GTA and RDR Creative Lead, Dan Houser Explains He Left Rockstar Games Due to Exhaustion

Dan Houser, the creative lead behind Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, has finally explained why he left Rockstar Games. He left Rockstar Games for reasons that are not related to drama or conflict; rather, he was exhausted. In his most recent interview, he explained that his departure was also due to the sheer size and scale of these projects.

Dan Houser, Creative Lead of GTA and RDR, says Rockstar Games was Overwhelming

For nearly 10 years, Houser had been involved with two of the largest video game franchises (GTA V and RDR2). However, the overwhelming size of both these titles proved to be too much for him as he worked on both simultaneously, which included writing hundreds of thousands of lines of dialogue, creating hundreds of complicated systems, and dedicating literal years of work to both titles..

After working on both of these massive tasks for years, Houser felt that he would not have the ability to do another game of this level of magnitude again.

Houser founded Absurd Ventures after his exit from Rockstar and is working with a smaller format to allow him to explore more creative avenues for himself.

He has already published a novel, a comic book, and an audio drama within a couple of years of starting the business. Plus, he is actively developing several more gaming projects. What is different now from previously at Rockstar Games is that Houser will not have to spend ten years working to develop an idea.

How the Community Reacted to Houser's Revelations

Many fans have expressed how “he deserves a break” and that “creative work should be enjoyable, not frustrating,” both of which reflect the community’s respect for Houser’s long career and the significant contributions he made to the gaming industry. Furthermore, fans view his departure to a smaller studio with flexible scheduling to regain his creative freedom as a hugely positive move.

While many fans are concerned about the future of Grand Theft Auto, there are also many fans who feel as though this could be a great opportunity for Rockstar to be innovative and adapt the franchise in order to integrate creative new voices into the series.

What This Means for Rockstar and the Sequels

When Dan Houser left Rockstar Games, way back in 2020, Rockstar Games was left with a big task to finish Grand Theft Auto VI without its long-time lead writer during one of the studio's longest and largest projects. Grand Theft Auto VI has been under development since 2013, with the first official announcement trailer being released in 2023.

The development has experienced multiple delays, with the most current scheduled release window being November 2026.

The long schedule of Grand Theft Auto VI and the numerous delays have highlighted how stressful it has become for game companies to develop large AAA games. It is critical for Rockstar to live up to fan expectations while going through the process of creating a game, while experiencing the changes and impacts of having Dan Houser and, if like him, others no longer as part of the creative team.

For the industry, the 'Dan Houser Rockstar Games' move also shows a broader trend: AAA games are increasingly complex, pushing creators toward smaller studios or independent projects to regain creative freedom.