Everyone is talking about GTA London, but don’t be fooled
"Alright guvna', fancy a cup of Rosie Lee?" While there are rumours that London is calling the Grand Theft Auto series, we're once again warned that you shouldn't believe everything you read online. Rockstar Games' automotive adventure has jumped in a black cab before, but don't count on GTA doing it again.
Way back before GTA V was topping charts and we were left waiting a decade (and counting) for GTA 6, Grand Theft Auto: London was an expansion to the original, top-down, GTA from 1999. It was met with middling reviews, and to be honest, this is probably why Rockstar hasn't visited Blighty since.
GTA London is doing the rounds again
It's safe to say hype for GTA 6 is at a fever pitch, with players still in the dark about what's on the way. Remembering reports of multiple cities and possibly even multiple continents, the world is quite literally our oyster regarding where the next mainline entry will be set.
It seems a return to the beloved Vice City is on the cards, and while GTA London is doing the rounds online, it doesn't mean Rockstar is giving us a map based on the land of scones, red buses, and the Royal Family. In fact, GTA London has come back into fashion for an entirely different reason.
A new game called ENDS is on the way, with Concrete Realm's crime caper being affectionately nicknamed GTA London. The trailer for ENDS shows off DI Martin Frye, who looks like a typically troubled character you might find in a GTA game.
The main protagonist is apparently Rahim, with Concrete Realm saying, "Rahim was born normal. He shares a one bedroom flat with his mum and younger brother and the only thing he inherited is the responsibility to put food on the table. He and his friends, Sonny and Reece, were raised in the ends surrounded by safety, community and belonging.
"But the real ends is a cycle of maintaining order, profiting from addiction and removing anyone in their way. As the trio become young men, they must make a decision: Will they represent the community that raised them and embrace being normal or will they aim for something more?"
ENDS could be a real GTA rival
Click to enlargeEnd is a gritty action adventure RPG that is seemingly not afraid to be compared to GTA. There's plenty of chatter about it being a potential rival to Rockstar's gaming Goliath. Concrete Realm has high hopes, telling Insider Gaming it wants to "provide a truly authentic London experience."
Also taking a leaf out of Rockstar's book - and presumably hoping to capitalise on the success of GTA Online - ENDS even has grand plans for multiplayer, adding, "We’re actively exploring the possibility of incorporating multiplayer features at launch." This depends on community support and investment.
The team has used influencers, artists, and clothing brands to help craft ENDS, representing all of these in this realistic London. As a potential rival to GTA, ENDS is the talk of the town. You can donate over on Kickstarter, with the game pencilling in a potential 2025 release date if everything goes well.
