Dan Houser explains why Grand Theft Auto games still feel exciting after all these years. It’s all about timing, reinvention, and making each game feel different.
When people talk about the most iconic game series of all time, Grand Theft Auto is always in the conversation. But what actually keeps the GTA name feeling fresh, even decades in? According to Rockstar Games‘ co-founder Dan Houser, it’s not just about chaos and crime; it’s about patience.
In a new episode of the Lex Fridman Podcast, Houser opened up about what made GTA so sticky for players around the world. And yes, it has a lot to do with the fact that Rockstar doesn’t pump out a new one every year.
“The games always felt different”
Instead of flooding the market, Rockstar has taken its time with each GTA release. The last one (GTA 5) came out back in 2013, and the next one (GTA 6) won’t hit consoles until 2026.
When Fridman asked Houser why there’s always been so much excitement around Grand Theft Auto releases, Houser replied that it’s because Rockstar doesn’t rush them. He explained that the long wait between each game is part of what keeps the series special.
“Because they don’t come out that regularly. And I think we did a really good job of constantly innovating within what the IP was. The games always felt different, you know, people have very strong feelings: ‘I like this one. I didn’t like that one as much,’ because they are pretty different. So, there would be simultaneously where you know what’s going to happen.
“It’s a Grand Theft Auto, you know, it’s going to be a game about being a criminal, but the way it’s going to be a game is going to change quite a lot. So I think the way the IP kept evolving made people really excited to play it.
“And we were good at marketing them as well. We really tried to market them in a way that felt like an update of classic film marketing, where you really felt like you’re already in the product just because you’d seen the trailers and stuff.”
Houser also looked back on the making of Red Dead Redemption 2, calling it his proudest work, but admitting it pushed Rockstar Games to its limits. He revealed: “With Red Dead 2, we were behind schedule. We were over budget so much I didn’t want to think about it.”
Now, all eyes are on GTA 6, which is officially set to release on May 26, 2026, following a short delay from its original 2025 window. With expectations higher than ever, and more than a decade since the last mainline game, the pressure on Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, couldn’t be heavier.
What do you think? Has Rockstar’s long wait for GTA 6 made you more excited? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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