Houser's stance on GTA 6 and open‑world games
In an interview with Variety, longtime Rockstar co‑founder Dan Houser disclosed that he is intentionally staying away from GTA 6’s "Extended Look" trailer and most contemporary open‑world titles. He explained that consuming external creative works could "disrupt" his own development process, leading to unwanted comparisons and diluted originality. Houser also noted he no longer plays many open‑world games because he finds himself deconstructing other teams' strengths and weaknesses in real time, which distracts from his own creative vision. He compared this self‑imposed isolation to past decisions: avoiding Western films while developing Red Dead Redemption and skipping HBO’s The Sopranos during the early GTA series to keep the series fresh.
His reasoning centers on preserving a unique creative pathway. By not exposing himself to competing designs or narrative tropes, Houser aims to innovate without being constrained by existing industry conventions.
Absurd Ventures projects
Houser now leads Absurd Ventures, where he is steering several original titles. One upcoming project is an open‑world comedy game slated for further reveals in the coming months. Another is a dystopian sci‑fi narrative exploring a rogue AI that goes sentient within game development, a concept he describes as "video game development gone very wrong."
He emphasized that these endeavors are meant to succeed on their own merits, not as extensions of the GTA brand. While he remains proud of his lasting association with GTA, Houser expressed hope that his new work can stand independently and resonate with players outside the familiar franchise.
Sources and notes
Claims, reports, leaks and rumors are attributed to their original sources. Unconfirmed information is labeled clearly and should not be read as established fact.
- Why GTA Studio Co-Founder Is Avoiding GTA 6–And All Open-World Games (www.gamespot.com)
