Co-founder of video game firm famous for making Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption to quit

Co-founder of Rockstar – the game firm famous for making Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption – to leave in March

  • Grand Theft Auto V generated over $800million in revenue on its first sales day
  • Grand Theft Auto (GTA) was the subject of a legal battle over its violent content
  • Red Dead Redemption 2 had the fastest weekend sales in entertainment history

Dan Houser started the company with his brother Sam in 1998

Dan Houser, who co-founded Rockstar Games, which developed the Grand Theft Auto video game series will officially left the company in March.

Houser, who was vice president of its creative division, started the company with his brother Sam in 1998 and the pair have created some of the most popular video games in the world.

No reason has been given for his sudden departure, but Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two Interactive says it is ‘extremely grateful for his contributions.’ 

He has already been on an extended leave of absence since the spring. 

Rockstar Games reached its commercial apex two years ago when its Wild West-set Red Dead Redemption 2 game experienced the fastest weekend sales in the history of entertainment games. 

Rockstar earned $725million in revenue in just three days and sold more copies than its predecessor Red Dead Redemption in 17 days. 

The game follows Van der Linde gang members Arthur Morgan and John Marston and involve shootouts, horseback riding, heists and honour ratings, which are assessed based on a character’s moral choices.

But it was Grand Theft Auto (GTA) that launched Rockstar into the video gaming mainstream. Grand Theft Auto 3 was the best-selling video game in 2001, while its Vice City and San Andreas games were also best-sellers. 

Five games in the GTA franchise are among the top-50 selling video games of all time, with Grand Theft Auto V being third overall. 

GTA V generated revenue of over $800million in the first 24 hours after it was launched and was the fastest selling game in UK history. It has gone on to sell around 115 million copies.

Grand Theft Auto V is the third-best selling video game in history

Grand Theft Auto V is the third-best selling video game in history

GTA was the subject of a legal battle that was dramatised in The Gamechangers, a docudrama starring Daniel Radcliffe as Dan Houser’s brother Sam.

Socially conservative American attorney Jack Thompson tries to sue Rockstar over GTA over its supposedly corrosive influence on American youths.

Oxford-educated Houser was born in London, but is based in New York where Rockstar’s headquarters are located. The company also has offices in Edinburgh, where its Rockstar North affiliate is located. 

He has described his company’s vision as to ‘make games that we wouldn’t be embarrassed to be caught playing ourselves…Games were ghettoised as being for children and we were one of the companies that helped to, or are helping still, to change that perception.’ 

Rockstar North, which developed Red Dead Redemption 2 is based in Edinburgh

Rockstar North, which developed Red Dead Redemption 2 is based in Edinburgh

Rockstar has faced significant criticism in recent years for the way it allegedly treats its employees. Dan House stated in a 2018 interview that the team were working 100-hour weeks in the run-up to the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. 

He later clarified his remarks in a statement, saying that he was only speaking about the senior writing team, which consists of four people, including him and that the 100-hours per week period lasted only three weeks.

‘Crunch culture’ has been a common complaint among former and current games workers at video gaming firms. 

Game makers have said they are often forced to work punishing hours, including unpaid overtime in order to meet strict targets. 

Further controversy came about when the Rockstar’s Vice President of Development Jeronimo Barrera was accused of groping an employee. Barrera completely denies the allegations. 

Take Two’s stock price fell 4.7 per cent today to 121 cents on the Nasdaq following the news.



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