The past few weeks have been a roller coaster for fans of Grand Theft Auto 6 and Rockstar Games, with an incredibly disappointing second delay announcement, allegations of union-busting, protests outside Rockstar offices, and more. Recently, ex-Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser has been in the spotlight after a revelatory interview in which he gave various insights into the company’s inner workings, and even his departure.
However, GTA 6 insider Tez2 (via GTA Forums) says that Dan Houser failed to mention the real reason he left, which according to “two former devs” was due to disagreements with his brother Sam over the direction the company would take. Tez2 claims that Dan Houser’s departure is unrelated to any concerns over “union busting or working conditions,” as some fans began speculating in light of recent events.
The Real Reason Dan Houser Left Rockstar Games
Dan Houser discussed his departure from Rockstar Games in a recent interview with Lex Friedman (via YouTube), but doesn’t cite any altercations or difference of opinions with his brother Sam Houser as a reason for leaving. While we don’t know exactly who the two former Rockstar devs are specifically, Tez2 has been a reputable source for insider information for GTA 6 and Rockstar for years.
Dan Houser has never gone into specifics about leaving Rockstar Games, and while disagreements with his brother obviously would make a lot of sense, neither Sam or Dan Houser has mentioned anything publicly about it, and it’s unlikely they ever will. A difference of opinion is understandable when it comes to a massive company with such success as Rockstar, but for Dan Houser to leave the company because of it implies that it was a major disagreement—with huge implications for current events.
GTA 6 Faces Fresh Controversy
A rift between the brothers and co-founders of Rockstar implies deeper issues with the company that have a ton of relevance given GTA 6′s second delay and accusations of union-busting after it laid off dozens of employees for alleged “gross misconduct.” If Dan Houser did leave over a difference of opinion with his brother, it could have serious implications for what is happening behind the scenes at the company, and even provide context for the recent union-busting claims.
Tez2 insists that Dan Houser’s departure years ago had nothing to do with union busting, or else Dan “would have left in 2018 as a way of apologizing” for his insensitive comments in an interview with Jason Schreier (via Kotaku). Ultimately, the insider information from Tez2 paints a different picture of Rockstar than the one Dan Houser portrays in recent comments, and Grand Theft Auto 6 fans are left wondering how the news might impact the game’s eventual release.
Grand Theft Auto 6
Released
November, 2026
ESRB
Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+
Engine
Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE)
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
