GTA 5 was indeed set to receive single-player DLC focused on Trevor. While we first heard about it directly from actor Steven Ogg, GTA 5 writer and Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser, has now explained why it never came out.
When GTA 5 hit store shelves in 2013, few could have envisioned its seismic effect on the industry. It’s the second-best-selling video game of all time with over 215 million copies sold.
While the single-player offering drew millions of fans, it’s GTA Online that’s proven to drive the long-term success. As a result, fans have long believed no bonus single-player content was ever planned as focus shifted to the online component; however, that wasn’t the case.
Last year, Trevor’s actor Steven Ogg revealed he did in fact shoot some material for new single-player content. It would have been like “James Bond Trevor,” he teased at the time.
Ultimately, this content never saw the light of day, and details have been scarce ever since. That just changed with Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser’s appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast, as he finally explained why the DLC was shelved.
GTA 5’s single-player DLC was shelved for Red Dead Redemption 2
The post-launch, single-player DLC for GTA 5 would have continued the trend of earlier Rockstar titles. GTA 4 and Red Dead Redemption being prime examples, as both received arguably the most beloved content after their respective releases.
It would have focused on Trevor as a ‘secret agent’ “for the Feds,” as Ogg described. “We shot some stuff, and then it just disappeared. They never followed up on it.”
Now, speaking with Fridman, GTA 5’s lead writer, Houser, addressed the subject of what happened to said DLC.
Confirming it was indeed in the works, Houser even verified Ogg’s description, but explained that it “never quite came together. It was never finished.
“It was about half done when it got abandoned,” Houser said. As for why they shifted developers off of the project, well, it’s simple, Red Dead Redemption 2 took priority, he explained.
“I think if [the DLC] had come out, we probably wouldn’t have gotten to make Red Dead 2. So, there are always compromises.”
Rest assured, Houser still loves the notion of single-player DLC, admitting he loved the model for both GTA 4 and Red Dead 1, citing the “zombie pack” among his favorites.
“I like doing these extra things. I like single-player DLC. I think the audience loves it, and it’s really fun to make.”
Dan Houser discusses GTA 5 DLC at the 1:53:10 mark below.
Given Red Dead Redemption 2 won over 175 Game of the Year awards and has gone on to sell more than 77 million copies, this particular DLC’s sacrifice wasn’t for nothing in the end.
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