Rockstar might just be releasing their long-awaited sequel to Bully around the time the next generation console rolls around. Bully released back in 2006 and has since been ported to some modern-day platforms for players to enjoy. Since the original release, though, the series hasn't seen any additional entries from Rockstar. Fans have been clamoring for a follow-up and many rumors over the years seem to indicate that Bully 2 is definitely in the works.
Bully has players take on the role of a problematic 15-year-old named Jimmy Hopkins. His parents drop him off at a fictional boarding school called Bullworth Academy in New England. The boarding school acts as the classic Rockstar open-world sandbox players can explore at their own leisure. There is a greater story to be found in Bully but players can spend time doing side activities, minigames, and basically whatever they want in the greater world. Factions are littered throughout the school and players can determine who they align themselves with, there are also vehicles, weapons, and skills Jimmy can acquire as time goes on. Bully is a bit of an oddball when stacked up against some of Rockstar's other titles like Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire, and Grand Theft Auto.
PlayStation Lifestyle reports that Bully-centric YouTuber SWEGTA received reputable information that Bully 2 would see a cross-generation release in Fall of 2020. An insider supposedly reached out directly to SWEGTA with information about the upcoming release, shedding light on the supposed release window and why Rockstar is opting to launch the game on both PS4 and Xbox One as well as upcoming new hardware. The information seems to line up with similar info revealed by a former self-proclaimed Rockstar insider in 2017. This is the full statement given to YouTuber SWEGTA.
The way they [Rockstar] are going about this has completely changed. As it stands, they are aiming to release their next game during the holiday season in 2020 (most likely October or November). I can’t say for sure, but that appears to be the current state of planning. Basically, what they want to do is release their next upcoming game on next gen hardware (PS5 and the new Xbox), as well as on the current gen. The motive for this is mainly financial, just like with GTA V on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
As I said on GTAForums yesterday (https://t.co/krcij4Ej25), Bully 2 is in development and is supposed to be the next R* game after RDR 2.
— Yan2295 (@Yan2295) April 19, 2017
While the prospect of rumors is always exciting, it's important to note that this same YouTuber uploaded a video four weeks ago saying that Rockstar's Bully 2 had been canceled, or put on hold some time ago, so their information seems to be a bit sporadic. Rumors like these should always be taken with a grain of salt. Now that Rockstar is comfortably sitting on Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption II, it only seems natural that the developer dives into one of their more untouched IP before developing their next mega-blockbuster.
It's hard to imagine what Bully 2 could look like in 2020. Even in 2006, the game was considerably different and still is in many ways to this day. It's understandable that after so much focus has been put on their more popular series, fans are eager for something a little different from Rockstar. Until any official announcement is made, fans can only hold onto rumors and speculation.
Source: PlayStation LifeStyle, SWEGTA