Rockstar Games co-founder says AI is not universal problem-solver in game development

Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, revealed that he is dabbling with AI technology in development on his next game, Absurdaverse.

“We are dabbling in using AI. The truth is a lot of it’s not as useful as some of the companies would have you believe yet. It’s not going to solve all of the problems,” said Houser on Channel 4 show Sunday Brunch, discussing the state of the games industry and rapid developments in AI technology.

“With all things [the games industry] can either go somewhere really interesting or somewhere that gets overly focused on making money,” said Houser ragsrding the future of the industry. “There’s always that danger with any commercial artform that [companies] get distracted by money. But I think there’s still a big ceiling creatively to make these kinds of living narrative experiences. I think that’s what we were always trying to do [with the Grand Theft Auto series].”

Houser appeared on TV to promote his new book, A Better Paradise, which is set in the same fictional universe as his next game, Absurdaverse, developed by his new studio, Absurd Ventures.

He also confirmed that Absurdaverse is still in development and still years away from launch.

As of the time of writing, the only thing known about Absurdaverse is an artwork showcasing 20 characters from the game, presented as a mixed crowd of teenagers, a Viking warrior, hipsters, the undead, a fantasy dwarf, nerds, and even a man in a top hat with steampunk goggles.

Dan Houser departed from Rockstar Games in 2020. He co-founded Rockstar with his brother Sam in 1998, contributing significantly to the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series. Houser’s former company plans to release the Grand Theft Auto 6 in 2026.