Rockstar‘s Dan Houser reveals Details of Canceled ‘GTA 5’ Trevor DLC
For the first time, Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser has publicly discussed the single-player DLC planned for Grand Theft Auto 5 that would have focused on Trevor Philips, a project ultimately abandoned during the game’s development. Speaking on the Lex Fridman podcast, Houser detailed a desire to expand the narrative beyond the core GTA 5 story, citing a fondness for single-player downloadable content and a regret that his team didn’t pursue more of it during the GTA 5 era.
The canceled DLC,envisioned as a continuation of Trevor’s storyline,fell victim to the immense success and ongoing development of Grand Theft Auto Online. Houser explained the team shifted focus to the online component, which proved to be a meaningful revenue stream and a continually evolving platform. “It never quiet came together, and it was never finished,” Houser stated, adding that he personally wished the company had dedicated more resources to single-player expansions. This revelation arrives as anticipation builds for Grand Theft Auto 6, prompting questions about Rockstar’s future approach to post-launch content.
Houser’s comments offer a rare glimpse into the internal decision-making process at rockstar, a studio known for its tight control over data. The discussion highlights the challenges of balancing enterprising single-player narratives with the demands of a massively popular online world. The fate of this Trevor-centric DLC also resurfaces questions surrounding actor Steven Ogg, who voiced the character and recently expressed disinterest in GTA 6.
The interview also touched on other abandoned projects, including the PS3 exclusive Agent, and Houser’s reasoning behind keeping the Grand Theft Auto series exclusively set within the United States. Further details from the Lex Fridman interview can be found hear and here.