Dataminer Discovers Main Character from Rockstar’s Abandoned Game Agent

A dedicated fan has unearthed some intriguing details from the recently leaked source code of Grand Theft Auto V, revealing what seems to be an early iteration of the main character from Rockstar’s long-shelved PS3-exclusive spy title, Agent.

Over the weekend, a user on a gaming forum shared character models extracted from the GTA V source code that surfaced in 2023, suggesting a connection to the canceled Agent. Another user, XanaBax, clarified that three of the four models were indeed from GTA V and not linked to Agent. However, one model, depicting a man in military fatigues, stood out as it wasn’t part of the GTA V assets. After some investigation, XanaBax concluded that this model likely represents an early version of Agent’s protagonist.

According to XanaBax, this model is found in a folder labeled “Jimmy,” which was reportedly the codename for Agent. The model is categorized under a hierarchy called “Player.” It also appears to be a remixed version of Niko Bellic from GTA IV and resembles a character model seen in leaked screenshots from over a decade ago. Notably, this soldier model has never appeared in GTA V or GTA Online, suggesting it is indeed an early design for the main character of Agent.

Further exploration of the source code revealed that this player model dates back to 2009, roughly two years after Agent was first teased. The filename includes “NorthRig,” reinforcing that Agent was in development at Rockstar North, consistent with what has been speculated about the game since its likely cancellation in 2018, when Take-Two allowed its trademark to lapse.

At E3 2007, Sony announced a partnership with Rockstar Games for a new exclusive project for the PS3. In 2009, Rockstar co-founder Sam Houser officially unveiled Agent during Sony’s E3 presentation, describing it as a game the studio had always wanted to create.

Later that year, Rockstar hinted that Agent could launch as early as 2010. In 2011, some images of the game surfaced online, leaked by a former environmental artist from Rockstar North. When the PS4 was announced in 2013, many speculated that Agent would transition to the new console. However, when Shuhei Yoshida, then head of Sony Worldwide Studios, was asked about the game, he stated he wasn’t the right person to provide information.

As the years went by, despite Take-Two renewing the trademark several times, no official updates were released. In 2018, the trademark finally expired, and by 2021, Agent’s official website was taken down. In 2023, a former Rockstar developer revealed that both GTA V and Agent were being developed simultaneously at Rockstar North, but as it became clear that GTA V required more resources to complete, the focus shifted away from the spy game, leading to its quiet cancellation. Agent remains one of the most enigmatic projects in Rockstar’s history.