Grand Theft Auto is a behemoth of a video game franchise. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that! This IP set massive records and was quickly a hot topic in the media with every major installment release. However, getting to the top isn’t easy, and staying there is just as hard. So it’s interesting to see what games almost came to fruition before being scrapped by the bigwigs. One of those games for this franchise was called Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo.
There’s no shortage of rumors and leaks about game franchises. But this latest bit of news that is circulating online is interesting. This information comes from Time Extension, which did a piece on a variety of scrapped Grand Theft Auto projects. It’s a fascinating read, especially if you enjoy the franchise. But one game that might pique your interest is Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo.
The publication spoke with their source, who apparently worked for Rockstar Games back in the day. This Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo project was considered after the team released Grand Theft Auto III. Here’s the story as it’s being shared online. At the time, the team was marketing in Tokyo with a few team members to promote their latest release. It was here that the interest in bringing a Grand Theft Auto game set in Tokyo came up.
However, while it was apparently in development, that didn’t last long. Too many logistical issues prevented the team from moving forward with the idea. For instance, the team would need to be within the city for a duration of time to map things out, and then there’s the focus on trying to make a satire of the culture.
So it just boiled down to too much research and time within the city to pull it off. As a result, the developers opted to stick with the cities already established in the first game. Beyond that, there were other city ideas, such as Las Vegas. But those trademarks that were uncovered from Rockstar Games were nothing more than the team protecting against the idea of domain squatters.
Of course, now the focus is on the future of this franchise. Fans are waiting for the next set of details to emerge on Grand Theft Auto 6.
