Dan Houser, co-creator of Grand Theft Auto, has shared a candid insight into the launch of GTA 3, revealing that nearly no one outside Rockstar Games had high hopes for the title. Despite its revolutionary approach to open-world gaming, GTA 3 arrived with little fanfare until everything changed.
GTA 3 was a gamble no one believed in except the devs
Speaking on the UK talk show Sunday Brunch, Houser explained that in 2001, Rockstar was running out of money, and expectations were low. Still, the team felt they were onto something special.
“I think all the team thought, ‘this could be amazing. There’s something really magical about this,’” Houser recalled. The developers were confident, but that confidence wasn’t shared outside the studio.
GTA 3’s success came as a surprise
“Until it came out,” Houser said, “no one outside of our company was very excited by it.” Released in October 2001, just after 9/11, GTA 3 arrived at a complicated moment. But once players got their hands on it, the buzz grew fast. The game went on to become the best-selling title of 2001 in the U.S., and in 2002, it was only topped by its own sequel Vice City.
It wasn’t just about crime and chaos. GTA 3 introduced 3D open-world freedom in a way no console game had before. It changed player expectations overnight and redefined what games could do.
Things have changed but the pressure hasn’t
Houser’s reflection shows just how unpredictable success can be. No one expected GTA 3 to define a generation, but it did. Fast-forward to today, and GTA 6 is arguably the most anticipated game in the world. It’s hard to imagine a Rockstar title flying under the radar again.
But if history proves anything, it’s that some of the biggest shifts in gaming start with one team quietly believing they’re onto something great.
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