It’s easy to forget that it’s worked on several different IPs through the decades, spread across its multiple studios, and one of those is Bully. Released in 2006 for the PS2 before launching on the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and PC about two years later, its most notable update was a mobile release in December 2016. With regards to IPs kept on ice, it might as well be in cryo sleep alongside Midnight Club, Manhunt and L.A. Noire.

So it’s all the stranger when reports emerged back in 2018 about a potential sequel in development. One report from a Rockstar New England employee, who claimed that the project was cancelled, and a few details about the premise later, nothing emerged. Which, again, makes sense that no one would really notice because Red Dead Redemption 2 fever was at an all-time high. Those rumors never stopped, however, and as the years passed before GTA 6’s announcement, many of us were simply left pondering: Will they or won’t they?

However, it seems, at long last, that Rockstar Games co-founder and former head writer/president Dan Houser has provided some clarity. Speaking to IGN at LA Comic Con, he was asked why a sequel to Bully never happened. He answered in perhaps the most succinct and yet ambiguous way possible:

“I think there were just bandwidth issues. You know, if you’ve got a small lead creative team and a small senior leadership crew, you just can’t do all the projects you want. And, you know, with certainly how we’re structuring it, we’re trying to do two projects with a very small team, and just really trying to think through that. How can we do that and keep them both moving?”

The “bandwidth issues” and “small lead creative team” likely refer to Rockstar in 2008 when the first Bully launched, right? Instead of Rockstar North, which handled the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series (with no small amount of help from other worldwide studios), it was Rockstar Vancouver at the helm. The developer was also known for working on Max Payne 3 and then merging with Rockstar Toronto in 2012. The latter last worked on Red Dead Redemption 2, so it’s safe to assume that it’s also assisting on Grand Theft Auto 6.

Regardless, the gist of Houser’s statement indicates that Rockstar could only focus on two projects at once. Considering it began working on Grand Theft Auto 5 in 2008 and then Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2010 (though internal pitches began when the first title was still in the works), it makes sense. The sheer scope of both titles means all hands on deck, and a potential Bully 2 would fall by the wayside, or just never start development at all. Right?

This is where things get complicated. In October 2019, VGC reported that a sequel was in development for 18 months before its cancellation. Houser allegedly penned a rough script around 2008, with Jimmy staying at his stepfather’s house for the Summer. While rumours before this indicated a step-sibling as the antagonist, alleged casting calls for “college professors” indicated possibly going beyond Bullworth Academy, but it seems Rockstar was undecided on that aspect.

The team allegedly worked on a “small slice” for about 18 months from 2010 to 2013 on the RAGE Engine, but production apparently “fizzled out.” As one source said, “It existed, it was playable, it was just a shame it never got off the ground.”

You would think that’d be the end of it, but Rockstar apparently dabbled in the sequel once more. Insider Tez2 said that it was working on Bully 2 until 2017, but stopped development to finish up Red Dead Redemption 2. Pre-production for Grand Theft Auto 6 was also allegedly ongoing, and it wanted to ramp things up. As much as you would think that this was the end, it apparently wasn’t.

In December 2021, it was Tom Henderson, another fairly reliable insider, who revealed that Bully 2 was “expected as a potential surprise reveal at The Game Awards” after “some people have been shown some material alluding to a reveal soon.” While information was a “bit blurry,” he noted that “some people” reportedly saw a playable version of the title before the event, and it wasn’t the “canned version.”

“It was worth reporting on as there’s something definitely ‘going on’ to do with the series,” said Henderson. He would “still stand by” the belief that something was happening in February 2022, but aside from the original being rated in Taiwan last year for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, that hasn’t been the case. Not even the announcement of a remaster or upgrade of the original for current-gen platforms.

The obvious theory – and this is only really a theory at this point, given how updates have effectively dried up – is that this supposed version of Bully 2, which is different from what Houser may have overseen, has been started and stopped because of Grand Theft Auto 6. There have been rumors of development troubles in the past, including development allegedly being rebooted in 2020 after Houser left. Perhaps Bully 2 was still in the pre-production phase, and while Rockstar wasn’t keen on cancelling it outright, it realized that more resources would be required by the end of 2021.

