Inside Rockstar’s scrapped plans and why GTA 6 locations never went international

Rockstar's worlds feel so familiar that it is easy to forget how close the series once came to leaving the United States altogether. A recent interview with former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij has reopened that door, revealing that the studio seriously discussed Grand Theft Auto games set in cities far beyond America's borders.

During a conversation with Games Hub, Vermeij explained that internal ideas included Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, and Istanbul, with Tokyo coming closest to becoming reality. At one stage, another studio in Japan was lined up to take Rockstar's core technology and build a version tentatively known as GTA: Tokyo. If you have ever wondered how neon-lit streets and dense urban life might work in a GTA format, that project nearly answered it.

Why GTA 6 locations always stay in America

Money, however, played a decisive role. Vermeij said that when billions of dollars are riding on a release, risk tolerance drops fast. America offers a shared cultural shorthand; even if you have never been there, films and television have already taught you how those cities look and feel. That familiarity made it safer to return to known territory rather than gamble on unfamiliar settings.

Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser has backed up that thinking. Speaking earlier this year on the Lex Fridman podcast, he said the series is deeply rooted in Americana, from gun culture to exaggerated personalities and satire of consumer life. Shifting that tone elsewhere, in his view, risked stripping the franchise of what made it work in the first place.

Those decisions still shape GTA 6 locations today, as the upcoming title once again brings players back to Vice City and the fictional state of Leonida, inspired by Florida. For fans tracking GTA 6 locations, the news confirms that the series remains firmly American. Still, knowing how close Rockstar came to Tokyo or Rio makes you wonder whether future GTA 6 locations could ever move abroad, or if the US setting is simply too important to leave behind.