Have you been wondering why Dan Houser left Rockstar? Keep reading to know why he left. Throughout its whole existence in the game business, Rockstar Games has been nothing short of exceptional.
The business has hit every mark, whether it’s decimating revenues and igniting controversy with the Grand Theft Auto series or crafting contemporary Western masterpieces with Red Dead Redemption.
Not only has the GTA franchise drawn criticism from all news outlets and parent companies, but it also appears to take great pleasure in this fact. With a persistent and deft sense of sarcasm, the series will parody pretty much everything.
Who Started the GTA Franchise?
Sam and Dan Houser, two brothers from London, were the driving forces behind the creation of Grand Theft Auto. The brothers have together overseen Red Dead Redemption and the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
It was announced in February 2020 that Dan Houser would be departing Rockstar Games in March following a prolonged leave of absence in 2019, with Sam Houser continuing in his role as the company’s president.
Dan Houser is Leaving Rockstar Games
Dan and Sam Houser launched one of the most important companies in the history of the video game industry, Rockstar Games, in 1998. Since then, they have managed the business while continuing to have a strong creative role in each of the studio’s blockbuster products.
Dan Houser, who has served as Rockstar’s head of creative for more than 20 years, will be departing the position. His final day will be March 11, and the corporation is “extremely grateful for his contributions,” according to a brief statement in the filing.
Why did Dan Houser Leave Rockstar Games?
Dan played a key role in Red Dead Redemption and the GTA series’ creative process. In addition to having production credits on every Grand Theft Auto game, he has served as the game’s creative director and writer.
His contributions have essentially created the show’s identity. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the fan base was upset by his departure. Though the reasons for his resignation are still unknown, most blame Red Dead Redemption II’s turbulent development.
Dan Houser Impact on Rockstar
To suggest that Dan Houser was essential to the character of Grand Theft Auto would be an enormous understatement. He wasn’t the only employee at Rockstar Games to resign, though.
Just two months after Dan left, another person, Lazlow Jones, who helped a lot with the game’s story, also left the company. But his reasons were more personal—he needed to spend time with his family.
Leslie Benzies, who produced every Grand Theft Auto game, Red Dead Redemption, Max Payne 3, and numerous other titles, departed the firm to pursue a personal project.
Dan Houser’s Comments Regarding the 100-Hour Work Weeks
Dan Houser was cited during the game’s development as saying that the company had to strive for 100-hour work weeks to complete the game. This raised serious concerns about “crunch culture” and created a great agitation in the media and business community.
Much negative publicity resulted from Rockstar Games’ status as the gaming industry’s poster child for hostile work cultures. The damage was already rather significant, even if the firm would later clarify that Dan’s remarks had to do with the core writing team and not the full crew.
According to a Kotaku story, Rockstar Games would later alter the workplace culture drastically in an effort to allay more criticism.
What Does this Mean for Rockstar Games?
Dan is a well-known Houser brother who was involved in the founding of Rockstar Games and was in charge of the Grand Theft Auto series’ artistic direction.
Dan worked as a writer, producer, and manager. Among the films he has written for are Bully, Red Dead Redemption, and Max Payne 3. Additionally, he contributed to the Red Dead Redemption 2 writing team.
Jamie King Gets Honest About Rockstar Games
Jamie King talked about different things in an interview with YouTuber Killaz, like how Rockstar Games got started. Also, his relationship with the Housers is the reason “Grand Theft Auto 3” protagonist Claude Speed is known for having little conversation.
When the subject of his leaving Rockstar eventually came up, King stated that his decision to resign was mostly motivated by creative differences and an overwhelming workload.
