The Grand Theft Auto series is deeply intertwined with American culture, often delivering sharp satire that fans love.
But did you know that at one point, Rockstar Games considered taking the series to a different city—Tokyo?
Imagine what GTA 6 could have been like if it had ventured beyond the familiar American streets.
This intriguing possibility comes from an unnamed source who reportedly worked for Rockstar Games around the time of GTA 3.
According to this source, there were serious discussions about creating a GTA game set in Japan.
So, what would it take for Rockstar to drop another GTA 6 trailer?
Perhaps an alternate timeline where the franchise explored the neon-lit streets of Tokyo.
The source shared with TimeExtension that Rockstar co-founder Sam Houser was heavily involved in these discussions.
“He had just released GTA 3 back then and they were doing a lot of travel to Tokyo to promote the game,” the source revealed.
The idea was exciting—Tokyo is a city brimming with culture and unique experiences that could have added a fresh twist to the GTA formula.
However, the idea was eventually shelved due to logistical challenges. Mapping out Tokyo and understanding the cultural nuances proved to be more difficult than anticipated.
One of the key elements of GTA is its biting satire, which would have been harder to pull off in a Japanese setting.
As the source explained, “Making those things connect was a little tough, and we thought it was just cooler to stick with the cities that were introduced in Grand Theft Auto 1.”
In the end, Rockstar decided to stay closer to its roots, keeping the game’s setting in the familiar urban landscapes that players know and love.
When this news hit Reddit, one user said, “I took it as we were robbed from getting a Yakuza game from Rockstar.”
Rockstar was reportedly considering a GTA 3 sequel called Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo, but it “was just cooler to stick with” established places like Vice City and San Andreas.
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While the idea of a GTA 6 set in Tokyo is undoubtedly fascinating, it’s also likely that Rockstar didn’t want to compete directly with SEGA’s Yakuza franchise, which has mastered the art of capturing Japan’s criminal underworld.
As we eagerly await more details about GTA 6, it’s fun to think about what could have been—a Grand Theft Auto game set in the heart of Tokyo, offering a completely different kind of adventure.
