Dan Houser says comparisons between his new games and the Grand Theft Auto titles he helped make could be “no greater compliment”—but he also wants Absurd Ventures’ projects to succeed in their own right. His measure of success, as he described it in a Variety interview reported by GamesRadar+, is not simply whether a game becomes the biggest hit: he wants to make work with integrity that feels fresh and that he can be proud of.
What did Dan Houser say about new games being compared with GTA?
Houser acknowledged that people may judge his future work against the Grand Theft Auto games he worked on. He called that comparison potentially flattering, while saying he hopes Absurd Ventures’ new projects will establish their own success. The remarks were attributed to Houser in a Variety interview and reported by GamesRadar+.
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That is not a rejection of his GTA past. It is a distinction between being compared with a major body of work and making something that has its own identity and impact. Houser said it would be disappointing if new work proved less impactful, but also described the chance to create anything as a privilege.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsHow does he define success beyond becoming a hit?
Houser said making GTA games involved substantial pressure. His reported approach now is to focus on creative integrity and ask whether a project feels fresh and new, then let the results follow. He cautioned against treating a game’s failure to become “the biggest thing ever” as a personal failure.
#1 Best Overall
- Includes the complete grand Theft Auto V story experience
In that framing, commercial scale is not the only yardstick. The work’s originality and whether its creators can stand behind it matter independently of its eventual reach. The interview does not provide sales targets or a forecast for Absurd Ventures’ projects.
What games is Absurd Ventures making?
GamesRadar+ reported that two games were in development at Absurd Ventures when Houser discussed them in the interview. The available details establish broad genre and premise, not platforms, release windows, budgets, or specific gameplay systems.
Rank #2
- STUNNING VISUALS — Enhanced levels of fidelity and performance with new graphics modes featuring up to 4K resolution, up to 60 frames per second, HDR options, ray tracing, improved texture quality, and more
- FASTER LOADING — Quicker access to the action as the world of Los Santos and Blaine County load in faster than ever before.
- ADAPTIVE TRIGGERS AND HAPTIC FEEDBACK — Feel every moment through the DualSense controller, from directional damage to weather effects, rough road surfaces to explosions, and more.
- TEMPEST 3D AUDIO — Hear the sounds of the world with pinpoint precision: the throttle of a stolen supercar, the rattle of neighbouring gunfire, the roar of a helicopter overhead, and more.
- Please note that although this game is Region Free or Region Unlocked and will work on all systems, this is the European version and may differ from the local version in age rating, labeling or instructions.
| Project | What has been described |
|---|---|
| Open-world comedy | Houser described a game leaning into comedy and “character memory.” He said more information would come “in the next few months,” relative to the interview—not as a current announcement or release schedule. |
| Dystopian science-fiction game | A story about a game development going wrong and a rogue AI becoming sentient. |
The descriptions and development status were reported in GamesRadar+’s coverage of Houser’s comments. The cited coverage gives no confirmed launch date for either game.
Why is Houser avoiding GTA 6?
Houser said he had not watched GTA 6 and intended to avoid it, as well as other open-world games, while working. He explained that he tries to stay away from things that might “distract or disrupt” him creatively. He also described trying to find new ways to make and market open-world games.
Rank #3
- Grand Theft Auto V blends storytelling and gameplay in new ways as players repeatedly jump in and out of the lives of the game's three lead characters, playing all sides of the game's interwoven story.;Number of Players: Multiplayer; ESRB Content: Blood and gore|Intense violence|Mature humor|Nudity|Strong language|Strong sexual content|Use of drugs and alcohol; Genre: Action and Adventure
That is a stated creative preference, not a criticism of GTA 6. Nor does it establish that he will avoid the game indefinitely; the report describes his intention at the time of the interview.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the comments do—and do not—tell players
Houser’s remarks clarify the creative standard he hopes to apply and the broad outlines of two projects. They do not amount to a release announcement, a platform listing, or a detailed account of how either game will play. The “next few months” comment was relative to the interview and should not be read as a present-day timetable.
Rank #4
- The biggest, most Dynamic and most diverse open world ever created and now packed with layers of new detail
- Grand Theft Auto V blends storytelling and gameplay in new ways as players repeatedly jump in and out of the lives of the game's three lead characters, playing all sides of the game's interwoven story
- Grand Theft Auto V also comes with Grand Theft Auto Online, the Dynamic and ever evolving Grand Theft Auto universe for multiple players
Quotations in this article are attributed to Houser through GamesRadar+’s reporting on the Variety interview; the original Variety transcript was not available for independent transcript-level verification.
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- Used Book in Good Condition
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