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Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo – The Cancelled Project That Almost happened
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A planned collaboration with a Japanese studio to create a Grand Theft Auto game set in Tokyo was abandoned due to concerns about straying too far from the series’ American setting.
The Near Reality of GTA: Tokyo
For years, fans have speculated about potential locations for future Grand Theft auto installments. While the series has consistently returned to American settings, a Grand Theft Auto game in Tokyo came remarkably close to becoming a reality. Obbe Vermeij, former technical director at Rockstar North, detailed the project in an interview with GamesHub on February 22, 2024.
Vermeij explained that Rockstar had explored several international locations, including Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, and Istanbul, but Tokyo was the furthest along in development. The plan involved a collaboration with an unnamed Japanese studio, which would utilize Rockstar’s game engine to create Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo.
Why Tokyo Didn’t Make the Cut
Despite the progress, the project was ultimately cancelled. Vermeij attributed the decision to internal concerns that a Grand Theft Auto game set outside the United States would be too risky. The prevailing belief was that the GTA brand had become so strongly associated with American culture and satire that deviating from that formula could alienate the core audience.
“People thought it was too much of a risk to leave the good old US,” Vermeij stated in the GamesHub interview. This highlights the strategic considerations Rockstar weighed when deciding where to set their games, prioritizing brand recognition and perceived market stability.
Rockstar’s History with Location Choices
The decision to prioritize American settings aligns with the past trajectory of the Grand Theft Auto series. While Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (1999) briefly explored a different locale, the core games – including Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004), Grand Theft Auto IV (2008), and Grand theft Auto V (2013) – have all been firmly rooted in the United States. These games leverage the country’s diverse landscapes and cultural nuances for satirical effect.
the series’ success is largely built on its ability to parody American society, consumerism, and media. Moving to a drastically different cultural context, like Tokyo, would have required a significant shift in the series’ satirical approach.
Potential for Future International Settings
While Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo never materialized, the revelation that it was seriously considered suggests that Rockstar remains open to the possibility of expanding the series’ geographic scope in the future. The success of other open-world games set in diverse locations, such as Watch Dogs: legion in London, demonstrates that audiences are receptive to international settings.
With Grand Theft Auto VI currently in development, speculation about its location is rampant. Although early rumors pointed to Vice City (a fictionalized
