GTA: Tokyo Was Rockstar's Most Advanced International Proposal
Former technical director Obbe Vermeij says GTA: Tokyo was the most serious international option discussed by Rockstar, but the project never entered production.
GTA: Tokyo was the most serious international option among the cities Rockstar discussed for a new entry in the franchise after GTA III, according to Obbe Vermeij, former technical director at Rockstar North. However, the idea was never officially confirmed by Rockstar Games and never entered production.
Vermeij said that Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Istanbul, London, and Paris were also among the locations considered. Tokyo was reportedly the proposal that came closest to moving forward: the plan was to preserve GTA III's structure, move the action to the Japanese capital, and introduce elements such as samurai swords.
The intention was for another studio based in Japan to take over development using technology and code provided by Rockstar North. Vermeij compared the model to the support Rockstar North gave Rockstar Vancouver during Bully's development.
Sam Houser and producer Leslie Benzies took part in discussions about the possibility, according to Vermeij. Even so, the necessary contracts were never signed, ending the initiative before it became a game in development.
Saying that Tokyo was the international setting that came closest to getting a GTA does not mean it would have been the series' first experience outside the United States. The Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 and London 1961 expansions were released in 1999; what would have set GTA: Tokyo apart was that it would have been a new project from the franchise's 3D era.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
No. According to Obbe Vermeij, the contracts needed to make the project possible were not signed, and the idea never reached the production stage.
The concept would have retained GTA III's gameplay foundation in a Tokyo setting, with additions such as samurai swords playing a significant role.
No. Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 and London 1961 were expansions released in 1999. Tokyo would have been the most advanced proposal for a new international game from the 3D era.