New Leak Confirms GTA Tokyo Was Once In Development

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Obaid Ur Rehman

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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With Rockstar finally recovering from last year’s leak and dealing with the person responsible, it faced another trial yesterday. The GTA 5 source code is out in the wild, with the leak revealing that Bully 2 and eight-story DLC packs for GTA 5 were canceled.

These weren’t the only projects that were canceled, however, since GTA Tokyo was canceled before it could become a major project.

Why it matters: Rockstar typically visits a few settings like the atmospheric Liberty City of GTA 4 and the reimagined Vice City of GTA 6. Therefore, a game set in Tokyo would have been a much-needed change for this IP.

https://twitter.com/lmk_nathan42915/status/1739269800528945617

Rockstar was working on the Japanese-themed Grand Theft Auto for PS2, providing a new setting for the franchise.

In addition to this project, the studio canceled Midnight Club 5. This cancelation may have marked the end of the series since the developer has left it without any new titles for over 15 years.

Rumors about this Grand Theft Auto project were already floating around as early as 2016. The studio’s latest leak confirms that they were valid, with the project being canceled before an official announcement.

Back then, Rockstar had a very busy schedule. Every few years, the team created a new Grand Theft Auto title while working on spin-offs for the series. Additionally, IPs like Midnight Club were frequently released by the developer.

Still, GTA Tokyo was likely a game brimming with potential. Recently, franchises like Yakuza have shown the potential for open-world style games set in the bustling streets of Japan.

Rockstar could have also dived into the racing and car culture of this setting, making for an intriguing narrative.

That is exactly why we think GTA Tokyo could have been successful. The game would have featured a completely different setting from traditional Rockstar releases, and who doesn’t like Japanese culture?

This could have been the beginning of different cities joining the IP.

Following the GTA 6 reveal, we learned that Vice City is returning. While this setting is full of nostalgia for us and millions of Grand Theft Auto fans, a completely different setting like Tokyo sounds much more appealing to us.

Anyhow, the studio has left this canceled project in the past. Rockstar is now focused on the 2025 release of GTA 6, which is expected to provide around 35 hours of modern Grand Theft Auto mayhem in Vice City.

Obaid Ur Rehman

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

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