We all recognize Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas as true PS2 classics, but did you know they were exclusive to PlayStation because Sony was nervous about Xbox?
Nowadays, GTA is known as a series for multiple platforms, but many of us still associate it with PlayStation. This connection comes from the series’ early successes on the PS2, with groundbreaking titles like GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas. Interestingly, these games were made exclusive to the PS2 not out of a sudden whim by Sony, but due to a strategic move to counter the emerging threat of Xbox’s debut. Former PlayStation Europe head Chris Deering, who is also known for his somewhat controversial suggestion that laid off developers should just “take a year off at the beach,” recently talked to GamesIndustry.biz. Reflecting on more than three decades of PlayStation history, Deering provided some insights into securing exclusivity agreements for GTA 3 and its two successors.
“We were concerned when we saw Xbox on the horizon,” Deering stated. “We understood that exclusivity could make all the difference, just like how Sky TV handles its sports content. As the Xbox release neared the Christmas season, a few of us reached out to our preferred third-party publishers and developers. We pitched them, asking, ‘What if we strike a special deal for your upcoming game to remain PlayStation-exclusive for two years?'”
He continued, “One of our agreements was with Take-Two for the next trio of Grand Theft Auto games. At that point, nobody could predict the massive impact GTA 3 would have, especially coming from its top-down format.”
Deering admitted that the decision turned out to be incredibly fortunate for PlayStation, considering the blockbuster status GTA achieved. It’s interesting to ponder whether gamers would be checking Rockstar’s social media daily for GTA 6 updates if GTA 3 had been available on Xbox. Remember, Xbox only moved 24 million units, while the PS2 sold a staggering 160 million. If the titles had hit multiple platforms from the start, GTA might have still thrived. However, it’s PlayStation that reaped the biggest rewards from this exclusivity. Who knows what might have been!
