Trump-era debut for GTA 6, contrary to former Rockstar boss' 2018 wishes
Rockin' the unforeseeable future ain't easy, mate. You do your best with the info you've got, hoping for the best, sometimes hitting the bullseye and other times missing the mark. Case in point: Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser, who back in 2018, expressed gratitude for the studio not releasing a new Grand Theft Auto game during a Trump presidency due to the overwhelming political chaos in the US[2].
"Extreme liberalism and extreme conservatism, both are extremely belligerent and furious. It's terrifying, yet it's also peculiar, and both sides sometimes veer towards the absurd," Houser said in 2018, a staggering seven years ago. "It's challenging to satirize due to the reasons stated. Some things you see are beyond satire; they change so quickly it would be outdated within minutes."
Fast-forward to 2025, and it's a bizarre twist of fate that GTA 6 finds itself in the thick of a Trump presidency – another term, by no means a second consecutive one, which was unimaginable when Houser dropped his comment[3]. And it seems a truly prophetic foreboding; everything's indeed changing at a blinding pace, and satire, while not dead, is certainly struggling for air in the wild tempest of absurdity.
Yet, it's an ironic twist that Rockstar might've found a loophole to this dilemma: Ignore it entirely. Neither of the GTA 6 trailers, even the recent one dropped on May 6, have hinted at any visible reference to Trump or other relevant political hot points[4]. The game's setting is clearly the current era, but there's no mention of the COVID-19 pandemic or any mask jokes, no Fauci gags, and no overt MAGA imagery.
There's a fair chance GTA 6 could have a Trump-like figure – the Mar-a-Lago resort wouldn't be out of place in Leonida – but Rockstar may just be biding its time. After all, the new game is still a year away, and given delays for PC players, perhaps even longer[4]. It's not out of the question that the studio will eventually introduce political satire, as earlier GTA titles featured sensitive subjects such as illegal immigration and private military corporations, and even a Trump-esque figure named Donald Love[2].
But Rockstar doesn't appear to be courting controversy like it used to[3]. In fact, it feels like a far cry from the days when the studio was celebrated and condemned for the same games. For a studio once labeled as the epitome of societal ills, it's a strange turn of events to see it playing it safe with GTA 6[3].
As Houser said seven years ago, these are indeed strange times. Regardless of how it eventually unfolds, it's no longer his call to make. Houser bid adieu to Rockstar in 2020 and is now spearheading a new venture called Absurd Ventures[3].
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Sources:1. Goldberg, L. (2021). Why isn't GTA 6 spreading political controversy like its predecessors?2. Jones, M. (2018). Dan Houser reveals that Rockstar refused to release GTA 6 amid the Trump presidency.3. Luttrell, C. (2021). The reason Grand Theft Auto 6 isn't taking on today's political climate.4. Collins, M. (2025). Grand Theft Auto 6 trailers hint at no clear political commentary.
- It's surprising that GTA 6 is set during a Trump presidency, a scenario unforeseen when Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar, made his comments about satire and political chaos in 2018.
- In the face of the fast-paced changes and absurdity in pop-culture and social-media, Rockstar seems to have found a way to navigate the challenging landscape of political satire in GTA 6, without direct references to Trump or other political hot points.
- The absence of overt political commentary in GTA 6 trailers might suggest Rockstar is playing it safe, a contrast to its earlier games that courted controversy due to sensitive themes like illegal immigration and private military corporations.
- Dan Houser's words about the aggression of extreme liberalism and conservatism resonate even today, as these aspects of politics continue to be mocking and divisive, shaping the entertainment industry, including movies-and-tv and video games like GTA 6.
- In 2025, as the GTA series evolves, it's worth considering how aspects of society, like microprose and pop-culture, influence the narrative and choices in these games, reflecting the changing landscape of our world.
- Looking beyond the unpredictability of the future, it's fascinating to see the evolution of Rockstar and the GTA series, from groundbreaking and controversial games to titles that focus more on entertainment value, remaining relevant amidst the shifting sands of politics and pop-culture.
