Xbox’s In-Depth ‘Power On’ Documentary Reveals Stunning Fact About GTA III

The recently released Xbox documentary, ‘Power On,’ reveals a shocking fact about one of the most iconic open-world games to date. During the early days before the launch of the first Xbox, Rockstar Games had approached Microsoft. And it was regarding the pitch for GTA III. But the Xbox executives outright rejected this proposal.

Turns out, it was the big mistake as GTA III went on to become a record-breaking hit, selling millions of copies in 2001, the year when the first Xbox also launched.

In the Power On documentary, Kevin Bachus, who was heading Xbox’s third-party relations at the time, unveiled a stunning fact about GTA III.

He mentions how he, along with other of his team members, presented an idea from Rockstar Games. The latter was not a huge company two decades ago when it was just starting out with its titles. Well, the Xbox executives didn’t seem impressed with Rockstar’s GTA III proposals as they didn’t think they could transition from 2D to 3D version.

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The time when Xbox ignored the ‘Power of GTA’

Before the title came out, the very first Xbox had the chance to start off big with the third GTA installment. However, it seems like it wasn’t to be, as the title eventually landed on the PlayStation console.

When it comes to why Xbox executives didn’t approve of the pitch for the game, it’s been revealed that they thought it was too complicated.

“To my surprise, it was rejected,” said Kevin Bachus, about GTA III.

After the rejection, Rockstar then pitched the idea to Sony, and the rest is history. The game went on to become a fan favorite, selling millions of copies worldwide. It also laid the solid foundation for future Grand Theft Auto titles.

Currently, GTA is one of the most popular gaming franchises in the world, if not the most popular franchise. Two years after its PlayStation debut, GTA III also came to Xbox in the form of a ported version. And the title was a hit with its users too.

What do you think about the Xbox now? Did you have any idea about this shocking fact brought to light in the Power On documentary? Let us know in the comments section below.

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