While a lot of the buzz surrounding a Bully 2 release has been fan-generated, there has been actual merit to the game being seriously considered for development by Rockstar. Sadly, however, with the ever-shifting nature of the industry, the chances of Bully 2 releasing seem slimmer now more than they have ever been.
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The History of Bully 2 Rumors
The original Bully released in 2006, and proved to be a very popular release for Rockstar despite having to compete against the iconic Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises. Retaining the same third-person perspective of other Rockstar IPs, Bully took the GTA formula and applied it to a boarding school, while of course scaling the violence down to be more appropriate for a 15-year-old protagonist.
Despite facing a large amount of backlash for its setting, the humorous nature of the title and its satisfying beat em’ up gameplay greatly appealed to fans, with desire for a sequel instantly permeating the game’s discourse. Rumors and supposed leaks surrounding Bully 2 began as soon as 2009, with Rockstar co-creator Dan Houser stating his desire for Bully 2 in 2013.
Rumors of a Bully 2 release have consistently spread throughout the community ever since, with hopeful fans having their expectations raised for well over a decade at this point. Despite alleged screenshots of the game and casting calls for its voice acting keeping the Bully 2 discourse alive for so long over the years, it sadly seems that the game will never see the light of day.
Why Bully 2 Is Unlikely To Release
The apparent current priorities of Rockstar point to a bleak future when it comes to the release of the long requested Bully 2. Although a fan base for the game clearly still exists, there are other ventures that Rockstar is actively involved in that are simply too popular and lucrative.
With just how intensely successful Grand Theft Auto 5 has been since its initial release in 2013, the feasibility of Rockstar dedicating the huge amount of time and resources necessary into a sequel for one of its comparatively lesser known titles seems small. To conceptualize just how successful GTA 5 has truly been for the company, fans only need to consider the recent standalone release of Grand Theft Auto Online, with the online service reportedly earning Rockstar over $800 million per year.
To compound how slim the chances of a Bully 2 are, the controversial recent release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition very well may have knocked the confidence of Rockstar in revisiting older titles and straying away from the norm. If an established system within a company is comprehensively lucrative enough, outside projects can often fall to the wayside, as has been observed in recent years with the veteran gaming giant Valve.
Considering that hype and discourse surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6 is reaching a fever pitch, it is extremely difficult to see where Bully 2 could fit within Rockstar’s schedule. With Rockstar’s recent precedent of only releasing one game per console generation, it sadly appears that a release of Bully 2 has missed the boat despite the sustained desire of the community and the many leaks and rumors that have fueled it over the years.
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