What Should Rockstar Games Do Next?

Only one more week!

Okay so I fucking love Rockstar Games – as publishers, they have released some of the most enjoyable games I have ever played and as developers they have created characters and game worlds that have left a lasting impression on me for years. After a year long delay, we will soon be getting our hands on their latest release, Red Dead Redemption II… and I can’t wait. The first Red Dead Redemption is one of my all time favorite games and the new sequel (its really a prequel) is my most anticipated game in a decade if not ever.

Rockstar Games are a big, worldwide company with many branches, different development teams that work independently of each other as well as sometimes teaming up to craft some of the most loved games ever made. They’ve had a great and record breaking life in gaming since Rockstar Games was formed 1998, formally BMG Interactive. And I’m willing to bet that they have already begun work on their next fleet of games, even if only on an early pre-production level. At least one of their several branches must be working on something now that RDR II is so imminent.

But my question is, what should Rockstar do after the release of Red Dead Redemption II?

I guess the most obvious answer to that question is Grand Theft Auto VI. After the staggering success of GTA V, of course Rockstar would want to follow up with a new game in their most successful franchise and most probably have already been working on it in some capacity. But you know what, as much as I loved GTA V (and I really did), I’d be happy if they left it for a few years more yet despite the fact the last game was originally released back in 2013.

But before I get into my suggestions and ideas, I’d like to make a quick observation.

Have you noticed the gap between Rockstar’s games is getting longer and longer? There was a point when they would release a new game every two years or so (sometimes earlier) now its more like every five years. As I said at the start of this article, I fucking love Rockstar Games but I feel they have become a little lazy/complacent in recent years. Yeah I know they deliver highly polished and (almost) perfect games… often after numerous delays and yes I know games of their magnitude take a long time to develop. But still, they have multiple development studios and yet they can only manage an average of one game every five years as of late?

Let me just go back ten years to 2008. Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto IV and it’s two amazing expansions with The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. They also released Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Then there was Red Dead Redemption and it’s brilliant add-on, Undead Nightmare. They published L.A. Noire. Developed Max Payne 3 and of course the mighty GTA V in 2013. That’s nine games (including add-ons) in the space of only five years between the release of GTA IV in 2008 to GTA V in 2013. Now lets take look at 2013 to 2018… nothing until Red Dead Redemption II in seven days. From nine games in five years to only one game in the latter five years. That’s quite a production drop off eh? I can only hope they have been working on numerous games over the last five years and will release them all pretty soon.

Anyway, back to the point.

As I was saying, the obvious game that Rockstar could announce next is GTA VI and despite my remark earlier about not being that fussed by another game in the series, if they did announce it – yeah I’d be chuffed. But I’d like to see something else from them other than more GTA, or other games as well as a new GTA anyway. Rockstar really have a rich pool in which to dive when to comes to their IPs outside of GTA. So I’d like to take a look at a few and offer some suggestions.

Bully 2

Oh how I adored the original Bully. A love letter to one of my all time favorite games growing up, Skool Daze given that distinctive Rockstar lick of paint. You played as troubled teenager Jimmy Hopkins who is forced to attended the the corrupt and seedy Bullworth Academy. A school that is as prestigious as it is scandalous. Jimmy crosses paths with all sorts of characters from geeky nerds in need of help to gangs of greasers and jocks. Mischievous and rule breaking teachers impede his mission as Jimmy uncovers a deep seeded delinquency and wrongdoing running rampant though the school.

When originally released back in 2006, Bully was nailed the cross by naysayers in the media claiming the game was a bullying simulator teaching children how to carry out bullying and the game was even accused of glorifying and trivializing school bullying. These claims were all made before Bully was even released. Of course Bully was nothing like it was being perceived in the press and it was in fact the opposite as your character stood up to the bullying and corrupt teachers trying to put and end to the immorality in the school.

Anyway, I want a sequel. Bully is one of Rockstar’s best IPs not to already have a sequel. There have been rumors in the past of a new game. Back in 2009, Shawn Lee who wrote the music score for the game said he was working on Bully 2… it never happened. in 2011, Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser said they will work on Bully 2 after Max Payne 3… it never happened and then in 2013 Houser again said he has plans for Bully 2… it never happened. Even as recent as 2017 the rumors began to fly again when supposed “leaked images” of Bully 2 appeared online yet Rockstar never commented either way. Plus more recently, it has been suggested that Rockstar’s next game will be a sequel to Bully after RDR II is released. All we can do is wait and see.

Max Payne 4

Telling the story of ex-cop turned vigilante, turned bodyguard. Famed for its bullet time shootouts and action set pieces. The Max Payne franchise is fast paced (except for the slo-mo stuff) and non-stop action from start to finish. But there’s also an interesting story about the dark and twisted Max Payne himself from the first game from when his wife and new born baby daughter were brutally murdered.

Max is a complex and deep character with a broken soul… who likes jumping around in slow-motion shooting people in the face. As much as I enjoyed Max Payne 3 it lacked that dark edge the previous two games had when Rockstar decided to change the presentation to a format I really didn’t like all that much with its distorted/glitched cut-scenes and all that guff. The game itself was immense fun though but if they do bring Max Payne back, I just hope they ditch the whole glitch presentation and go back to something more like the first two’s graphic novel idea. A more film noir approach. Speaking of which…

L.A. Noire 2

This game was a very mix bag title when it comes to opinions. Some people hated the game while others loved it. I always felt a lot of the hate came from groups of people expecting the game to be Grand Theft Auto in the 1940s what with it having the Rockstar name attached and all. But here’s the thing, L.A. Noire was not a Rockstar game at all. It was published by them yeah, but it wasn’t developed by Rockstar. The game was created by Team Bondi who are no longer around and closed down a few years back now.

