This ‘GTA in London’ Game Won’t Glorify Crime in the ENDS
Concrete Realm, a 12-person indie studio, is developing ENDS, an ambitious open-world game set in London that explores the gritty realities of life in underprivileged areas. After nearly three years of development, the team has reached a significant milestone with a new vertical slice showcasing their vision for an immersive London experience.
Often compared to Grand Theft Auto due to its open-world setting, ENDS deliberately charts a different course. Rather than glorifying criminal activity, the game prioritizes discovery and authentic storytelling, focusing on the struggles and tribulations of people living in the ENDS—the colloquial term for deprived London neighbourhoods. This narrative-first philosophy represents a conscious design departure from established open-world crime games.
The studio’s leadership has emphasized that the game centers on uncovering human stories and genuine experiences rather than celebrating lawbreaking. This approach positions ENDS as a potential competitor to established franchises while offering a distinctly different experience rooted in social realism. By focusing on discovery over glorification, Concrete Realm aims to bring authenticity and depth to a genre typically dominated by escapist crime fantasy.