Sci-fi GTA 'tempting,' says Houser, but 'good reason' needed

Rockstar VP Dan Houser has called the prospect of a futuristic Grand Theft Auto "tempting," adding the caveat that he'd need "a good reason" to make it.
http://medialib.computerandvideogame...mb_wide300.jpgSpeaking to French site Ecrans last November (via OXM), the series writer claimed that Rockstar is currently missing the essential elements needed to justify pushing GTA into the world of sci-fi."We will do it the very second we have an idea," Houser replied, when asked whether the franchise would eventually transcend the present day.
"One of our strengths is the consistency of the game world. We're not necessarily the best writers in the world, but we [know] how to write a video game.
"When we decided to make a Western, it was because we knew we had something to say," he went on. "We have no interest in going into science fiction for the sake of flying cars and laser guns. The best science fiction stories are those that speak about the human condition.
"So while this idea is very tempting and, by definition, anything's possible in a videogame, we lack the essential thing for the moment: a good reason."
A move to a future setting could also be seen as a method of rejuvenating the popular open-world franchise, although Houser said he feels that GTA doesn't need a refresh for the moment.
"I'm not worrying about this for a good while yet," he said."In the past some of our titles have been successful, others less so, but as long as we have the ambition of making the kinds of games that nobody's ever made before, we're not going to get bored.
"To offer an analogy with cinema, some films can be told in one page of text. Once the basic situation is there, you know exactly how it will evolve. But if you're careful to change the narrative structure, it can change everything. Chris Nolan's Memento is a good example. That's the kind of approach we've achieved."
Rockstar has confirmed that the GTA V release date will fall in spring 2013 on PS3 and Xbox 360. PC and Wii U versions are "up for consideration", according to the studio.

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