Grand Theft Auto VI was announced last month, and it got us thinking - when was the last time London was featured in the iconic games franchise?
It turns out that you need to look all the way back to Grand Theft Auto: London 1969, released in 1999. Rather than a game in its own right, London 1969 was released as an expansion pack for the original GTA title. Taking place in a fictionalised version of The Big Smoke in the 60s, the player would steal, drive and kill for London-based crime syndicates.
Being developed in the ‘90s, however, London 1969 didn’t quite look like how we picture GTA today. The game was played from a bird’s eye view, and the world was minute in comparison to the franchise's more recent releases.
The series’ most recent instalment took place in a sprawling city inspired by Los Angeles. Complete with beaches, distinct neighbourhoods and surrounding countryside, Grand Theft Auto V whet the appetite of fans picturing what their city might look like in a GTA game.
A decade later, with the announcement of Grand Theft Auto VI disappointingly revealing a Miami-inspired setting - despite rumours of a UK appearance - we Londoners are longing to picture what it could have looked like in the capital. Luckily for us, AI image generation from Dall-E lets us do just that - so let's take a look at how GTA might look in the big smoke.
1. Paddington
The first question about a London-set GTA: Should there be a new protagonist? We nominate Paddington. Photo: Dall-E
2. London Eye
Assuming Rockstar Games went for a traditional protagonist, the Southbank should certainly feature. Photo: Dall-E
3. Camden Market
The protagonist takes a peaceful stroll through the colourful Camden Market. Let’s just hope he keeps it peaceful. Photo: Dall-E
4. The Barbican
The protagonist waits in the brutalist setting of the Barbican. Photo: Dall-E