By Winztro 
Bully 2 progressed significantly before being cancelled for a minor reason. At another time, a GTA zombie game was under development. Evidence also indicates that Rockstar planned to release a different game in place of GTA 6.
To dive into this untold history, today, I’m going to tell you about 10 cancelled Rockstar games that were almost released — projects that fans kept waiting for, but never came out.
Bully 2
Bully remains one of Rockstar Games’ notable projects after GTA and RDR. Some fans compare its impact to the Max Payne series. If Rockstar had continued developing the Bully series, it could have become a major franchise.
Rockstar did consider making a sequel after Bully, and in fact, Bully 2 was already deep in development. Rockstar’s New England studio was working on it, with a team of about 50–70 developers.
The planned sequel was intended to focus on the main character. Map sizes were considered ranging from the GTA Vice City map to up to three times the size of the original Bully school map.
Developers intended for every interior to be accessible, either directly or by force. Their principle was: If a location is visible, it should be enterable.
The NPC system was designed to be advanced for its time. NPCs would track player actions and adjust behaviour accordingly. Exploration features included climbing trees, fences, ledges, roofs, and windows, with the ability to jump from them.
These features were implemented in a playable build that allowed developers to explore the world, interact with NPCs, and complete missions. The demo offered six to eight hours of content.
Despite progress, the game was cancelled due to Rockstar prioritizing development resources for RDR1 and Max Payne.
Rockstar’s James Bond Game: Agent
Next is Rockstar’s spy game, Agent. It was teased in 2009, set during the 1970s Cold War. Concept footage was released, and Rockstar was excited about the project.
They aimed for story and gameplay that felt cinematic. Developing an open-world spy game was tough. After several months, the project was dropped.
GTA Zombie Game
Dan Houser once mentioned wanting to make a GTA zombie game. Around 2005, a zombie GTA project was definitely in development, though Rockstar never officially confirmed it.
GTA 5 Cancelled DLCs
Every GTA fan knows about the cancelled DLCs for GTA 5. These would have added huge amounts of new content, similar to GTA 4’s DLCs.
Data miners found hints for multiple cancelled DLCs, including:
- Trevor is an undercover cop.
- 38 story missions
- 14 side missions
- 2 new weapons
- 30 new vehicles
- Zombie Apocalypse content
- Alien Invasion content
- Liberty City expansion
The DLCs were cancelled because:
- GTA Online was already making a lot of money, so Rockstar shifted focus there.
- Dan Houser told Lex Fridman they dropped GTA 5 DLCs to focus on RDR2.
They still valued single-player DLCs, but sacrifices were needed.
Cancelled GTA Online DLC: Cops and Crooks
GTA Online also had a planned arcade-style DLC called Cops and Crooks, scheduled for Summer 2020. It included:
- Arcade-style cops vs crooks modes
- New police and civilian vehicles
- New weapons
- 14 new vehicles
The project was never launched, and Rockstar did not specify a reason for the cancellation.
Project Medieval
Imagine a Rockstar game set in a medieval world, like The Witcher 3. Rockstar reportedly worked on Project Medieval, possibly meant to be released instead of GTA 6.
Dan Houser said in a 2019 podcast that concept art and backstory were created for a night-themed mythological game, but it was dropped. They may revisit the idea after GTA 6.
Spec Ops by Rockstar
The Spec Ops series, originally from Take-Two Interactive, was handed to Rockstar Vancouver. Not much is known, but around 2002, IGN mentioned it. A musician even claimed to make music for it. The project was quietly cancelled.
Midnight Club 5
Rockstar San Diego began working on Midnight Club 5, but because Midnight Club LA had poor sales, the project was likely cancelled between 2010 and 2011. Take-Two renewed the trademark in 2012, but no news came after that.
The Warriors Sequel (We Are The Mods)
Rockstar Toronto released The Warriors in 2005, based on the 1979 movie.
They envisioned a sequel set in 1960s–70s England, featuring Mods vs Rockers fights.
They envisioned a sequel set in 1960s–70s England, featuring Mods vs Rockers fights.
The project was shelved when Rockstar Toronto moved to Manhunt 2. Some 3D models leaked online.
Among these almost-released cancelled Rockstar games, Bully 2 and GTA 5’s DLCs are the biggest heartbreaks for fans.
So while these cancelled games left fans disappointed, the upcoming GTA 6 could be the next big step forward for Rockstar, offering new excitement and possibilities.