But when Team Bondi closed, they sold the L.A. Noire IP to Rockstar who now own all rights. Rockstar then released a remaster of the game which I recently played through… and still thoroughly enjoyed it as much as my first time with the game last gen. I loved the slower pace, the clue finding and evidence collecting. The having to use the old noodle to piece everything together, check your notebook and question suspects over the various crimes. Being a detective was great fun.

I hope they didn’t just buy the IP to make a remaster as I feel this game has a lot of potential. L.A. Noire was not a perfect game and I could sit here and nit-pick it even though I think its utterly brilliant. Seeing as the first game was inspired by real life crimes (namely the Black Dahlia), I’d like to see further games follow suit. As much as I loved the 1940s setting of the first game, I’d like to see them move to a 70s setting, I mean that decade was full of notable and infamous murders, Rockstar would be spoiled for choice. The Manson Family, John Wayne Gacy, The Zodiac, Son of Sam, Ted Bundy to name a few. Plus pick a city like San Francisco as its backdrop. The sequel may not make sense being called L.A. Noire 2 if the time-frame and setting is changed but you get the idea.

The Warriors 2

Perhaps one of Rockstar’s most overlooked games, which is a shame as its amazing. Based on the classic 70s flick about a street gang being accused of a murder they didn’t commit just trying to get back to their home turf. The film is great as was the game. It was nothing more than a scrolling beat em’ up but one made with a lot of love and attention to the source material including bringing back the original actors to reprise their rolls.

Now I now what you are thinking, there is no The Warriors 2 film to base a game off. No there isn’t, but there wasn’t a Scarface 2 film to base a game of either, yet it exits with Scarface: The World Is Yours. I’m sure the talent at Rockstar Games could come up with a new and original story to work as a sequel. I mean the majority of the first game actually took place months before the film anyway with only the last few missions being based on the events shown in the film. So it just goes to show they can write an original story while still being inspired by the movie at the same time. Can you dig it?

More Red Dead Redemption

Goes without saying really doesn’t it? Of course I want more RDR, the first game (and I mean Redemption not Revolver) is one of my all time favourite games. The soon to be released sequel/prequel is most definitely my most anticipated game ever. I have played and finished the first game, I don’t know how many times over the last eight years but I’m sure I’m onto double figures. I just played through it again the other week as I get excited for RDR II.

The Wild West is a great setting with hundreds of possible stories to be told. Other games could be connected to the already established lore and characters, or they could be all new tales. Either way, I don’t care. Just give me more RDR, only maybe get time between the release date a little less than eight years.

Agent

I’ve not forgotten about this one, not at all. See Agent was a game being worked on by Rockstar to be released as a PlayStation 3 exclusive – only that never happened. Interestingly, the game has never been officially cancelled either and Rockstar even renewed the copyright for the game in recent years. Plus Agent is still shown as an up and coming game on their official site (still listed as coming to the PS3) Is there a chance that Agent is still being worked on?

Then there is the fact that images from the (unfinished) game have found their way online (see above). I hope the game is still being worked on as it sounded intriguing. Very little was known about Agent before everything went dark but what was known is that you played as a secret agent during the Cold War in the late 70s. The game would rely heavily on stealth gameplay. To be honest, it’s most probably is dead but as I said, it’s not been confirmed either way.

DMA/Rockstar Classics Collection

One of my favourite purchases of the last few years was the Rare Reply from 2015. A collection of thirty games from the legendary developer. So why not a similar thing covering DMA Design from before they became Rockstar and maybe even early Rockstar games too? Now I’m not sure how the rights thing will work out or if Rockstar Games even own any of the IPs for the older DMA games but I’m sure they could work something out.

Here are a few title suggestions they could include. The classic shooters Menace and Bloody Money. Lemmings would have to be included without question as would Lemmings 2: The Tribes. Walker, Unirally and Body Harvest would all be a dead certs. Plus of course I can’t forget GTA and GTA 2. Even get a little more modern with the likes of Red Dead Revolver and Manhunt maybe all topped off with improved graphic resolutions and all the usual gubbins. Ply the collection with game histories,  documentaries, makings of, artwork, etc. Throw in online multiplayer for games that are applicable and you’d have a corking collection.

Something New

Pretty much all of my suggestions have been other games in already established franchises (except Agent). Rockstar have some amazing talent working behind the scenes and I’m sure they could come up with some all new IPs.

I do love me some GTA and of course RDR. But there are times when I’d like to see something new. I’m a fan if these big, open world, sandbox type games. I really enjoy just exploring the map and playing around with the game mechanics, getting lost in all the distractions and side quests, etc. No one does open world games better than Rockstar – but how about something else from them? The Manhunt games were pretty popular… massively controversial, but popular. They weren’t open world and instead followed a more linear gameplay style. You may notice no mention of a new Manhunt game in this list. Well that’s not because I didn’t like the linear thing but more a case of I just wasn’t a big fan of the games in general.

I’d like to see something more streamlined from Rockstar. I mean, The Warriors was linear and I loved it, so was Max Payne 3. The more restrictive game style just needs a better game within it and I’m positive that Rockstar are the developers to get it right. I’m a fan of hardcore survival, story driven games. Have you played The Long Dark? It’s brilliant with all it’s many variations on trying to survive the harsh weather. I’d love to see Rockstar do something like that with their production quality for example. A strong, story driven game with hundreds of possible variances.

Lets see some new IPs, new gameplay mechanics and ideas. A break from all these 50+ hour stories and huge open world maps.

Oh by the way. Did you know this time next week and Red Dead Redemption II is released?