Cue the project being kept on ice and no internal updates ever since, as the focus is entirely on Grand Theft Auto 6. With all the hype and expectations – analysts like DFC Intelligence expecting $3.2 billion revenue in the first year, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick calling it “one of the biggest entertainment launches in history, not just in games but for all of media” – it makes sense that everything else would fall by the wayside.

For all intents and purposes, it’s safe to assume that the Bully 2 that was worked on in the early 2010s is no more. I would like to think that maybe, just maybe, present-day Rockstar considered a possible remaster or upgrade for the original to gauge interest (hence last year’s rating). There have also been rumors lately of a current-gen upgrade for Red Dead Redemption 2, which would mark the franchise’s debut on Nintendo Switch 2, but those also never came to fruition. And once again, I can’t help but wonder if it’s because Rockstar really can’t spare the manpower as it works to release Grand Theft Auto 6.

Whether that’s the right call or not will depend on who you ask. We probably won’t know the true scale of it until after launch, or even all the problems it faced. But regardless, it is a shame that fans who enjoyed Bully and dabbling in this universe where Rockstar’s open-world prowess was on display in a uniquely endearing fashion will have to wait for who knows how long for a follow-up. Never say never, but at this point, you have to wonder if it doesn’t make more sense to outsource the sequel to a different studio.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Freedom Fighters 2

IO Interactive delivered one of the most enjoyable shooters with 2003’s Freedom Fighters, a game that beautifully meshes tactical elements along with pure adrenaline-pumping action and an emotionally charged narrative of overthrowing oppression – and fans absolutely lapped it up. There have been scant rumblings of a sequel over the years, but nothing much has come to fruition. While the IP continues to be under the possession of now-independent IO Interactive, the chances of a full-fledged sequel happening anytime soon are extremely slim. 

Sleeping Dogs 2

Sleeping Dogs might have felt like yet another one of those cheap GTA clones, but United Front Games’ open-world offerings were as much a product of their creativity as it was derivative of Rockstar’s works. Wei Shen’s story of navigating through the criminal underbelly of Hong Kong is a consistently thrilling ride that’s punctuated with great gameplay variety and fun open-world activities, and the ideas were ripe to be built upon with a sequel. United Front Games had some ambitious plans in place, but those were gone to waste as the developer closed doors permanently in 2012 – leaving us with faint hopes that will probably never come true.

Star Wars 1313

There is no shortage of Star Wars-based games in the current market scenario, but it’s hard not to reminisce about the canceled Star Wars 1313 project. The game was being developed by LucasArts themselves at one point, and it would be telling the story of Boba Fett in his early days of navigating the galaxy. Initial showings of the game looked impressive with its cinematic gameplay and faithful rendition of the popular sci-fi setting, but the project was put on hold when Disney purchased the studio – putting the final nail in its coffin.

Agent

Rockstar is behind some of the best games of the last couple of generations, and the studio is also behind the mysterious vaporware that was Agent. First announced all the way in 2007, Agent was supposed to be an open-world game with elements of espionage and fans were understandably excited to see what was in store. Months and years passed with little in the name of concrete information on the game, and Agent slowly faded into the void with no hopes of emerging back once agai

Bully 2

Since we are on the topic of canceled Rockstar games, we should also discuss Bully 2. The original Bully felt like a breath of fresh air with its school setting and a narrative that let you experience the highs and lows of a teenager living in a boarding school, and those ideas were ripe to be built upon with a sequel. While nothing was ever announced in an official capacity, there have been several rumors and reports that state that Bully 2 was at least in the cards at some point if not in active development. Rumors continue to churn out even to this date, but the chances of anything coming to fruition are pretty low.

Scalebound

PlatinumGames has rightfully established its reputation as one of the best names when it comes to developing action games brimming with style and substance, and Scalebound felt emblematic of the studio’s biggest strengths. Scalebound’s idea of using dragons as your companions was enough to send fan expectations off the charts, and initial showings were looking really promising. However, development wasn’t the smoothest and the team faced several problems in trying to create a cohesive experience with online functionality built into the game eventually leading to Microsoft canceling the project altogether. It’s a shame that such an amazing idea was let go to waste, and Scalebound could have genuinely turned out to be a great time if PlatinumGames was given the creative freedom they wished for.

