Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser will be leaving the company in March. Mr. Houser started Rockstar Games with his brother Sam back in 1998, and has remained deeply immersed in the studio’s creative output ever since, serving as lead writer and creative director of every Grand Theft Auto game since GTA 2, the Red Dead Redemption games, Bully, Max Payne 3, and more. It’s fair to say Dan Houser was Rockstar Games, or much as one person possibly could be. Needless to say, his departure will likely be deeply felt.

　　Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive announced Houser’s departure in a surprisingly brief press release…

　　After an extended break beginning in the spring of 2019, Dan Houser, Vice President, Creative at Rockstar Games, will be leaving the company. Dan Houser’s last day will be March 11, 2020. We are extremely grateful for his contributions. Rockstar Games has built some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful game worlds, a global community of passionate fans and an incredibly talented team, which remains focused on current and future projects.

　　As of now, we don’t know why Houser has decided to leave. The development cycles of both Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 were long and challenging, so maybe he just doesn’t have another game in him and wants to retire in his mid-40s. Still, him leaving Rockstar altogether, rather than just slipping into a reduced role, seems a bit extreme. Hopefully we’ll eventually learn more about why he’s leaving.

　　Meanwhile, Rockstar is rumored to be working on numerous new projects, including Grand Theft Auto 6, Bully 2, and a new IP set in medieval times. It will be interesting to see how upcoming projects turn out without Dan Houser overseeing them.

　　What do you think about this news? Will Rockstar continue to be Rockstar without Dan Houser, or is this a sign of troubled times ahead?