Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive file trademarks for something called Judas, which could relate to Rockstar's first major project since Grand Theft Auto V.

Ever since the massive success that was Grand Theft Auto V, fans of Rockstar Games have been patiently waiting to see what's next from the celebrated studio. While we wait for a concrete announcement on that front, Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two have filed a pair of trademarks for something game-related called Judas, which some speculate could be the title of a future project from the studio.

Now, what Judas could be is up in the air, but we can make some educated guesses. The name Judas is most commonly associated with the Biblical figure Judas Iscariot, best known for betraying Jesus Christ. Based on this information, the Judas trademarks could indicate that Rockstar Games is developing a game set in Biblical times that directly deals with the story of Judas Iscariot - perhaps even featuring him as the main playable character.

Having said that, creating a game based on Christianity could be a can of worms that Rockstar Games doesn't want to open. The company is no stranger to controversy, but with current legal troubles with former employees and even Lindsay Lohan, developing such a game could be more of a headache than it's worth.

From a gameplay perspective, the primitive nature of the era doesn't seem like it would be all that compelling. However, if any studio can pull it off, it's Rockstar Games. After all, the studio managed to find success with a game about going to school, so there's little reason to doubt that it would be able to pull off a game set during Biblical times.

Of course, the Judas trademark could have nothing to do with Christianity at all. "Judas" is used to describe traitors, and betrayal is a common theme in many of Rockstar's titles. It's possible that it could be used as a subtitle for an upcoming game from the studio that will revisit that theme of betrayal.

With Red Dead Redemption 2 rumors running rampant, perhaps the Judas trademark ties into that game somehow. Alternatively, it could be in reference to the reportedly in-development Grand Theft Auto VI as well. Judas could also be a brand new IP from the studio without any ties to Judas Iscariot or other Rockstar Games franchises. Basically, the Judas trademarks by Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive could be just about anything, so fans can only speculate at this point.

In the meantime, we know that Take-Two is planning to be at E3 2016 in a "big way," so whatever Judas is, perhaps we'll learn more about it in June. Until then, fans will just have to take some wild guesses as to what Rockstar Games is planning on doing with the Judas trademarks.

Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office (via Games Radar)