GTA 3's PS2 Exclusivity Was Directly Due to Xbox Debut

Sony Europe’s former CEO revealed that they secured exclusive rights to Rockstar Games’ GTA for the PS2 before the Xbox’s release. Read on to learn more about why Sony adopted this business strategy, boosting PS2’s sales and popularity.

Sony Signed Special Deals for PS2

Acquiring Exclusive Rights to GTA Paid Off

Former Sony Computer Entertainment Europe CEO, Chris Deering, revealed in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz during EGX in London last October that they pursued exclusive rights to GTA for PS2 because of the launch of the original Xbox console.

Because of the then-upcoming Xbox console launch in 2001, Sony approached several third-party developers and publishers to sign a special deal for the PlayStation 2, making their games exclusive to the console for two-years. Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games, agreed to their offer and subsequently released three GTA games as PS2 exclusives. Under this deal, they released GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas on PS2.

At that time, Deering recalled their worries because Microsoft might also offer an exclusive deal to publishers and developers to bolster the game library of Xbox. "We were worried when we saw Xbox coming," Deering explained. That’s when Sony approached a few publishers and developers for an exclusive deal.

Though GTA 1 and 2 were massive successes, Deering initially expressed doubts because "it wasn't clear that Grand Theft Auto 3 was going to be as huge as it was, because it used to be a top down game." However, their business strategy paid off and helped PS2 establish its legacy as the best-selling video game console of all time.

"It was very lucky for us. And actually lucky for them, because they got a discount on the royalty they paid," said Deering. "Those deals aren't uncommon in industries with platforms. Including today with things like social media."

Rockstar Games’ Leap to 3D Environment

Grand Theft Auto III is the first GTA game to feature 3D environments, doing away with GTA 1 and 2’s top-down view angle. In doing so, GTA 3 redefined open-world environments, making Liberty City a sprawling metropolis filled with sidequests and other activities for players to enjoy.

According to an interview with GamesIndustry.biz last November 2021, Rockstar co-founder Jaime King revealed that the company is only waiting for the right technology to make the jump to 3D. "From a storytelling perspective, we knew it would be much more immersive if you could actually get down to the streets and go 3D," he said.

With PS2’s release, Rockstar Games finally found a unit capable of realizing their vision for future GTA games. Since then, GTA’s subsequent releases have followed the same formula with new stories, mechanics, and graphical enhancements. Despite the PS2's limitations, the three GTA games released for the console ranked among this console’s top five best-sellers.

Why is Rockstar Games Silent About GTA 6?

Looking ahead to the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, former Rockstar Games developer Mike York revealed on his YouTube channel on December 5 that the company's silence about the game is a clever marketing strategy.

Though Rockstar’s silence can dampen the hype by taking too long to release another GTA 6 trailer, York asserted that it is "a really cool tactic, in a sense." He argued that withholding some information about the game generates excitement, as GTA fans eagerly speculate about its details. This builds hype organically without Rockstar Games doing anything in particular.

On the other hand, York recalled his experience with the team and mentioned that they enjoyed the fan theories as they tried to uncover hidden details in their game trailers. One famous example of it is the Mt. Chiliad mystery, where mysterious symbols appeared on a wall marking along with GTA V’s popular mountain. Though some theories are left unanswered, York mentioned that "All the developers over there are geeking out about it, trust me."

Although GTA 6 remains shrouded in mystery, with only a single trailer released, fans can rest assured that Rockstar Games developers are enjoying their theories. More importantly, speculating about the game keeps the GTA community active and engaged.