Bully 2 on Rockstar's radar

Rockstar Games has a stable of intellectual properties, and while it may not churn out sequels on an annual basis, follow-ups are quite common on a longer time frame. Grand Theft Auto V and Max Payne 3 are both set for release next year, and the publisher may be looking to turn one of its other properties into a franchise as well.

The cofounder and vice president of creative at Rockstar, Dan Houser, told Gamasutra that the publisher may be returning to the critically well-received Bully following the release of Max Payne 3. Rockstar Vancouver, the main team currently on Max Payne 3, was the primary studio behind Bully, and Houser said the developer has a similar affinity for both properties.

Houser also spoke specifically to why the publisher did not go into a sequel following the original's release. "So we knew that we didn't want to start doing the Bully sequel instantly at that second with those guys--even though it is a property that, like Max, we adore and might come back to in the future," said Houser. "There was just no impetus to do that then. So we said, 'You can do Max, and then we will see what we can do with Bully.'"

The VP also spoke more broadly about Rockstar's approach to sequels, saying it likes to give its games ample development time. "[Almost] every time we have worked in any kind of excessively quick time span, it hasn't been something we enjoyed, or thought we were able to express ourselves properly, or make it interesting," said Houser. "With any property or new property, it takes as long as it takes. You have to make the right game before you release it."

For more on Rockstar's Bully, check out GameSpot's review.