Former Rockstar Developer Reveals Details About Cancelled GTA Tokyo

The idea for a GTA set in Moscow also never made it to release.

Former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij recently gave an interview discussing the canceled project Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo. The developer revealed several details and mentioned other potential setting options for GTA that the team considered.

During an interview with Thunderpick, Obbe explained that GTA: Tokyo was primarily handled by the New York office. The creators did not intend to drastically change the gameplay from GTA III, but rather planned to move the events to Tokyo and add a few new elements, such as samurai swords:

Of all our ideas for where to take GTA next, we had: Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Istanbul, London, and Paris, and Tokyo was the most serious option. It was supposed to be a game in the style of GTA III, but in Tokyo. We did not plan to change the gameplay very much. But we would have added some new things. For example, samurai swords were supposed to play a major role.

At the time, the team planned to hand over the development of GTA: Tokyo to another studio. Obbe compared this agreement to the development of Bully, where Rockstar North would have transferred technologies and other materials to Rockstar Vancouver to help them get started. However, in the end, “the contracts were never signed.”

During the interview, Obbe also recalled that Sam Houser came in and discussed the idea of GTA: Tokyo, and producer Leslie Benzies “was involved in the idea,” but “it never reached the production stage.”

Rockstar Games is currently preparing for the November release of Grand Theft Auto VI, which will take place in the state of Leonida.

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