Former Rockstar Executive’s Exciting Confession: “GTA Tokyo Was on the Table”
Obbe Vermeij, technical director behind the legendary Grand Theft Auto titles GTA III, Vice City, San Andreas, and GTA IV, made waves in the gaming community with his interview with GamesHub. Currently working on his independent game Plentiful, Vermeij revealed the alternative locations discussed for the series’ future during his time at Rockstar North. Among these locations was Istanbul.
The GTA Tokyo Possibility
Vermeij confirmed that the Rockstar team frequently debated taking the series outside the United States. During these brainstorming sessions, cities like Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, and Istanbul were seriously considered. “The Tokyo project almost actually happened,” Vermeij revealed.
A different studio in Japan was set to work on GTA: Tokyo, using existing code to develop the game, but the project never came to fruition. Vermeij explains why the series stubbornly remained in the US:
People love having these wild ideas but then when you’ve got billions of dollars riding on it it’s too easy to go let’s do what we know again, and also America is basically the epicenter of Western culture, so everybody knows the cities, even people who haven’t been there. They have a mental image of the cities.
“GTA VI Won’t Be $100”
Addressing the recent social media rumors that “GTA VI will be gaming’s first $100 standard edition title,” the veteran developer finds these claims unrealistic.
According to Vermeij, Rockstar’s priority is reaching the widest possible player base. Reminding us that the company’s main revenue stream is GTA Online, Vermeij argues that raising the entry price and narrowing the player base wouldn’t be a smart move. Rather than inflating the price, the focus will be on the game’s long-term online revenue spanning years.
The Future of Technology and Costs
Another striking point in the interview concerns game development costs. Vermeij believes GTA VI will likely be the most expensive game ever made and will hold that record for a long time. However, he predicts that AI tools will eventually take over the “grunt work” for artists (animation rigging, crowd modeling, etc.), potentially reducing development costs and timelines in the future.
Why Miami (Vice City)?
Discussing the series’ return to Vice City, Vermeij considers this decision spot-on. He notes that the region’s wild nature, violence, and eccentricities perfectly align with the GTA universe.
Obbe Vermeij believes the series lost focus during the San Andreas era with its “let’s do everything” mentality, but became too serious with GTA IV. He expects GTA VI to strike the right balance, delivering both atmospheric depth and entertaining gameplay.