Two years after the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, he left the company, which surprised fans. Earlier, it was reported that the reason for his departure could be a conflict with his brother and Rockstar co-founder Sam Houser. But the truth turned out to be simpler: Houser spoke about professional burnout.
In an interview with American Radio 4, timed to coincide with the release of his debut novel "American Mother," he explained:
The projects are really long and complex, and it takes a long time to complete them. It's hard to create a project of this scale with so many moving parts, 450,000 lines of dialogue and just as many other things that need to be connected. It's a huge experience that takes years, and I didn't know if I would have the strength for the next such game.