Dan Houser Reveals How 9/11 Changed GTA Forever
25 years later, Dan Houser recalls how GTA’s iconic cover art style only exists because of 9/11.
Dan Houser, a former VP at Rockstar and writer of many of the studio's games from 1999 until 2018's Red Dead Redemption 2, discussed how the 9/11 terror attack in September 2011 influenced the design and content of the Grand Theft Auto series. The iconic cover art of GTA 3, featuring shards and squares, was initially too offensive for release after the tragedy, leading to a last-minute change in design.
Houser revealed that the bold, colourful style of the cover art was the result of a rushed two-day effort by Stephen Bliss. Additionally, some content from the game had to be altered or removed due to its proximity to 9/11. This included changing the color of cop cars to avoid resemblance to NYPD, adjusting the flight path of a plane to avoid a skyscraper, and removing a mission that made a reference to terrorists.
The changes resulted in a slight delay for GTA 3's release, from its originally planned date of October 3, 2001 to October 22. Despite this, the game became a landmark success, with its sales steadily increasing throughout the year.
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