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'{{short description|English video game producer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Dan Houser | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|44|2018|10|15}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/the-making-of-rockstar-games-red-dead-redemption-2.html |title=How the West Was Digitized: The making of Rockstar Games' ''Red Dead Redemption 2''. |first=Harold |last=Goldberg |date=14 October 2018 |website=[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]]}}</ref> | alma_mater = [[St Paul's School, London]]<br/>[[University of Oxford]] | birth_place = [[London]], England | nationality = [[English people|English]]<ref name=Kotaku_English/> | occupation = [[Video game producer]], [[video game writer|writer]], [[voice actor]] | known_for = ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' and ''[[Red Dead]]'' | spouse = Krystyna<ref>{{cite web |url=https://observer.com/2012/03/a-rockstar-record-grand-theft-auto-creator-dan-houser-buys-truman-capote-mansion-for-12-5-m/ |title= A Rockstar Record! Grand Theft Auto Creator Dan Houser Buys Truman Capote Mansion for $12.5 M. |last=Chaban |first=Matt |work=[[The New York Observer]] |publisher=[[Observer Media]] |date=21 March 2012 |accessdate=8 February 2020 }}</ref> | family = Walter Houser (father)<br />[[Geraldine Moffat]] (mother)<br />[[Sam Houser]] (brother) | organization = | years_active = 1998–present | awards = [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences#Hall of Fame|AIAS]] Hall of Fame Award (2014)<ref>{{cite web|title=D.I.C.E Special Awards|url=http://www.interactive.org/special_awards/details.asp?idSpecialAwards=30|accessdate=22 January 2017}}</ref> }} '''Dan Houser''' (born 1973/1974) is an [[English people|English]]<ref name=Kotaku_English>{{cite web|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/05/the-max-payne-comics-will-explain-why-rockstars-hard-boiled-cop-is-so-messed-up/ |title=The Max Payne Comics Will Explain Why Rockstar's Hard-Boiled Cop Is So Messed-Up |publisher=Kotaku.com |date=3 May 2012 |accessdate=17 September 2013}}</ref> video game producer, writer, and voice actor, as well as the co-founder (along with his brother [[Sam Houser|Sam]]) and former vice president of creativity for [[Rockstar Games]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Silviu |last=Stahie |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Rockstar-s-Position-on-Critics-10805.shtml |title=Rockstar's Position on Critics |publisher=[[Softpedia]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321023329/http://news.softpedia.com/news/Rockstar-s-Position-on-Critics-10805.shtml |archivedate=21 March 2007 }}</ref> As well as producing video games, Houser was the head writer for Rockstar Games,<ref name=NYT/> being the lead for ''[[Bully (video game)|Bully]]'', ''[[Red Dead Redemption]]'' and ''[[Max Payne 3]]''. He has also written, or co-written, almost all of the titles in the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/10/arts/video-games/q-and-a-rockstars-dan-houser-on-grand-theft-auto-v.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|title=Americana at Its Most Felonious|first=Chris|last=Suellentrop|date=9 November 2012}}</ref><ref name=TG>{{cite web|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/07/grand-theft-auto-dan-houser|title=Grand Theft Auto V: meet Dan Houser, architect of a gaming phenomenon|date=6 September 2013}}</ref> ==Biography== Houser was born in [[London]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jul/19/sam-and-dan-houser-mediaguardian-100-2010 |title=Sam and Dan Houser &#124; MediaGuardian 100 2010 &#124; Media |publisher=The Guardian |date= 19 July 2010|accessdate=17 September 2013 |location=London}}</ref> the son of British lawyer Walter Houser and actress [[Geraldine Moffat]].<ref name="Meet the brains">{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/games/8122020/Meet-the-brains-behind-Grand-Theft-Auto|title=Meet The Brains Behind Grand Theft Auto|date=27 December 2012|publisher=Stuff.co|accessdate=2 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/behind-grand-theft-auto-v--the--rockstar--creators-of-gaming-s-cult-hit.html |title=Behind Grand Theft Auto V: The 'Rockstar' creators of gaming's cult hit |date=14 November 2012 |publisher=[[Yahoo! News]] |accessdate=3 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121117051224/http://uk.news.yahoo.com/behind-grand-theft-auto-v--the--rockstar--creators-of-gaming-s-cult-hit.html |archivedate=17 November 2012 }}</ref> Houser studied Geography.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/07/grand-theft-auto-dan-houser | title=Grand Theft Auto V: meet Dan Houser, architect of a gaming phenomenon | work=[[The Guardian]] | first=Matt | last=Hill | date=7 September 2013 | accessdate=27 August 2017}}</ref> Despite wanting to be musicians, both Houser and his brother [[Sam Houser|Sam]] had a fascination with storytelling from a young age. Growing up near a video library in London, they watched many American crime and cult films and [[Spaghetti Western]]s. Houser has stated he is a fan of [[Walter Hill (director)|Walter Hill]]'s film ''[[The Warriors (film)|The Warriors]]'',<ref name=NYT2>{{cite web|title=Gangs of New York|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/16/arts/16schi.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Seth|last=Schiesel|date=16 October 2005}}</ref> and [[Rockstar Games]] went on to release [[The Warriors (video game)|a video game version]] of ''The Warriors'' in 2005.<ref name=NYT2/> In 1995, Houser got a part-time job at BMG Interactive testing CD-ROMs, although he wasn't a full-time employee until 1996.<ref name="Meet the brains"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.1up.com/news/rockstar-dan-houser-big-japan|title=Rockstar's Dan Houser: Big in Japan?