Welcome to Replay, WIRED’s rundown of the week’s biggest videogame news. This week, we’re revisiting the legacy of some of gaming’s biggest figures. From Rockstar to Blizzard, the past is the present these days. Let’s get to it.
Dan Houser Is Leaving Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games, one of the most significant entities in the history of the videogame industry, was founded in 1998 by Dan and Sam Houser, who have since run the company while maintaining deep creative involvement in each of the studio’s flagship titles. This week, Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two Interactive revealed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Dan Houser will be leaving his role as head of creative at the company, ending a tenure that’s lasted more than 20 years. A short statement in the filing notes that his last day will be March 11 and that the company is “extremely grateful for his contributions.”
Instrumental in some of the most beloved and hated games in history, including the Grand Theft Auto titles, Houser is credited as a writer on nearly all of Rockstar’s titles. One of his most recent creations was Red Dead Redemption 2, a massive and sprawling game that, as he once told New York magazine, required employees to work 100-hour weeks to complete. As Ars Technica reports, Take-Two stock has taken a dip since the news hit, suggesting doubt amongst investors about what Rockstar will look like going forward.
Blizzard’s Warcraft III Remaster Is a Mess, But You Can G