Rockstar Games has reportedly explored the possibility of bringing two of its popular titles, Bully and The Warriors, to Nintendo's handheld consoles. Bully, also known as Canis Canim Edit, is a 2006 open-world action-adventure game that centers around teenager James 'Jimmy' Hopkins navigating life at a boarding school. The Warriors, released in 2005, is an action-adventure beat-em-up game based on the 1979 film of the same name.
According to a former Rockstar employee, there were plans to release Bully on the Nintendo DS in a top-down format similar to Chinatown Wars. However, this project did not progress significantly. The employee also mentioned that The Warriors was developed for a potential port to the Game Boy Advance, featuring a four-player co-op mode using the link cable.
The former employee expressed enthusiasm for The Warriors on Game Boy Advance, stating that the game was completed and enjoyable to play. Despite this, the project was ultimately shelved in favor of releasing a direct port on the PSP, as the handheld console was gaining traction and Nintendo's stance on promoting M-rated games was not favorable at the time.
Currently, Rockstar Games is focused on the development of GTA 6, slated for release in Autumn 2025. The company's decision to prioritize the PSP over Nintendo's handheld consoles for The Warriors highlights the shifting dynamics of the gaming industry and the strategic considerations that developers must navigate.
For fans of Bully, the game is available in an Anniversary Edition on the App Store and Google Play, offering a nostalgic experience in celebration of its 10-year milestone. While the potential releases of Bully on Nintendo DS and The Warriors on Game Boy Advance did not materialize, these insights shed light on the behind-the-scenes decisions that shape the gaming landscape.