Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser has revealed that he has intentionally avoided watching the recent gameplay reveal for Grand Theft Auto 6. Houser, who co-created the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series and served as president of creative at Rockstar until his departure in 2020, stated that he wants to prevent anything from "distract[ing] or disrupt[ing] him creatively." He explained that his focus is on developing new and innovative open-world experiences, and seeing what others are doing could hinder his own creative process.
Houser described his approach as a deliberate effort to avoid comparison and instead concentrate on forging new paths. He noted that even when working on projects like Red Dead Redemption, he would abstain from watching Western films to maintain a fresh perspective. Similarly, he waited until after leaving Rockstar to watch The Sopranos, recognizing its potential to influence his work on Grand Theft Auto.
He finds it difficult to play open-world games casually, as he tends to deconstruct their development in real-time, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of various teams. "I'm not a game designer; I'm a sort of creative director," Houser said, emphasizing his role in seeking novel ideas or drawing inspiration from other media.
Currently, Houser is working on new multimedia franchises through his company, Absurd Ventures, founded in 2023. While the company has released audio dramas, comic books, and novels, it is also developing two video games. One is described as an open-world comedy focused on humor and character memory, with more details expected in the coming months. The second project is a dystopian sci-fi game centered on a troubled video game development and a sentient AI that harbors self-loathing due to its creators' animosity.