|date=26 October 2011|publisher=1up.com|accessdate=8 April 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427082450/http://www.1up.com/news/rockstar-dan-houser-big-japan|archivedate=27 April 2014}}</ref> Dan and Sam later became interested in a video game called ''Race'n'Chase'' which was being developed by [[DMA Design]] after getting a preview of the game. The Housers signed ''Race'n'Chase'' to BMG Interactive as the publisher and changed the name of the game to ''[[Grand Theft Auto (video game)|Grand Theft Auto]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://me.ign.com/en/feature/2238/IGN-Presents-The-History-of-Grand-Theft-Auto|title=The History of Grand Theft Auto|date=5 September 2013|publisher=IGN|accessdate=8 April 2014}}</ref> Following the sale of BMG Interactive to Take-Two in 1998, Houser and his brother moved with the company to New York, where they founded Rockstar Games.<ref name="Meet the brains"/> He has cited the 3D ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda|Zelda]]'' games on the [[Nintendo 64]] as influences on his work.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/10/arts/video-games/q-and-a-rockstars-dan-houser-on-grand-theft-auto-v.html</ref> Houser has been credited as a producer for five ''Grand Theft Auto'' games, and also works as a writer and voice artist for the series.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} Despite the high profile of the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, Houser and his brother have shied away from the celebrity spotlight, preferring to focus on the Rockstar Games brand rather than giving any one person the credit for the games' success.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thegamershub.net/2012/05/gaming-gods-dan-and-sam-houser/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520211124/http://thegamershub.net/2012/05/gaming-gods-dan-and-sam-houser/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 May 2012 |title=Gaming Gods: Dan and Sam Houser |author=Ryan P. |publisher=The Gamer's Hub |date=18 May 2012 |accessdate=19 March 2013 }}</ref> In 2009, both Dan and Sam Houser appeared in [[Time (magazine)|''Time'' magazine]]'s 100 most influential people of 2009 list.<ref>{{cite news | url =http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893836_1894428,00.html | title = Sam and Dan Houser - The 2009 TIME 100 | author = Matt Selman | publisher = [[Time Magazine]] | date= 30 April 2009 | accessdate =19 March 2013 }}</ref> In 2012, he bought a house in Brooklyn that once belonged to author [[Truman Capote]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Dutton |first=Fred |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-03-21-rockstar-boss-buys-truman-capotes-new-york-mansion |title=Rockstar boss buys Truman Capote's New York mansion • News • |publisher=Eurogamer.net |date=21 March 2012 |accessdate=5 July 2013}}</ref> In February 2020, Rockstar Games' parent company, Take-Two Interactive, announced Houser's resignation from Rockstar Games. He left Rockstar on 11 March 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/2/4/21123170/dan-houser-departs-rockstar-games-red-dead-gta |title=Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser leaving the company |first=Colin |last=Campbell |date=4 February 2020 | accessdate = 4 February 2020 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/4/21123171/rockstar-games-co-founder-dan-houser-leaves-steps-down|title=Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser is leaving the company|last=Faulkner|first=Cameron|date=2020-02-04|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=2020-02-25}}</ref> ==Video game credits== {{Prose|section|date=January 2018}} ===Producer=== *''[[Grand Theft Auto: London 1969]]'' (1999) *''[[Grand Theft Auto III]]'' (2001) *''[[Smuggler's Run: Warzones]]'' (2002) (Executive producer) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]'' (2002) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'' (2004) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories]]'' (2006) (Executive producer) *''[[Red Dead Redemption]]'' (2010) (Executive producer)<ref name=NYT/> *''[[L.A. Noire]]'' (2011) (Executive producer)<ref name=NYT/> *''[[Max Payne 3]]'' (2012) (Executive producer)<ref name=NYT/> *''[[Red Dead Redemption 2]]'' (2018) (Executive producer) ===Writer=== *''[[Grand Theft Auto: London 1969]]'' (1999) *''[[Grand Theft Auto 2]]'' (1999) *''[[Grand Theft Auto III]]'' (2001) *''[[Smuggler's Run 2: Hostile Territory]]'' (2001) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]'' (2002) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'' (2004) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories]]'' (2005) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories]]'' (2006) *''[[Bully (video game)|Bully]]'' (2006) *''[[Bully: Scholarship Edition]]'' (2008) *''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]'' (2008) *''[[Midnight Club: Los Angeles]]'' (2008) (Dialogue) *''[[Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned]]'' (2009) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars]]'' (2009) *''[[Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony]]'' (2009) *''[[Red Dead Redemption]]'' (2010) *''[[Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare]]'' (2010) *''[[Max Payne 3]]'' (2012) *''[[Grand Theft Auto V]]'' (2013)<ref name=NYT/> *''[[Red Dead Redemption 2]]'' (2018)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-10-16-rockstar-attepts-to-defuse-100-hour-work-week-controversy-amidst-storm-of-criticism |title=Rockstar attempts to defuse 100-hour work week controversy amid storm of criticism |first=Tom |last=Phillips |date=15 October 2018 |website=[[Eurogamer]]}}</ref> ===Voice actor=== *''[[X-Squad]]'' (2000) *''[[Grand Theft Auto III]]'' (2001) – Pedestrian *''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]'' (2002) – Radio Caller, Commercial Voice *''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'' (2004) – Commercial Voice *''[[Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories]]'' (2005) – Commercial Voice ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== *{{IMDb name|0396744}} {{Rockstar Games}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Houser, Dan}} [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame inductees]] [[Category:English expatriates in the United States]] [[Category:English male voice actors]] [[Category:People educated at St Paul's School, London]] [[Category:Rockstar Games]] [[Category:Video game producers]] [[Category:Video game writers]]'