The Time Extension published an article about canceled games in the GTA series, including a mention of a project set in Tokyo. An anonymous source, identified as a former Rockstar employee, revealed that before the release of San Andreas, the studio seriously considered the idea. However, like many other concepts, it led to the registration of several trademarks in 2003.

According to the source, the head of the studio, Sam Houser, frequently traveled to Tokyo to promote GTA III, and he found the idea of creating a game set in that city intriguing. However, the idea was ultimately abandoned due to logistical challenges. Sending a team of developers to Tokyo for an extended period to fully capture the atmosphere of Japan's capital and accurately portray it in the game was deemed too costly.

The Time Extension interviewee also mentioned that in the early 2000s, less attention was paid to trademark registrations, and they didn't generate as much buzz as they do now. Rockstar has since become more cautious about trademarks. In 2003, the studio registered names such as GTA 5, GTA 6, GTA: Sin City, GTA: Bogota, and GTA: Tokyo.

Main image: alphacoders.com

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