While such a rumor would typically seem ludicrous, Grand Theft Auto creator David Jones founded Realtime Worlds and is a major influence on the development of APB. The story cites a "credible industry source" as the origin of the claim, but provides no additional details as to his or her credentials.

Rockstar founder Sam Houser recently noted that a massively multiplayer Grand Theft Auto was "very, very doable" and "very, very compelling." Last week's release of Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, X360) marked the first time the series has featured online multiplayer on consoles.

When reached for comment, a Realtime representative said they had not heard the claim before, but that the company rebought the rights to "give themselves some options" and "look for another partner."