You can't blame Rockstar Games for focusing on its biggest games, but you can't help but wish that Rockstar would remember its other games.
Internet sleuths have uncovered what appears to be potential evidence of scrapped content from Grand Theft Auto V, as well as hints at the long-gestating Bully 2. This discovery, which comes from the alleged leak of a GTA 5 database file, has drawn the curiosity of fans.
The leak, first brought to light by Twitter user @billsyliamgta and corroborated by other GTA dataminers, points to the intriguing references within the GTA 5 files. Notably, the database file mentions the sequel to Rockstar Games' 2006 hit game, centered around the life of the juvenile delinquent student, James "Jimmy" Hopkins at Bullworth Academy.
The original Bully, known for its unique narrative and gameplay mechanics that blend action and adventure within a school setting, has maintained a cult following over the years, with fans persistently asking for a sequel.
Bully 2 was reportedly in development in the late 2000s at Rockstar New England but it never saw the light of the day. Interestingly, some of its conceptual ideas presumably influenced other Rockstar games, including the award-winning sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2.
The leaked file suggests the existence of story mode DLC for GTA 5, referencing Trevor with a jetpack, among others. This detail aligns with the Doomsday Heist missions in GTA Online, which introduced the Thruster jetpack. This connection has led to speculation that Rockstar repurposed originally intended story DLC content for GTA Online. Although it's worth noting that modders quickly added the jetpack into GTA 5's story mode, despite its absence in the official game.
https://twitter.com/billsyliamgta/status/1726304090496655506
Another point of interest from the leak is the mention of a mode called CNC, believed to relate to the "Cops 'n' Crooks" mode allegedly planned for GTA Online but reportedly canceled following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. This is a mode that, because it's now scrapped, adds to the laundry list of lost opportunities in GTA 5 and GTA Online over the years, although it's understandable why Rockstar chose to drop this.
Nevertheless, this recent discovery brings to light Rockstar's intensified focus on two key franchises: Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, perhaps at the expense of its other properties.
Hopefully, in the future, Rockstar can find a studio it can trust its "forgotten" properties to or it can expand to work on multiple big AAA projects simultaneously with the next GTA and/or RDR.
Outside of Bully 2 and cut GTA 5 content, the leak has raised concerns about the gameplay integrity of GTA Online. Now armed with a detailed understanding of the game's internal workings, cheating could become more prevalent on PC. This is a concern compounded by the fact that consoles, traditionally more secure against such exploits, have seen the advancements in jailbreaking, although online deployment of these hacks remains a challenge, if impossible.
Ultimately, for those still hoping for Bully 2, the leak is a reminder that Rockstar never forgot about the sequel — it just couldn't find the time or resources to pursue it.
Rockstar Games is now preparing to reveal the initial teaser for GTA 6 in early December. If the previous reports are to go by, GTA 6 will feature single-player DLC. Hopefully, Rockstar doesn't cancel it this time around. Ahead of its release, Take-Two Interactive CEO, Strauss Zelnick, raised an interesting point about video game pricing.
