When GTA V hits stores on September 17th later this year, consumers from around the world will be flocking to their favorite retailers to get their hands on Rockstar’s latest open world masterpiece. After this happens, analysts will inevitably shift their focus towards the retail debut of brand new next-gen consoles just in time for the holiday season.
While Take-Two reps haven’t confirmed nor denied if GTA V will launch on these platforms, it’s important to note that Rockstar still has several lucrative franchises that are all capable of being standout gems next generation. In this article, I elaborate further on this theory and unveil four Rockstar games that I want to see debut on next gen consoles.
L.A. Noire Sequel
When L.A. Noire launched back in May of 2011, the investigative neo-noir thriller garnered praise for its breathtaking MotionScan technology, mature narrative, and engaging setpieces. However, despite these landmark achievements, the game remained under media scrutiny due heavily to a strained business relationship between Rockstar Games and Australia based developer Team Bondi. Now that both parties have parted ways, the question that remains is what will Rockstar do with the license?
Having been heralded as a strong new franchise for the studio, I could easily see a sequel being in the works right now. I personally would love to see the idea reinvented and set in a different city during a different time period. Rockstar has already proven that they can pull this off because of their documented history of having created several different GTA games spanning across different eras. Given that the company is widely known for taking it’s time to develop new games, it may be outlandish to predict that we could see a sequel so soon, but again anything is possible.
Agent
A long delayed and vaguely remembered stealth action title, Agent was supposed to be a rousing success for both Rockstar North and PlayStation 3 owners everywhere. While this game still remains a mystery, conventional wisdom and common sense would tell most fans that Agent is still very much in development. Looking at the development timeline of two recent Rockstar releases like Max Payne 3 and Red Dead Redemption would easily confirm the theory that this game is far from dead.
While this game was meant to be a PlayStation 3 exclusive, I do believe that it will eventually end up as a multiplatform release on both next gen consoles. If the development team has indeed been spending all this time working on this game, then I would have to believe that they would want to recoup on most of their expenses and costs. The decision to make Agent a multiplatform title would not only solve this problem, but it would also make them worry a little less about taking a financial loss in the end.
Bully 2
Way back in October of 2006, Rockstar released a playful action-adventure open world video game called Bully. Playing the role of teenage rebel Jimmy Hopkins, Bully explored the dynamics of education and societal issues as they relate to the world in a very lighthearted and entertaining manner.
Rockstar executive Dan Houser has gone on record many times stating that Bully was a critical success and that a sequel is a strong possibility in the future. Shortly after Max Payne 3 wrapped, Rockstar Vancouver was closed down and absorbed by Rockstar Canada. Eventually this new studio was renamed to Rockstar Toronto. While it hasn’t been confirmed what exactly this development team is working on, a proper follow up to Bully isn’t totally out of the question. Of course, there is a chance that they could be working on an entirely brand new IP underneath the new studio name change. Only time will tell if we ultimately do see Bully 2 get developed for next gen.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Taking inspiration from the popular western genre, Red Dead Redemption showcased the story of a former outlaw turned hero in John Marston. In delivering a story about revenge and reaffirmation, Rockstar San Diego crafted a timeless classic that will forever be remembered as one of this current generation’s most elite titles.
Red Dead Redemption 2 can build directly off this success by focusing on Jack Marston and his struggles to choose between living an outlaw life and a normal one. Will he go after all the individuals responsible for his father’s death and pick them off one by one? Will there be any retaliation after Edgar Ross’ murder? These questions and more could be answered if Rockstar decides to bring the powerful series back for another outing.
This concludes my list on four Rockstar games that I want to see next gen. Do you have any games in mind that you think should be added to this list? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
