In Brief:
- Dan Houser Optimistic About GTA 6: During his first on-camera interview at LA Comic Con, Dan Houser expressed confidence in the forthcoming GTA 6, despite not being involved in the project.
- Insight into New Projects: Houser discussed new ventures at his studio, Absurd Ventures, revealing details about the graphic novel “American Caper” and upcoming games.
- Reflective Look at Past Achievements: Houser reminisced about the challenges and successes of past GTA titles, specifically the shift to 3D in GTA III which was initially met with skepticism.
In a rare public appearance, Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games and a creative force behind titles such as GTA and Red Dead Redemption, engaged in his first-ever on-camera interview at LA Comic Con, drawing global attention both in-person and online. Hosted by IGN’s Senior Executive Editor Ryan McCaffrey, the 15-minute interview titled “In Conversation with Dan Houser: Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, and Now American Caper,” explored Houser’s illustrious career and his current endeavors with his new company, Absurd Ventures.
During the interview, Houser expressed a mix of nostalgia and excitement when discussing his detachment from the upcoming GTA 6, a project developed without his direct involvement. “In a way [it will be strange]. I think it be a great privilege to have worked on something that big. I wrote the last 10 or 11 of them. I think world had enough GTA from me. They’re always a new story. It won’t be a story I wrote or a character set I developed but I think it will be exciting. The game will be great I’m sure,” Houser shared.
Reflecting on the early days of Grand Theft Auto, particularly the transition to a 3D format with GTA III, Houser recalled the skepticism it initially faced: “We thought we had something exciting (the move to 3D for GTA III). The rest of the world did not seem to agree with us. They seemed completely underwhelmed by something we thought had the potential to be amazing. Some of the press still didn’t quite get it but the audience did.” He detailed the frantic early success post-launch, where demand outpaced Take-Two’s ability to produce game discs fast enough, summarizing the experience as a phase where “it just never stopped.”
Shifting the focus to his recent projects, Houser offered insights into “American Caper,” a new intellectual property originating from Absurd Ventures. The story, set for a November release in the form of a comic book co-created with Lazlow from Rockstar Games, is promised to deliver a darker narrative than Houser’s previous works. He described the plot as revolving around a group of degenerate criminals from an entirely unique perspective, hinting at a world setting that would be unfit for a GTA game.
Additionally, Houser briefly touched upon his forthcoming games, “Absurdaverse” — a third-person comedy open-world game, and “A Better Paradise” — described as a dystopian tragedy. Both are in the early stages of production, with Houser remarking on the thrill of crafting something novel: “It’s exciting to be working on something new.”
Concluding the interview, Houser remained optimistic about his creative journey post-Rockstar, with his varied upcoming projects displaying a clear departure from his past works yet maintaining his distinctive narrative-driven approach to game and story development.
