As part of the Power On documentary series, Microsoft revealed they rejected Rockstar’s pitch to release GTA III on Xbox.
During the third episode, members of the original Xbox team discuss their “barnstorming tour” to promote the new console. Their goal was to convince developers from around the world to create games for the Xbox. It was during this tour that Rockstar Games approached Microsoft about Grand Theft Auto III.
Kevin Bachus, head of Xbox third-party relations at the time, states that a “small game publisher” discussed their plans to revisit one of its 2D PC games. Ultimately, Microsoft turned the pitch down. Their reasoning was they didn’t feel the game could successfully transition from 2D to 3D.
Little did they know, however, the “small game publisher” Rockstar Games would then go on to develop Grand Theft Auto III into one of PlayStation 2’s most successful games. GTA III went on to sell 14.5 million units for the PlayStation 2 and became the top-selling game of 2001. Rockstar would continue its PlayStation exclusivity for the sequels Vice City and San Andreas.
You can watch the segment in Chapter 3 below. The discussion about Rockstar’s pitch occurs around 16 minutes into the video.
Microsoft celebrates 20 years of Xbox
The Power On documentary series is part of Microsoft’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of Xbox. The six-part series tells the story of Xbox from its origin to the present day. Throughout the chapters, important Xbox executives recount both the company’s triumphs and failures.
In addition to Power On: The Story of Xbox, Microsoft also discusses the console brand’s major events in the official Xbox 20th Anniversary virtual museum. One cool artifact is the letter Microsoft revealed from the time it tried to buy Nintendo.
Hearing these stories is always interesting because it makes you think of what would happen if things in history went differently. In the case of Rockstar’s proposed deal with Xbox, how do you think the gaming industry would have been different had Microsoft agreed? Let us know what you think below!
Via Eurogamer
