Since 1998, Dan Houser has been one of the individuals who founded Rockstar Games as it continued producing titles including Midnight Club, Bully, Manhunt and L.A. Noire.
But an IR form under Rockstar’s parent publisher Take-Two Interactive revealed Houser isn’t returning to his duties after taking “an extended break” last Spring.
As a VP, his official last day was also confirmed to be on March 11, 2020 with a note from Take-Two stating “We are extremely grateful for his contributions.”
Following the initial news of Houser’s departure, GamesIndustry later reported over $800 million in shares fell for Take-Two.
Despite this, both the company and Rockstar continued seeing increased revenue from GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2, which sold over 29 million copies as of February 2020.
Houser became heavily involved in the writing of almost every Grand Theft Auto title, forming each character’s story from consoles to handhelds. He also made several appearances as a radio voice for players in Vice City and San Andreas when they navigated each open world.
He continued serving as the executive producer for the story-driven Red Dead Redemption in 2010, along with its prequel Red Dead Redemption 2 eight years later.
Shortly after the release of San Andreas for mobile phones in 2014, Dan, with his brother Sam Houser and Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies were inducted into the Academy of Interactive of Arts & Sciences’ Hall of Fame.
“Rockstar is a family,” said Houser in a speech at the 2014 DICE Awards.
“When we’re together, we can create magic. For megalomaniac designers, paranoid artists, vain animators, passive-aggressive engineers, neurotic producers, vicious sound guys, third-rate writers, we all belong and have found a home together,” he said.