Silent Hills

Konami’s Silent Hill franchise is set to make a grand comeback with several new entries set to release in the near future, but we can’t help but think about the canceled Silent Hills project. Silent Hills was Kojima’s take on the popular horror franchise, and the playable teaser was more than enough to leave fans salivating for the final release. But the infamous Konami-Kojima breakout left the project in ruins, eventually leading to it being canned and our hopes and dreams unfulfilled. 

A New Metal Gear by Hideo Kojima

The Metal Gear Solid series has continued to deliver hit after hit with each new entry, and it continues to be one of the most revered franchises thanks to the incredible attention to detail that Kojima and the team have poured into each and every aspect of the experience. While the series is also making a comeback with the upcoming release of Delta Snake Eater, we would love to see another new Metal Gear directed by Kojima san himself, but the infamous Konami-Kojima break-up leaves little chance of that happening anytime soon.

 A New Burnout

Criterion’s Burnout series was one of the best arcade racers of its time, and its gameplay loop of crashing into rival cars and emphasizing a generally aggressive driving style was what helped the franchise stand out from the crowd. But with EA eventually moving Criterion to work on the Need For Speed series, the Burnout IP was kept hostage and it slowly turned dormant over the years. Without a shadow of a doubt, there are more than thousands of fans who are hoping for a revival, but the current state of EA and its obsession with continuing to invest in NFS means that a new Burnout game isn’t likely to come out anytime soon. 

Portal 3

The Portal games continue to be some of the best puzzle games of all time, thanks to an ingenious central mechanic that forms the basis of all gameplay and the witty writing that came along with it. Many games have tried to create similar experiences since then, but none have managed to capture the magic of Valve’s works – which has left us craving for a potential Portal 3 even after all this time. But given the current stance of Valve’s game development division, it seems like Portal 3 would probably never see the light of day. 

New Dino Crisis 

Dino Crisis was very much a product of its time, a game confident in its ability to deliver a consistently thrilling experience despite being based on a concept so weird. We have had some really fond memories of shooting down dinosaurs with machine guns, and we would really love to get a new entry with the same level of eccentricity and fun that is so characteristic of the franchise. However, it feels highly unlikely that the developer would be making much effort to breathe new life into this now stagnant IP. And no, Exoprimal doesn’t count.

Deep Down

Yet another one of the developer’s failed projects, Deep Down was put forth as one of the PS4’s launch titles. Deep Down featured impressive graphics for its time, and the concept of working your way through procedurally generated dungeons with friends sounded like a really fun idea that could have genuinely turned out to be a big hit. Development wasn’t obviously the smoothest, which eventually led to the game being delayed to an indefinite date. We still think about what Deep Down could have been, but all we can do is hope.

Titanfall 3

Titanfall 2 was a great game that y featured one of the best FPS campaigns of all time but it failed to capture much of an audience since it was sandwiched between the highly overrated Battlefield and a Call of Duty series- making it a commercial failure. The future of the franchise already looked bleak after that failure, and now that the developer has been focusing majorly on Star Wars – a potential Titanfall 3 is most likely not on the cards. 

The Next Dark Souls

It’s safe to say that FromSoftware has birthed an entire genre with Dark Souls, and the entire trilogy remains one of the best experiences of recent memory. The developer has already moved on to bigger experiences with the likes of Elden Ring, but there’s undoubtedly a void for a new Dark Souls game. Between this and the fact that the trilogy brought a definitive end to the endless cycle of fire, a new game coming out feels like a distant dream that probably won’t come true.

Prototype 3

Radical Entertainment’s Prototype was a really great open-world game that provided a really satisfying power fantasy as you mow down entire squadrons of enemies in moments unnoticed, and those elements were taken to the next level with Prototype 2. Radical Entertainment was slowly devolved into a support studio for Activision’s bigger franchises before it was closed sometime in 2014, leaving the dreams of any potential Prototype 3 dead in the dust.

