival Games Pokemon and Palworld clone Pickmos removed from Steam: "We are revising the game"
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Battle Royale Games

GTA-inspired indie changes its name to go full homage

News
By Patrick Dane published 28 November 2022

Gene Shift Auto, the chaotic co-op battle royale is now free to play

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A man fires a rocket while explosions happen
(Image credit: Nik Nak Studios)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

A GTA-inspired indie game has decided to change its name to pay closer homage to Rockstar’s legendary games alongside going free-to-play.

In a post on the game’s Steam page (via PCGamer), Nik Nak Studios announced that Geneshift would be changing its name to Gene Shift Auto, putting the title closer to the game’s main inspiration. What’s more, the game will be going free-to-play today, meaning that players will be able to hop in and get their crime-spree fix with no monetary barrier. If you want a taste, why not check out the new trailer for the game? 

YouTube YouTube
Watch On

Nik Nak Studios explained that the name change has other purposes too. The game has been in early access for five years, and it's now entering a new phase of its life. In the post, the studio explains the name change further saying: “The name has changed because the game itself has changed so much over the years.” 

Article continues below
You may like
  • Samson gameplay that shows three cars crashing, with one sent into the air Samson proves there's still room for smaller Grand Theft Auto-style sandboxes – I just wish this one was better
  • A zoomed-in screenshot from Samson, showing a man walking along a city street at night. As GTA 6 looms, Just Cause lead isn't put off by comparisons to Rockstar's game as he prepares to release Samson
  • inZOI New inZOI patch dubbed the "GTA 6 update" by fans, adding everything from flower shops to car theft

“Geneshift was released as a story-based campaign. It didn't have cops, missions, the megamap, skill drafting, vendors or even the BR game mode! We're playing a completely different game, more of a sequel really, and a new name will help communicate to all the old fans just how much has changed.”

If you're expecting the title to fulfill your 3D life of crime needs until the elusive GTA 6 gets here, be aware Gene Shift Auto is a homage to older versions of the game, most specifically Grand Theft Auto 2. These top-down games are excellent relics that are often forgotten in the Grand Theft Auto pantheon, but they're very different from what a modern GTA game is. 

Gene Shift Auto is a PvPvE Battle Royale, so while it is an homage to the retro GTA games, it's still its own thing. It’s a very chaotic competitive game that will have you up against waves of police and other players as you battle for the top spot. There is also a Deluxe version of the game that comes with its own single player or purely co-op survival mode if you do want to end up spending some money on it. 

Want to jump into some fun with some friends? Here are the best co-op games on the market. 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
TOPICS
Indie Game
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Patrick Dane
Patrick Dane
Social Links Navigation
Freelance writer

Patrick Dane is a freelance writer and former Guides Editor at TechRadar. He is now a freelance games journalist writing for sites and publications such as GamesRadar, Metro, IGN, Eurogamer, PC Gamer, and the International Business Times, among others. He was also once the Managing Editor for Bleeding Cool.

Read more
Samson gameplay that shows three cars crashing, with one sent into the air
Action Games Samson proves there's still room for smaller Grand Theft Auto-style sandboxes – I just wish this one was better
 
 
A zoomed-in screenshot from Samson, showing a man walking along a city street at night.
Action Games As GTA 6 looms, Just Cause lead isn't put off by comparisons to Rockstar's game as he prepares to release Samson
 
 
inZOI
Simulation Games New inZOI patch dubbed the "GTA 6 update" by fans, adding everything from flower shops to car theft
 
 
Three playable characters stand in a triangle wearing suits and holding guns in GTA 5
Grand Theft Auto Team behind GTA 5 multiplayer mod that rivalled Rockstar-owned FiveM says Take-Two is shutting the project down
 
 
eWorlds
Platforming Games This game has been free on Steam for over a year, but it's now going to be $4 in order to cover costs
 
 
GTA 5 cheat codes and phone numbers
Grand Theft Auto Ahead of GTA 6, Rockstar-owned GTA 5 RP mega mod FiveM breaks its own Steam record with 200,000 concurrent players
 
 
Latest in Battle Royale Games
Epic Games Star Wars toolkit image of Droid Tycoon with Jonesy selling a droid
Fortnite I don't think anyone is prepared for the amount of Star Wars that's about to hit Fortnite
 
 
Fortnite
Fortnite Fortnite's low-priority bug reports are regularly wiped, which Epic Games CEO says is "normal"
 
 
Load screen artwork for Atticus in Highguard, leaping in front of clouds with a charged lightning spear
PUBG PUBG boss was "sad" to see Concord and Highguard get shut down, but hopes to learn from their mistakes
 
 
PUBG Xeno Point boss alien attacking player
PUBG How PUBG is trying to win back the West
 
 
Fortnite Chapter 7
Fortnite "Fortnite's cultural moment is starting to fade," games analyst says amid mass layoffs
 
 
Fortnite character Jonesy looks shocked in the story trailer for Season X.
Battle Royale Games Fortnite dev says "we cannot even fully understand what kind of impacts this will have" amid mass layoffs at Epic Games
 
 
Latest in News
Hollow Knight: Silksong screenshot of white rose warrior Lace
Action Games Silksong fans believe Sea of Sorrow DLC is coming soon due to a single emoji from the marketing lead
 
 
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies Star Wars fans have seen 25 minutes of The Mandalorian and Grogu – and early reactions are mostly positive
 
 
Marvel timeline: Tom Hiddleston looking straight ahead during season 1 of the Marvel series Loki.
Marvel TV Shows Tom Hiddleston almost became a Marvel director in the original 18-episode plan for Daredevil: Born Again
 
 
Austin Abrams as Bryan in Resident Evil
Horror Movies Zach Cregger says Resident Evil will be "structurally unique" and "weird"
 
 
Antony Starr as Homelander in The Boys season 5
Superhero Shows The Boys fans are wondering how the final season would be different if it wasn't setting up spin-off Vought Rising
 
 
Lego Sega Genesis Console and controller on a mat in a purple-tinged environment
Toys & Collectibles Retro Lego Sega Genesis console is real, costs just $40, and has more pieces for less money than the Lego Game Boy
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Grogu saluting in The Mandalorian and Grogu
    1
    The Mandalorian and Grogu is getting a prequel comic to fill in the gaps from season 3
  2. 2
    Resident Evil Requiem director hints Leon Kennedy might still be fighting zombies in his retirement as Capcom "could bring him back when he's 70"
  3. 3
    Mortal Kombat 2's game-exclusive fight scene clip proves it learned all the right lessons from the first movie
  4. 4
    Daredevil star Charlie Cox says he won't be in any Avengers movies: "Marvel have been clear with me"
  5. 5
    Valve is seemingly sitting on 20,000 Steam Machine units, so I'd be stumped if availability is an issue

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...