Grand Theft Auto is one of gaming's most popular franchises for a number of reasons. Whether it's humour, excellent gameplay and huge open world maps, GTA has it all. However with Rockstar's next title after Red Dead Redemption 2 probably being Grand Theft Auto 6, is it time that the series finally moved out of the USA and ventured somewhere new?
Last year it was revealed that Rockstar had actually considered setting a previous Grand Theft Auto game out of the US with Japan being the destination of choice. The team over at Rockstar were so serious that they even took trips to Tokyo to scout out the city. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on what way you look at it, Rockstar decided that setting a game outside of the USA, especially in Japan, wasn't feasible at that time. One of the main reasons given was that it would have taken too much work to adapt everything to a new setting, in this case Tokyo.
Therefore it's no surprise that Grand Theft Auto has remained in the USA since its release in the late 1990s, with the exception of the 1999 game GTA London. Modern day GTA though as know it has already took place within the USA.
Before GTA V was first revealed, there were a number of rumours circulating that the game was to be set in another country with London, England being a popular choice. It seems now that those rumours were started more in hope than being based on any actual evidence but it did at least show an appetite from a large portion of gamers to see a GTA game set outside the USA.
At the time there was a lot of support for it and with Grand Theft Auto 6 releasing in the future, why not?
Being from the UK, I'll admit that I would personally love to see a Grand Theft Auto game set in London. We've had a few games that have taken place in our capital city but none have been of the sheer size and scope of a Grand Theft Auto game. I had fond memories of driving around London in The Getaway and visiting iconic monuments such as Big Ben, Buckinham Palace and Trafalgar Square. I expect that if you're not from the UK, that sentiment isn't as strong. Still, London offers so much opportunity and potential for a game like Grand Theft Auto.
Not only is it a vast, vibrant and busy city but it's also one that is a mixing pot of cultures, languages and people which would set itself perfectly for a gripping and intense story mode. Despite sitting on the other side of the Atlantic to the USA, London does at least on the surface seem to fit culturally.
One of the big reasons as to why GTA: Tokyo didn't go ahead was because of the vast differences with Japanese culture. Whether it be cars, buildings, branding or even the road network, it's a vastly different place to the USA and so understandable, would have taken a lot more manpower and hundreds, if not thousands of additional hours to get the setting right. A game set in London or any other major European city for that matter would not require such a massive overhaul to fit.
Another European city that stands out to me as being a good fit could be Paris. It's one of Europe's most beautiful cities but is unfortunately underrepresented when it comes to gaming. However given the recent wave of terrorist attacks in France, and in particular Paris, it may too much of sensitive subject for Rockstar to take on at this moment in time, especially given the prevalent use of guns by players in Grand Theft Auto.
And that's probably the biggest problem that Rockstar faces. Pretty much every developed country has strict gun laws. With the exception of the USA, it's mainly only the most hardcore criminals who own and possess weapons. Guns are at the centre of any Grand Theft Auto and while it never takes itself too seriously, you do feel that Rockstar do at least like to make things somewhat believable. Would running around London with an assault rifle be that believable or even immersive?
While it's only a video game, gamers can be known for being a fickle bunch when it comes to realism and immersion.
Wherever Rockstar do decide to set GTA VI, it will need to be both realistic and plausible. You can't just walk around London with a pistol out without getting armed police on you within a few minutes. While not all States in America allow for open carry, a USA setting on the whole does make it that bit more believable than it would in London. If Rockstar did go for a London setting or elsewhere, they would either need to ignore the realism aspect or alter the gameplay to make it that much more believable. If they did that, would GTA be the same game? Probably not.
It does seem that Rockstar have genuinely tried to make an effort to move Grand Theft Auto out of the USA several times but for one reason or another they've decided against it. In addition to GTA: Tokyo, Take-Two have also previous filed trademarks for GTA: Bogota, which is the capital of Colombia.
As much as I would love to see a Grand Theft Auto game set outside of the USA, I don't feel that any other country would allow Rockstar as much freedom to create the worlds they do as much as the USA does.
The whole GTA brand is built on being a parody of American culture for starters. The game makes fun of America and features some of the countries ridiculous stereotypes, but GTA also reflects to some degree the current world we live in. If you take that out, you remove GTA's soul. I don't feel that Grand Theft Auto would be Grand Theft Auto without a US setting.
Still, there's a little bit of hope that maybe Rockstar will manage to surprise us, right?
Where would you like to see Grand Theft Auto 6 set? Let's get a discussion going in the comments!
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