Given Rockstar is currently heads down finishing Grand Theft Auto VI, it doesn't seem likely that we're going to get a follow-up to the publisher's 2006 school-based action adventure title Bully anytime soon.
But for those who have been looking for a brand new reason to go gallivanting around the hallways of Bullworth Academy or skateboarding around its surrounding environment, it doesn't appear to be all bad news; that's because fans have been cooking up something interesting in the meantime to keep Bully fans engaged.
Bully Online was recently unveiled in a new video, entitled "BULLY Online is FINALLY Here", from the Rockstar Games fan and Bully YouTuber SWEGTA, and is pretty much exactly what you expect based on its title. It is a new online multiplayer mod for the PC version of Bully Scholarship Edition that seeks to introduce multiplayer gameplay to the classic Rockstar open-world title, letting players get up to all kinds of mischief and role-play with their friends, including earning money and purchasing their own custom vehicles.
In addition to this, a bunch of multiplayer minigames were also demonstrated in the footage shown, where you'll be able to earn even more cash from competing in a set of races or a first-person shooter mode featuring gigantic firearm-wielding rats named Rat Wars.
Speaking about the mod, in the video on his channel, SWEGTA stated that the game has been worked on by himself and "a small team" for a long time now, and is almost ready to see the light of day. He also went on to state that it runs on the DSL script loader, which is a plug-in that allows modders to take a more versatile approach to modifying the game's files and achieve things that would have been considered "impossible" just a few years ago.
Right now, the plan for the launch of the mod is to release it initially in Early Access this December, for those who support the developers on Ko-Fi — backers will also receive other benefits such as behind-the-scenes content (videos, images, dev commentary), a special blue player nametag, an in-game digital camera, and server joining priority. Following that, the game will then be given a wider release.
It all looks incredibly promising from what we can see, but we can't help but feel the mod has been revealed a little bit prematurely, considering Take-Two and Rockstar are typically quite proactive in sending out cease and desist letters for projects they feel are infringing upon their properties. Considering the game also seems to be soliciting funds from players for access, it also seems like the project is painting a pretty large target on its back. We're happy to be proven wrong, though.