Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser says GTA is so successful because of its "sense of freedom," and because it "smashed together" shooting, driving, and simulation genres in a way games hadn't done before

1. Games
2. Action Games
3. Grand Theft Auto
4. Grand Theft Auto 3

Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser says GTA is so successful because of its "sense of freedom," and because it "smashed together" shooting, driving, and simulation genres in a way games hadn't done before News By Scott McCrae published 25 November 2025

"Those were the first games that showed you this idea of just living in this fake place"

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(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser has explained why he thinks the Grand Theft Auto series became so successful.

I don't think I need to explain how popular GTA is. While it will always be in the shadow of DMA Design's (now Rockstar North) monumental hit Space Station Silicon Valley, it's done pretty well for itself, with GTA 5 being the second-best-selling game of all time behind Minecraft. And while people liked the first two entries, it was the series' jump to 3D with 2001's GTA 3 that sent it to its superstar status, with the momentum of that release sticking around to all of its sequels through to today – even when it'll have been 13 years since the last entry when GTA 6 releases.

Speaking to Channel 4 on Sunday Brunch, Houser was asked why GTA became so successful and whether it was simply because it allowed players to be "a version of ourselves we know we can't play out."

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Houser says that's "partly" the case and that it was "partly [because] it put you in this exaggerated cinematic world."

However, Houser reckons, "It was this sense of freedom." He explains, "Before that, games were either a shooting game, or a driving game, or a simulation game, and it was all three smashed together in a way that felt very free."

And given the popularity of games like VRChat, GTA roleplay, and Fortnite, as well as Meta's failed ambitions for the metaverse, Houser says that with GTA, "those were the first games that showed you this idea of just living in this fake place."

Former Rockstar and GTA lead Dan Houser says gaming can "either go somewhere really interesting or somewhere that gets overly focused on making money."

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. TOPICS Rockstar Rockstar Games CATEGORIES Nintendo Switch 2 Xbox Series X Xbox One PS5 PS4 PC Gaming Nintendo Switch Retro Platforms Nintendo Xbox PlayStation Hardware Scott McCraeSocial Links NavigationContributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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