Dan Houser’s name is practically synonymous with the Grand Theft Auto series, but the Rockstar Games co-founder recently revealed a surprising truth: the prospect of Red Dead Redemption 3 launching without his involvement would be a more poignant moment for him than the upcoming GTA 6. Houser, who alongside his brother Sam was a primary creative force behind Rockstar’s most iconic titles, departed the company in 2020 after Red Dead Redemption 2’s release. In a candid discussion, Houser shared his thoughts on observing GTA 6’s development from afar, a bold original plan to eliminate a protagonist, and the deep Americana roots of his acclaimed crime games.
Currently at the helm of Absurd Ventures, a multimedia development studio creating everything from comic books to a new open-world game, Houser expressed contentment with his new endeavors. However, he admitted that stepping away from franchises he dedicated over two decades to, with lead writing credits on more than ten titles, was undeniably a ‘big change, and sad in a way.’ Interestingly, he feels a stronger emotional detachment from GTA 6’s progression compared to how he’d feel if a third Red Dead entry were to materialize without his input.
Houser elaborated on his preference, explaining that unlike the Grand Theft Auto series, where each game largely features a self-contained narrative, Red Dead Redemption was conceived as a cohesive two-game saga. This deeper, interconnected storytelling makes the thought of a third Red Dead entry continuing without his touch more difficult to bear. He acknowledged, however, that such a development is likely, stating, ‘I don’t own the IP. That was sort of part of the deal – it’s a privilege to work on stuff, but you don’t necessarily own it.’
In a revealing moment, Houser delved into potential story paths for both franchises. He disclosed an original desire to kill off Niko Bellic at the conclusion of Grand Theft Auto 4, a narrative choice ultimately deemed incompatible with the game’s open-world design philosophy. ‘The games don’t really end and you have to be able to wander around the world and do stuff,’ he noted. While Niko’s story involves significant loss based on player choices, the character’s survival was essential for continued gameplay exploration.
The development team ultimately took a narrative gamble with Red Dead Redemption, leading to its memorable conclusion. Even then, a compromise was made to introduce a new playable character, John Marston’s son, Jack, ensuring the game remained fully functional post-story. Houser pondered whether this was ‘100% the best ending from a pure storytelling perspective,’ admitting he also envisioned an alternative where Jack could escape the relentless cycle of violence, though that vision didn’t come to fruition.
Houser also spoke about an unfinished Grand Theft Auto 5 DLC concept that would have featured Trevor as a secret agent. The project was approximately ‘half done when it got abandoned,’ he revealed, noting a trade-off: ‘I think if that had come out, we probably wouldn’t have gotten to make Red Dead 2. So there are always compromises.’ Ultimately, Grand Theft Auto Online became the primary focus, yet Houser expressed his personal fondness for single-player DLC, believing ‘the audience loves it, and it’s really fun to make.’
At Absurd Ventures, Houser’s current emphasis is on developing open-world single-player games, leveraging the studio’s core strengths. He described launching a new multiplayer-focused intellectual property as ‘extremely hard’ but left open the possibility of future Absurd titles incorporating ‘multiplayer components.’ His ambition remains clear: ‘I’d love to, with all of those, keep single-player DLC going, one way or another.’
Reflecting on Grand Theft Auto London, Houser described it as ‘pretty cute and fun.’ However, the team ultimately concluded that the franchise’s core identity was so deeply entwined with ‘Americana’ that fully translating it to other settings would be challenging. He explained, ‘You needed guns, you needed these larger-than-life characters. It just felt like the game was so much about America, possibly from an outsider’s perspective.’ He also touched on the difficulty of crafting timely satirical narratives in modern game development, given rapid societal changes: ‘How do you characterize it when things move so quickly and so fast?’
For those eager to delve deeper into Houser’s reflections on his time at Rockstar, his new ventures with Absurd Ventures, the challenges of adapting the spy caper Agent to an open-world format, and themes of mortality he explored, the complete interview offers a wealth of insights. With the upcoming GTA 6 release date nearing, though a PC version remains unconfirmed, the gaming world awaits to see if Rockstar will eventually revisit the Old West with another Red Dead installment.