Dan Houser facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dan Houser
Houser in the mid-2010s
Born	Daniel Houser November 1973 (age 51) London, England
Occupation	Video game producer video game writer
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Krystyna Jakubiak
Children	3
Relatives	Geraldine Moffat (mother) Sam Houser (brother)

Dan Houser (born in November 1973) is a famous English video game writer and producer. He is best known for helping start Rockstar Games with his brother, Sam Houser. Dan was in charge of writing and creativity at Rockstar until he left in 2020. His brother Sam is now the president of the company.

Dan Houser was a key creative person behind many of Rockstar's popular games. He was the main writer for most games in the Grand Theft Auto series. He also wrote for Red Dead Redemption (2010) and its prequel Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018). Other games he worked on include Bully (2006) and Max Payne 3 (2012).

Early Life and Inspiration

Daniel Houser was born in London, England, in November 1973. His mother was an actress named Geraldine Moffat. He went to St Paul's School and later studied geography at the University of Oxford.

Even when they were young, Dan and his brother Sam loved storytelling. They grew up near a video store in London. There, they watched many American crime movies and Westerns. Dan has said he really likes the movie The Warriors. Rockstar Games later made a video game based on this film in 2005.

Starting a Career in Games

Early Work and Founding Rockstar Games

In 1995, Dan Houser got a part-time job at a company called BMG Interactive. He tested CD-ROMs there. By 1996, he became a full-time employee. Dan and Sam became very interested in a game called Race'n'Chase. They saw an early version of the game.

The Houser brothers helped BMG Interactive publish Race'n'Chase. They also changed its name to Grand Theft Auto. In 1998, BMG Interactive was sold to another company called Take-Two. Dan and Sam moved to New York with the company. There, they started their own video game company, Rockstar Games. Dan has mentioned that 3D games like Mario and Zelda on the Nintendo 64 console influenced his work.

Dan Houser helped produce five Grand Theft Auto games. He also worked as a writer and even did some voice acting for the series. Even though the Grand Theft Auto games are very famous, Dan and Sam Houser usually stay out of the spotlight. They prefer to focus on the Rockstar Games brand. In 2009, both brothers were named among Time magazine's 100 most influential people. In 2014, they were added to the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have made a big impact on video games.

Leaving Rockstar and Starting Absurd Ventures

In February 2020, Rockstar Games' parent company announced that Dan Houser was leaving. He officially left Rockstar on March 11, 2020. He had taken a long break in 2019 before his departure.

In February 2021, Dan Houser started two new companies. They are called Absurd Ventures LLC and Absurd Ventures in Games LLC. He is listed as the producer and creative director for these companies. In June 2023, Houser officially announced his new studio. He said it will "create new universes." These universes will appear in video games, books, graphic novels, and even podcasts. They will also be seen in live-action shows and animated series.

Personal Life

Dan Houser is married to Krystyna Jakubiak. She is an entrepreneur and author. They used to live in a famous writer's old home in New York City. In 2020, they bought a home in Los Angeles. Dan and Krystyna have three children. They also own a holiday lodge near Saranac Lake, New York. This lodge was built in the 1920s. Dan Houser is a citizen of both Britain and the United States.

Games and Other Works

Video Games

Other Projects

See also

In Spanish: Dan Houser para niños