Former Rockstar Leader Claims Rivals Have “Given Up,” Yet Sees Chance to Compete with GTA: “Everyone’s Afraid to Take on GTA”

Obbe Vermeij, a former lead at Rockstar, has shared his thoughts on why few games are stepping up to challenge Grand Theft Auto’s dominance in the city-based open world genre.

With rumors swirling about the demise of Watch Dogs, the lukewarm reception of Saints Row’s 2022 reboot likely putting a nail in its coffin, and Square Enix’s reluctance to greenlight a sequel to Sleeping Dogs, the landscape for GTA-style open worlds seems bleak. While titles like Cyberpunk 2077 offer a taste of urban exploration, they lean more towards RPG mechanics rather than the pure sandbox experience that GTA provides. Despite this, Vermeij believes there’s still potential for new entries in the genre.

“I would actually say there’s an opportunity because it really is just GTA and everybody else has given up,” Vermeij stated in an interview. He noted that while the business side of things is challenging, the long gaps between major releases create a unique window for new games. “I don’t know if they’re going to do another Red Dead Redemption after GTA 6, but there is going to be at least an eight-year gap.”

He suggests that a new city-based game could find its niche by setting itself in a different time or place, like a futuristic setting or a city like Moscow. “I would say that’s an opportunity,” he remarked, though he acknowledged that many developers are hesitant to take on GTA directly.

Additionally, creating a GTA-style open world requires significant investment, which can be risky. “Starting a new franchise is so difficult. That’s what Leslie [Benzies, the former Rockstar president who founded MindsEye studio Build a Rocket Boy] kind of bumped up against,” Vermeij explained. “People don’t know your game, and it’s very easy for them to walk away if there’s the slightest issue.”

Vermeij also admitted that he wasn’t particularly fond of GTA 4 at launch, citing the sacrifices made during its development.