Former Rockstar Developer Believes GTA Will Never Return to a Futuristic City Setting
When talking about Grand Theft Auto (GTA), one defining trait immediately comes to mind: its worlds are deeply inspired by real-life cities. From urban environments players recognize to locations that mirror places they may have grown up in, GTA has always leaned heavily on familiarity. This naturally raises a long-standing question among fans why has the franchise almost never explored futuristic city settings? And when it did diverge from the present, it usually leaned toward the past, such as the 10–20-year throwback seen in Vice City.
Recently, Obbe Vermeij, a former key developer at Rockstar Games, shared his perspective on this topic in an interview with GamesHub. According to Vermeij, it is very unlikely that GTA will revisit a futuristic concept again. He explained that when Rockstar experimented with the idea in GTA 2 (1999), the reception both internally and critically was far from enthusiastic.
One of the main issues, he noted, was that Anywhere City, the game’s retro-futuristic setting, failed to create the same emotional connection with players as earlier GTA locations. Compared to cities grounded in reality, the futuristic backdrop felt distant and less relatable, making it harder for players to feel invested in the world.
Another challenge lies in design complexity. Vermeij pointed out that creating a future setting would require the team to rethink everything from weapons and vehicles to core gameplay systems. Designing believable technology for a world set many years ahead is both time-consuming and creatively demanding, something the team was not particularly eager to pursue.
That said, he also acknowledged that circumstances have changed. GTA 2 was developed with significant technical limitations and used a top-down perspective, very different from the modern, fully 3D open worlds Rockstar creates today. Since Vermeij is no longer involved with the franchise, he admits that the current Rockstar team might feel differently. Whether taking that creative risk would be worth it, however, remains an open question.
A Look Back at GTA 2
Grand Theft Auto 2 was first released in 1999, telling the story of Claude Speed as he becomes entangled in a war between seven criminal gangs in Anywhere City. The game featured a retro-futuristic theme set in a stylized version of the year 2013. It later launched on platforms such as Dreamcast, PlayStation 1, and Game Boy, and is also available through international digital storefronts like Steam.
Excerpt
A former Rockstar Games developer explains why Grand Theft Auto is unlikely to revisit futuristic city settings, citing player attachment to realistic, present-day worlds.
