Rockstar Co-Founder Reveals Why Bully 2 Was Never Made
▼ Summary
– Dan Houser, Rockstar Games co-founder, stated that Bully 2 was canceled due to “bandwidth issues” and a small creative team’s inability to handle all projects.
– Bully was a humorous action game where players controlled high school outcast Jimmy at a private school, praised for its fun and well-crafted gameplay.
– A sequel to Bully was in development at Rockstar’s New England studio in the late 2000s but never released, with some ideas later used in other Rockstar games.
– Dataminers have found references to Bully 2 in leaked files, such as a Grand Theft Auto 5 database in 2023, fueling ongoing fan interest.
– After leaving Rockstar in 2020, Houser founded Absurd Ventures, which is developing new projects and formed a studio with former Ascendant Studios developers.
The long-anticipated sequel to the cult classic video game Bully never materialized primarily due to creative bandwidth limitations, according to Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser. During a recent appearance at LA Comic Con, Houser explained that the small, core creative teams at Rockstar simply could not pursue every project they envisioned, leading to the cancellation of Bully 2 despite significant fan demand.
Originally released in 2006 under the title Canis Canem Edit, Bully charmed players with its witty narrative and engaging gameplay. Cast as Jimmy Hopkins, a rebellious student navigating the social minefield of the fictional Bullworth Academy, players experienced a unique blend of action and comedy. Critics praised the title for its sharp humor and polished design, with many reviews highlighting the game’s ability to deliver dozens of hours of entertaining content.
Development on a sequel did commence in the late 2000s at Rockstar’s New England studio, fueling hope among the game’s dedicated followers. Although the project was ultimately shelved, some of its conceptual DNA is believed to have influenced later Rockstar blockbusters, including the critically acclaimed Red Dead Redemption 2. Over the years, dataminers and leaks have occasionally surfaced, offering glimpses into what might have been. A notable instance in 2023 involved a leaked Grand Theft Auto 5 database file that contained direct references to the unreleased Bully 2.
Houser, the creative force behind iconic series like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, has since moved on from Rockstar. He founded the transmedia company Absurd Ventures in 2020. His current focus includes a new crime fiction comic series titled American Caper, scheduled for a November 2025 release. The expansion of his company continues, with a group of approximately twenty former Ascendant Studios developers, including its ex-CEO, joining to form a new studio branch named Absurd Marin in California. Details on their current game projects, however, remain under wraps.
(Source: IGN)
