GTA Tokyo was supposed to be a groundbreaking game, but the project was cancelled. Rockstar Games had many concerns

The fascinating history of the Grand Theft Auto series’ development reveals more secrets. According to a new retrospective published by Time Extension, Rockstar Games was working on GTA Tokyo for the PlayStation 2 before the project was eventually cancelled.

In 2003, before the premiere of GTA San Andreas, Take-Two Interactive registered several interesting trademarks, including GTA Sin City, GTA Bogota, and GTA Tokyo. This indicated that the studio was thinking about taking its popular series to new and exotic locations.

GTA Tokyo looked particularly promising. Rockstar co-founder Sam Houser was fascinated by the Japanese city after traveling to promote GTA 3. Tokyo seemed like the perfect location for an open world full of potential.

Unfortunately, the project faced several obstacles. The logistics involved in accurately mapping the city proved to be a challenge. Additionally, the team was afraid to transfer the series’ distinctive satire into a Japanese cultural context.

Ultimately, Rockstar decided to stick with the proven American locations. And while GTA Tokyo will remain a curiosity in the history of the series, its existence shows how ambitious and innovative Rockstar Games is in developing its flagship brand. Who knows, maybe one day we will see GTA in a completely new and exotic environment?