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Grand Theft Auto IV’s delay leaves Holiday 2007 with a huge void.  Gamers that once were scheduling their dive into next-generation gaming around GTA IV are now forced with the decision to either get a head start this winter, or wait until its spring ‘08 release date.

Gamers that are looking for reasons to buy themselves an Xbox 360 or PS3 need to look no further than these possible Grand Theft Auto replacements.

First up is Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, a sequel to Pandemic’s 2005 free-form hit.  Offering the closest in resemblance with gameplay, Mercenaries 2 is an open-world action title that now introduces planes.  Fans of the first will be delighted to play as the three main characters from the original.  Set for a November release, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames bears the most similarities to Grand Theft Auto IV than any other game these holidays.

If destruction and violence is what players are interested in, then the next two games present a plethora of appeal.  Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, along with Army of Two deliver a chaotic cooperative journey of two characters for the PS3, PC and Xbox 360.  If players are looking to cause mayhem and kill as many non-playable characters as possible, Kane & Lynch or Army of Two is the route to go.  Both respectively release in the middle of November.

Players that are looking to brag about their next-generation consoles to their friends – whether it is for marvelous graphics or sheer awesomeness of gameplay– will want to keep an eye out for Rock Band.  Harmonix’s new title brings forth a reason to play video games at any party.  Rock Band is incorporating, for the first time, all the essential instruments to create a rock band.  Whether it is drums, guitar, or microphone, Rock Band has it all there to pick up and play.  

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on the other hand is being handled by Neversoft and still provides a reason to rock out in front of everyone.  New wireless controllers in the form of a Gibson Les Paul and Kramer are in the works.  In even bigger news, players will now have the ability to customize their own guitar faceplate.  Guitar Hero III is bound to be a springboard for gamers to find new friends.

If none of these titles entice gamers, then there are still a heap of games from 2006 that could fill the emptiness.  Digging up THQ’s Saints Row could spell as an immediate fix to the Grand Theft Auto blues.  Of course, Rockstar provided another controversial open-ended title, Bully.  The list goes on with Eidos’ “GTA on an island”, Just Cause, David Jones’ latest game, Crackdown, and even Capcom’s zombie-infested Dead Rising.

Without Grand Theft Auto IV, it’s going to be a lonely – and not to mention wide-open – holiday this year.