Ex-Rockstar Developer Believes Studio’s Bold Concepts Wouldn’t Match GTA’s Success, Praises Larian for Taking Risks with Baldur’s Gate 4

It’s been a while since Rockstar has ventured beyond the realms of GTA and Red Dead Redemption. The days of titles like Max Payne, LA Noire, and Midnight Run are long gone, and there were even more ambitious concepts in the pipeline. A former lead who was involved in one of those potential projects believes there were no lost chances, as they wouldn’t have matched the success of Grand Theft Auto.

“The truth is, when a studio has one blockbuster title, it makes little sense to stray too far from that formula,” said Obbe Vermeij, a former technical director at Rockstar who contributed to GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, and GTA 4. “Any unconventional ideas we had were better suited for GTA rather than launching a completely new game.”

When asked about a zombie game set on a Scottish island that never materialized, akin to the abandoned Agent project, Vermeij expressed no regrets about returning to the GTA formula, viewing it as the most logical decision.

“In hindsight, I don’t see any missed opportunities with that zombie game or other projects like Agent,” he remarked. “They wouldn’t have reached the quality of GTA and would have just been a distraction.”

Those are strong sentiments, but it raises the question of whether those games could have resonated with players. LA Noire didn’t leave a lasting impact, as many viewed it merely as a placeholder while waiting for the next installment of GTA or Red Dead. This sentiment has only grown stronger, especially with the ongoing delays surrounding GTA 6.

However, Vermeij has a deep respect for developers who choose to pivot away from success when it doesn’t align with their vision, citing Larian Studios as an example. After the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, they opted to create a new Divinity game instead of rushing into Baldur’s Gate 4. “It’s impressive to see Larian Studios say, ‘We don’t feel like making Baldur’s Gate 4 right now. We’re going to explore something else,'” he noted.

“Good for them. But it’s a bold move. It’s not the easy path, and it carries risks. Sticking to what you know is always the safer bet.”