A couple of months ago, known industry insider Tom Henderson claimed that a Bully 2 was in the works at Rockstar, and though information surrounding the project was “a bit blurry”, a reveal was possibly imminent. Recently, Henderson took to Twitter in the wake of the GTA 6 announcement and said, “I still stand by that there’s something going on with the Bully series.”

When we might hear something about it if it is going to happen is anyone’s best guess- though it wouldn’t be a surprise if Rockstar had multiple projects in the works simultaneously. Either way, considering how long fans of the first game have wanted a sequel and the fact that a Bully sequel has failed to get off the ground in the past, hopefully something will come out of these reports this time.

Sorry – Where did todays announcement say that it's Rockstar's next focus point? They said GTA 6 is in development.

I still standby that there's something going on with the Bully series.

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) February 4, 2022

“Bully 2 was expected as a potential surprise reveal at #TheGameAwards last week after some people have been shown some material alluding to a reveal soon. Information is a bit blurry at the moment, and I have to be quite vague here, but if I hear more I will report on it.” Henderson said in a follow-up tweet that, “Some people saw a ‘playable version’ just a couple of weeks prior to TGA (not the canned version).”

While Henderson couldn’t share any finer details, he felt that “It was worth reporting on as there’s something definitely ‘going on’ to do with the series.” This isn’t the first time that a follow-up to Rockstar’s acclaimed 2006 action adventure title was rumored to be in the works. But it’s interesting that there’s some kind of playable version out there, especially when the project was allegedly cancelled in 2017.

As such, Rockstar is rumored to be working on Grand Theft Auto 6 (which is allegedly facing development troubles) and a remaster for Red Dead Redemption 1. It also has Grand Theft Auto 5: Expanded and Enhanced Edition releasing in March 2022 for Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Could a new Bully really be happening? We’ll have to wait for more details in the coming days.

Bully 2 was expected as a potential surprise reveal at #TheGameAwards last week after some people have been shown some material alluding to a reveal soon.

Information is a bit blurry at the moment, and I have to be quite vague here, but if I hear more I will report on it. pic.twitter.com/OF53pU5Y8C

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) December 13, 2021

Some people saw a "Playable version" just a couple of weeks prior to TGA (not the canned version).

Like I said – Information is blurry atm. But I thought it was worth reporting on as there's something definitely "going on" to do with the series.

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) December 13, 2021

Fans have been calling for a Bully 2 for years now, and there has been no shortage of rumours and speculation about it being in some form of development at several points over the years. The newest rumour about the game, however, is one that pours cold water on all of those hopes.

Recently, Rockstar insider Tez2 mentioned on the GTA forums that Bully 2 was in development at some point, but work on the game was halted in 2017 so that Rockstar could focus on finishing up Red Dead Redemption 2, as well as accelerate the development of Grand Theft Auto 6, which was in pre-production at the time. The same was also corroborated by fellow Rockstar insider Yan2295 on Reddit.

This isn’t the first time we’ve had reports of Bully 2 being in development before ultimately being cancelled. Last year, a report emerged that claimed that the frequently demanded sequel was in the works for over a year early in the 2010s before being canned.

Meanwhile, as far as GTA 6 is concerned, there’s little doubt that that’s going to be Rockstar’s next big project. The game is still reportedly in early development and a ways off from launch, though it’s possible that Rockstar have been teasing it of late.

For years, Rockstar fans have been asking for a sequel to the 2006 title Bully, and time and time again, rumours and speculation have cropped up suggesting that one might indeed be on its way. Now, a report from VGC suggests that a Bully 2 was indeed in development at Rockstar a few years back, but that the production ultimately didn’t materialize in anything.

According to anonymous sources, Rockstar chief Dan Houser and other creative leads at the company wrote a rough script for the sequel some time in 2008, which detailed the first few scenes of the game, as well as a rough outline for the rest of the story. This outline saw Jimmy returning as the protagonist, with a few other characters from the first game also returning. The script began in Jimmy’s step-father’s house in the summer after a school year, and though Rockstar were undecided on what the setting of the rest of the game would be, a return to education at school or at college was being discussed as an option.

