Ten years is a long time to wait for a sequel. In fact, it’s actually long enough for people to get bored of waiting and start imagining what the next
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) might look like themselves. Over the years, the internet has filled with up with man-made takes on the franchise, with people reimagining everything from the setting and characters to the gameplay. Some of the most entertaining takes ditch the United States altogether and wonder what the iconic game would look like if set in the Arab world.
Arguably one of the most anticipated video-game releases in gaming history, its release date has been pushed back more than once. The wait has apparently become so unbearable that hackers took matters into their own hands, breaking into Rockstar Games’ systems and sharing clips of the game online themselves.
Meanwhile, those of us who can’t be bothered to do anything illegal, risk prison time, or catch a cybersecurity charge just to see Vice City a little early have found slightly more sensible ways to pass the time. Using everything from AI to coding and other game-development tools, fans have been creating their own versions of GTA, dropping the franchise into places and contexts a little more familiar to them.
Plenty of fans have already imagined what GTA might look like in Casablanca, Algiers, Tunis, Cairo and beyond, swapping the franchise’s familiar American backdrop for local landmarks, cultural references and the small details that make each city instantly recognizable. And, honestly, some of them look good enough to make you wish they were real.
Most of the creators aren’t trying to fool anyone, either. They’re pretty upfront that the clips aren’t real. Instead, the videos play out like a collective “what if?” game, transplanting the world of GTA into the streets, neighborhoods and everyday situations they recognize.
Keep scrolling for some of our favourite fan-made takes on what GTA could look like in the Arab world.
Morocco
Algeria
Tunisia
Egypt
UAE
Syria
Jordan