Two Classic Rockstar Games Reportedly Almost Got Nintendo Console Ports

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Two Classic Rockstar Games Reportedly Almost Got Nintendo Console Ports

Highlights

  • Rockstar reportedly wanted to port The Warriors and Bully to Nintendo’s GBA and DS, respectively, once upon a time.
  • Its Leeds-based subsidiary is said to have scrapped a near-finished GBA version of The Warriors due to lowered sales expectations, among several other reasons.
  • The DS port of Bully was supposedly shelved at an early stage of development because Rockstar Leeds staffers were reassigned to a bigger project, possibly LA Noire.

As a long-time gamer with a deep appreciation for Rockstar Games and their unique titles, I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia and curiosity upon learning about the abandoned Nintendo ports of two of their most intriguing games: The Warriors and Bully.

I’ve heard some exciting news as a gamer! It seems that Rockstar Entertainment considered bringing “The Warriors” and “Bully” to Nintendo consoles at one point, based on recent reports. Sadly, these potential ports didn’t make it past the development stage for distinct reasons.

During the productive mid-2000s at Rockstar, two standout games, “The Warriors” and “Bully,” made their appearances. Released in October 2005 and 2006 respectively, these games came out just a year apart from each other. Both titles received rave reviews from critics and continue to be remembered as some of Rockstar’s most unusual and captivating creations.

Rockstar Reportedly Scrapped Near-Finished The Warriors GBA Port

Approximately 16 months after its release on the PS2 and original Xbox, The Warriors was additionally introduced to the PlayStation Portable. Prior to this occurrence, Rockstar Games allegedly halted production on the game’s Game Boy Advance adaptation, according to Time Extension. Sources familiar with the situation at Rockstar, formerly Möbius Entertainment, disclosed this information. The GBA version of The Warriors was reportedly being developed at Rockstar Leeds and utilized the same exclusive engine as the now-abandoned GBA port of Max Payne, which was also produced by that studio.

Similar to Max Payne, The Warriors underwent a transformation into a top-down action game due to the GBA’s hardware constraints. This adaptation took advantage of distinctive features, such as allowing four-player co-op multiplayer through the Link Cable, as mentioned in the same report. However, before completion, Rockstar allegedly abandoned the project around 2005 and opted instead for the PSP version. According to an anonymous Time Extension source, weak sales of Nintendo’s previous ports from the company were a significant factor in the game’s cancellation. Additionally, Nintendo’s reluctance to promote M-rated titles and Sony’s emerging success with their first portable system reportedly played a role in this supposed shift towards PSP development.

Bully DS Port Was Reportedly on the Cards, As Well

Around three years after producing the original report, Rockstar Leeds worked on a DS adaptation of “Bully.” This undertaking reportedly began shortly following the completion of “GTA: Chinatown Wars,” which was released in March 2009. Initially planned to maintain the top-down perspective, progress on the DS version of the game stalled when the team was shifted to focus on a larger project, causing it to be put on hold.

Around that time, the company became involved with Team Bondi on “LA Noire,” which may have prevented “Bully” from being released on the DS. Based on previous reports, “Bully 2” was also scrapped during a difficult phase for Rockstar Leeds.

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2024-07-20 22:33