If a new source (speaking to TechRadar) is to be believed, then we have two valuable nuggets on GTA info to chew on this weekend. First, a previous GTA was intended to be set in Tokyo. Second (and probably most important) is that GTA 6 might well already be in production.
Apparently Rockstar actually went and visited Tokyo around the time of GTA 3 and Vice City. See, before making a new game, the company makes reference trips to get a feel for the area, take photos, and talk to the locals. Makes sense.
This mysterious source tells TechRadar that Rockstar were serious about moving forward with GTA: Tokyo, but the game was ultimately scrapped for a number of reasons – chief among them a problematic road system.
The source added that the GTA brand has firmly embedded itself as a franchise set in the USA, and changing things like certain cars and brands could have taken away from part of the feel of the series.
And of course, it sounds like work on GTA 6 has begun – although the source claims Rockstar haven’t decided on a city to model the game off of yet. Bear in mind we are in unconfirmed rumour territory here, though.
The timing certainly makes sense, what with GTA 5 having been released over two years ago now. Still, GTA Online continues to do embarrassingly well, and rumours still persist that Rockstar (or parent company Take-Two) will be showing off a new Red Dead game at E3, so I can’t imagine they’ll be sharing any news on a new GTA for a while yet.
Ewan Moore is a journalist at UNILAD Gaming who still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase. After graduating from the University of Portsmouth in 2015 with a BA in Journalism & Media Studies (thanks for asking), he went on to do some freelance words for various places, including Kotaku, Den of Geek, and TheSixthAxis, before landing a full time gig at UNILAD in 2016.