What if Rockstar Made a Medieval Game? Dan Houser Finally Confirms It Almost Happened

A former Rockstar co-founder, Dan Houser, recently appeared on Lex Fridman’s podcast and revealed that they almost created a medieval game. Dan Houser revealed it as a “knights game” set in an open-world map, just like all other Rockstar games like the GTA and Red Dead Redemption series.

During the podcast, Houser also revealed that when he was working at Rockstar Studios (he left in 2020), they had explored the concept for a while but never really developed it. We can suppose it was because of the urgency to craft GTA 6, which now makes sense, given the game’s scale is pretty huge. However, a medieval game from the creators of Grand Theft Auto would have fed generations!

A Rockstar Game in a Medieval Setting Sounds Just Right

Credits: Rockstar

The idea of Rockstar creating a medieval game feels almost inevitable when you think about it. The studio is known for crafting deeply immersive open worlds filled with morally complex characters, dynamic systems, and layered social commentary. Translating those elements in a modern setting – one with castles, kingdoms, and knights – could have delivered something unlike anything the world has seen before.

Moreover, after exploring the modern world and the wild west, a medieval game would really feel like a breath of fresh air from Rockstar.

Speculation around a “Project Medieval” dates back to 2022 when a LinkedIn post (now edited) from a Rockstar character artist, Pawas Saxena, went viral (via GamesRadar). In this post, Saxena revealed “creating modular environment pieces with organic finish, carefully following medieval architectural style.” This pointed to a rumored Project Medieval that the developers shelved years ago.

Now that Dan Houser has confirmed that the concept exists, fans finally have closure on what was once dismissed as a rumor.

Rockstar Might Revitalize Project Medieval After GTA 6

While Dan Houser didn’t confirm whether the project is still in development, his remarks suggest that timing and bandwidth were the main reasons it never materialized. With GTA 6 now on the horizon, fans are beginning to wonder whether the studio might revisit its shelved medieval idea once the next major release cycle winds down.

If Rockstar were to bring back their Project Medieval, it could represent a bold new chapter for the studio, as they would be exploring a whole new side of the world. The potential is enormous for a game set in the medieval period as Rockstar can recreate horseback combat, feud systems, morally ambiguous rulers, etc, in their signature open-world style.

Moreover, if the developers are aware of the potential, too, there’s no way they will let go of this idea. Do you think a medieval game from Rockstar is imminent? Let us know in the comments below.

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