Red Dead Redemption 2 and Bloodborne unexpectedly have something in common. GTA creator points to the source of credibility in open worlds

Dan Houser, one of the co-founders of Rockstar Games and the main writer for the GTA and Red Dead Redemption series, shared in an interview with The Guardian that he used a pretty unexpected reading list while working on one of the studio's biggest hits. It turns out that the atmosphere of Red Dead Redemption 2 was shaped as much by films about the Wild West as by Victorian literature (1837–1901). Of course, these inspirations aren't obvious at first glance, like in Bloodborne, but they kind of tie both projects together.

Houser admitted that while creating RDR2, he delved deeply into classic Victorian-era novels. He listened to them in the form of audiobooks every day on his way to the office, absorbing the style and narrative techniques characteristic of authors like George Eliot or the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle.

According to Houser, such reading helped give the game's plot a more "novel-like" character – he wanted the narrative to be richer, multi-threaded, and deeply rooted in the world of Red Dead Redemption 2. The creator pointed out that with such a polished and stunning visual setup, the story had to be ambitious enough to match it.

Dickens and open worlds – surprisingly close to each other

Not only did RDR2 grow from literary inspirations—at least not intentionally. Houser mentioned a situation during the promotional tour for Grand Theft Auto IV when a journalist compared the series to the works of Dickens. At first, he thought it was just an over-the-top compliment, but eventually, he realized that both worlds, even though they come from totally different mediums, are based on a similar idea: they show society in all its layers, with different characters and relationships.

The developer also pointed out that books have an "extended narrative"—similar to games with their side quests and storylines scattered throughout the open world. The creator also pointed out that classic literature from that era emphasizes a strong sense of "physicality," focusing on the flow of events and the characters' real presence in the space, which fits perfectly with video games.

Houser's current interviews are part of the promotional tour for the book A Better Paradise. During previous chats, the founder of Absurd Ventures spilled the beans on what went down during the making of Red Dead Redemption 2. He also talked about how the U.S. authorities weren't too fond of Rockstar back when GTA was causing a stir, and he shared his thoughts on where AI is headed.

Red Dead Redemption 2

October 26, 2018

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