Grand Theft Auto Nearly Went Global With Tokyo, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, and Moscow on the Table
Grand Theft Auto has built its identity on sharp satire of United States culture, delivered through fictionalized versions of real world cities. Liberty City, Vice City, and Los Santos are more than backdrops, they are cultural sandboxes engineered for Rockstar’s signature parody, and that strategic positioning is a major reason the franchise has historically stayed within the United States.
But according to former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij, the series came surprisingly close to breaking that pattern. In a wide ranging GamesHub interview, Vermeij said there were internal desires to take Grand Theft Auto beyond the United States, with concepts discussed for settings in Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, and Istanbul. He also revealed that Tokyo nearly became reality, describing a plan where a separate studio in Japan would take Rockstar’s codebase and build what would have effectively been GTA Tokyo.
The key takeaway here is not just that these ideas existed, but why they stalled. Vermeij’s framing is brutally practical: once a franchise reaches the scale where billions of dollars ride on a release, leadership naturally gravitates toward proven formulas and familiar cultural touchstones. He also pointed out that America is widely recognized as an epicenter of Western culture, meaning global audiences already have strong mental images of major US cities, even if they have never visited them. That familiarity reduces creative risk and boosts market clarity, which is exactly the kind of risk management calculus that dominates modern blockbuster development.
Vermeij also pushed back on the fan dream of Europe based Grand Theft Auto. His view is that it is simply not realistic in an era where entries can take around 12 years to produce, and when the franchise does not need novelty settings to justify a new release because technology and production values move so dramatically between generations. He believes Rockstar will likely continue cycling through a relatively small roster of iconic American locations, essentially keeping the brand in a loop that is efficient, recognizable, and commercially defensible.
From a gamer lens, the Tokyo concept is the most fascinating what if because it implies Rockstar once considered a more modular expansion strategy, where external teams could potentially deliver localized Grand Theft Auto experiences using Rockstar’s tech foundation. In today’s market, that kind of approach would raise major questions around tone control, cultural authenticity, narrative voice, and brand consistency, all of which are high stakes for a franchise whose identity is deeply tied to its specific flavor of satire. The irony is that the very reason Tokyo would have been exciting for players is the same reason it would be hard to execute at the modern quality bar: Grand Theft Auto is not just open world crime, it is a culture machine, and satire does not travel cleanly without deep context and careful writing.
If Rockstar ever revisits the idea of international cities, the most realistic path might not be a mainline numbered entry, but a tightly scoped side project with a clear creative mandate and a risk envelope that does not jeopardize the flagship cadence. Vermeij’s comments suggest that is unlikely, but the demand signal from players remains strong, especially in a market where open world competition has matured and global city fantasies are mainstream.
If Rockstar did greenlight an international Grand Theft Auto, which city would you want first, Tokyo, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, or Moscow, and what would be your must have gameplay hook for that setting?
