GTA 3 Saved Take-Two From Bankruptcy — Dan Houser Reveals the Truth

Dan Houser said in an interview that Grand Theft Auto III turned out to be a true deus ex machina for publisher Take-Two Interactive.

When asked whether the studio anticipated the game would become a blockbuster, he answered:

“It was a turning point for both the team and the company. In August or September 2001 Take-Two was delisted from the stock exchange. The company was on the brink. There wasn’t enough money even to press an adequate number of copies. We couldn’t produce discs quickly enough, and yet the game kept selling — first in the autumn, then over Christmas, then into the New Year. We expected it to level off. But sales never stopped.”

To appreciate how dramatic the situation was, it helps to look back at Take-Two’s origins. Founded by Ryan Ashley Brant in the 1990s, the company began with FMV titles like Hell: A Cyberpunk Thriller. Its early work involved publishing for GameTek and Acclaim, and later Take-Two released Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy for the N64. From these modest beginnings, Brant eventually acquired DMA Design and secured the Grand Theft Auto rights from BMG Interactive.

However, in 2001 Take-Two plunged into crisis. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused the company of accounting fraud. Then–vice president Robert Blau arranged a sham shipment of 230,000 game copies valued at $5.4 million, which were later returned in full. The SEC imposed a $7.5 million fine, and Brant stepped down as CEO in 2001, finally severing ties with the firm after the 2005 verdict.

Despite the scandal, his contribution to the rise of Rockstar and Take-Two remained significant. In 2019, Brant died of cardiac arrest at the age of 49.

Source: iXBT.games