Between 2010 and 2013, Rockstar’s studio in New England allegedly spent roughly a year and a half working on the game, using Rockstar’s RAGE engine, which resulted in a “very small slice” of the game that was playable and featured simplistic open world elements. However, that production “fizzled out”, as per the report, with the developers moving on to other projects.

“It existed, it was playable, it was just a shame it never got off the ground,” the source said.

Given how much time has passed between then and now, and given that Rockstar will probably want to focus their energies on Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption – both of which are massively successful – and their online offerings, the future doesn’t look too bright for Bully as a franchise. Is it possible that Rockstar might eventually get back to the project and restart development? Sure- but this report does go to show that a Bully 2 isn’t very high in Rockstar’s list of priorities.

Rockstar North released the long-in-development Red Dead Redemption 2 last year. However, other big titles could be in development at the studio. According to Edinburgh Live, the office has removed its banner for Red Dead Redemption 2. On its own, this might not be significant but in the past, the banner for Grand Theft Auto 5 was removed when Red Dead Redemption 2 was in development.

The obvious theory is that an announcement for Grand Theft Auto 6, which has been rumoured for years, could be coming. However, recent rumours have pegged Bully 2 being announced and possibly releasing for the current and next gen consoles. Again, the banner change doesn’t mean that either is necessarily up next.

However, some major development could be going down at Rockstar North. We’ll have to wait and see in the coming months. In the meantime, Gamescom will have its Opening Night Live show today at 11 AM PT with reveals for Death Stranding, Gears 5 and much more. Stay tuned for more details.

If you have any ideas of your own, or don’t like any of the ones we talk about, make yourselves heard in the comments section below.

BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH FELLOW STUDENTS

A large part of school life, even if that school is Bullworth Academy, is developing bonds, friendships, or rivalries with your fellow students, and we’d like to see that become an emphasized mechanic in Bully 2. The Persona games handle this quite well with their Social Links mechanics, and though expecting to see something exactly like that in a game like Bully might be a little strange, it’s definitely a framework that Rockstar could implement and tweak to make it work in Bully.

]]> https://gamingbolt.com/bully-2-15-things-we-would-like-to-see/feed 0 375619 https://gamingbolt.com/rockstars-latest-casting-calls-might-be-hinting-at-bully-2-rumour https://gamingbolt.com/rockstars-latest-casting-calls-might-be-hinting-at-bully-2-rumour#respond Thu, 11 Oct 2018 10:01:12 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=366688

Very few games are in as much demand as a sequel to Rockstar’s Bully. The original game came out in 2006 and was widely adored by one and all, and though fans have been clamouring for a sequel ever since, there hasn’t really been much by way of official confirmations from Rockstar to indicate that that might happen anytime soon.

Last year, though, there were reports that Bully 2 was indeed in development at Rockstar, and that after Red Dead Redemption 2, it would be their next big-budget title. Now, adding fuel to those fires, Rockstar Intel is reporting that the studio’s been holding casting calls, which seem to hint that their next project is indeed Bully 2.

The casting call doesn’t mention the game by name, of course, calling it a “new unannounced video game title”. The casting calls are for motion capture roles, and many even seen to be directly mentioning staff such as “college professors”. There’s some information provided about the nature of the roles as well.

“Mild violence and profanity will be used in scenes with the young performer,” the casting call says. “The project itself is a thriller/drama and all scenes with the young performer will be handled with sensitivity.” Rockstar Intel is also reporting that they’ve “seen Rockstar staff come into engagement with the listings”, but did not give any further details on the same.

Of course, none of this is to suggest that this new project is Bully 2 for sure. With no official word or announcement from Rockstar, this could literally be anything. Either way, I certainly hope it’s Bully 2. Stay tuned to GamingBolt, and we’ll keep you updated as more info comes our way.

Quantum Break 2

We know that Remedy Entertainment’s project codenamed P7 will be showcased at E3 2018. That’s a multiplatform project though – what about rumours of Quantum Break 2? Is it possible that P7 is actually Quantum Break 2 and we’ll see it appear? Well, no. The IP belongs to Microsoft and it’s unlikely to ever come to other platforms, let-alone be the same multiplatform project that Remedy is currently working on. While a sequel isn’t out of the question, it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing it this year.