Guide
Why Dan Houser Hasn't Watched GTA 6, the First GTA Made Without Him
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Current status
- Current status: Houser's comments come from Variety's "Strictly Business" podcast, published October 2, 2026.
- Last verified: October 22, 2026.
- Sources checked: Variety, Kotaku, GameSpot, GamesRadar+.
- What is confirmed: Houser left Rockstar in 2020 and runs Absurd Ventures. GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026.
- What is not confirmed yet: release dates or names for Absurd's games.
What Houser said
Reported (Variety):
- On the Extended Look: "I haven't seen it yet. I will try and avoid it because I always try and avoid stuff that's going to distract or disrupt me creatively."
- On why: he spends his time making open-world games, so "I don't need to see what other people are [doing]."
- On open-world games in general: he doesn't play many anymore, because "I can almost deconstruct the strengths and weaknesses of the team in real time and it's distracting."
- On comparisons: "hopefully, on some level there could be no greater compliment," but he hopes Absurd's work succeeds "in its own right."
He also said he never watched The Sopranos while at Rockstar because it "would have disrupted everything I did on 'GTA'".
What Absurd Ventures is making
Reported (Variety):
| Project | What Houser said |
|---|---|
| Open-world comedy | Leans on "comedy and character memory," more info "in the next few months" |
| Dystopian sci-fi | About a game development gone wrong and a rogue AI that became sentient |
| Worlds | A Better Paradise, American Caper and the Absurdaverse, across games, podcasts, books and animation |
Variety says ex-Rockstar staff at Absurd include Jeffrey "Lazlow" Jones, a longtime GTA radio writer and host, and Michael Unsworth.
Analysis: none of this competes with GTA 6 directly. No Absurd game has a release date.
What his absence means for GTA 6
Analysis:
- Houser was Rockstar's head writer through GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, so GTA 6's writing will inevitably be judged against his era.
- Rockstar's current leadership has been speaking more in public. Rob Nelson, Aaron Garbut, Phil Hooker and Jennifer Kolbe all spoke to Bloomberg and IGN this year. See our Bloomberg report guide.
- He isn't criticizing GTA 6. He's choosing not to look at it.
Confirmed vs rumored: Dan Houser and GTA 6
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| Houser left Rockstar in 2020 | Confirmed |
| He hasn't watched the Extended Look | Reported (his own words, Variety) |
| He'll avoid GTA 6 to protect his creative work | Reported (Variety) |
| Absurd is making an open-world comedy | Reported (Variety) |
| Houser involved in GTA 6's writing | No evidence; he left in 2020 |
| Houser will play GTA 6 at launch | Unknown |
The bottom line
The man who wrote modern GTA is deliberately not watching the new one. It's about protecting his own work, not a verdict on GTA 6.
Sources checked
- Variety: Dan Houser on GTA 6, new games and Absurd Ventures
- Kotaku: Houser still hasn't watched the GTA 6 reveal
- GameSpot: Why the GTA co-founder is avoiding GTA 6
- GamesRadar+: Houser avoiding GTA 6
Update log: 2026-10-22: Published.
Frequently asked questions
- Did Dan Houser work on GTA 6?
- He left Rockstar in 2020. GTA 6 is the first mainline GTA made without him.
- Has Dan Houser watched GTA 6?
- He told Variety he hasn't watched the Extended Look and will try to avoid it so it doesn't distract him creatively.
- What is Dan Houser making now?
- His studio Absurd Ventures is making an open-world comedy and a dystopian sci-fi game, plus books, podcasts and animation.
- Is Sam Houser still at Rockstar?
- Yes. Variety notes Rockstar is still led by Dan's brother and co-founder Sam Houser.
Keep exploring GTA 6
Has played every mainline Grand Theft Auto since GTA III in 2001.
Editorial note: GTA6Home is an independent fan resource and is not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive. We track official Rockstar announcements and update this guide whenever the facts change — the “Last updated” date above reflects the latest review. Anything not officially confirmed is labeled per our Editorial Policy.