Rockstar Almost Went Medieval — Dan Houser Finally Confirms
Rockstar almost went chainmail. Former co-founder Dan Houser says the studio once explored an open-world medieval knights game in the mold of GTA and Red Dead Redemption, a shelved concept he revealed on the Lex Fridman podcast.
File this under things I wish existed: Rockstar almost made a medieval open-world game. Dan Houser just said as much on Lex Fridman's podcast, and now my brain won't shut up about it.
What Houser actually said
Houser, who co-founded Rockstar and left in 2020, mentioned that back when he was still there, the team spent time exploring a medieval concept. It never made it into full development, but the idea was very much on the table.
He described it as "a knights game" set in an open world.
He didn't claim it's currently in the works. The way he framed it, the project got squeezed out by timing and bandwidth. Given how all-consuming GTA 6 clearly is, that adds up.
The rumor trail wasn't nothing
If you remember the whispers about a "Project Medieval," this lines up. Back in 2022, a LinkedIn post from Rockstar character artist Pawas Saxena made the rounds before it was edited. The original version referenced work that sure sounded like period architecture:
"creating modular environment pieces with organic finish, carefully following medieval architectural style."
Fans wrote it off as internet telephone. Now that Houser has acknowledged the concept existed, there's finally a little closure on why that rumor refused to die.
Why this would fit Rockstar like a glove
Rockstar does sprawling sandboxes full of messy people, shifting systems, and social commentary. Putting that toolkit inside a world of castles, crowns, and competing fiefdoms feels obvious in the best way. After modern cities (GTA) and the frontier (Red Dead), a medieval setting would be a true change of scenery.
Could it come back after GTA 6?
Houser didn't promise anything. But if Rockstar wants a fresh tentpole once GTA 6 has its moment, a medieval sandbox is sitting right there. The design possibilities are huge: horseback combat, feudal power struggles, morally gray rulers, the whole lot, filtered through Rockstar's open-world sensibilities.
- 2020: Dan Houser exits Rockstar.
- 2022: A now-edited LinkedIn post from a Rockstar artist sparks "Project Medieval" chatter.
- Now: With GTA 6 looming, fans are wondering if the studio dusts off that shelved medieval idea next.
I can't say it's imminent, but I'd play the hell out of it if it is. Would you want Rockstar to go full plate armor after GTA 6?