Rockstar Games came close to completing a single-player DLC for Grand Theft Auto V that would have recast Trevor Phillips as a secret agent, but the project was stopped partway through development.
In an interview with Lex Fridman, studio co‑founder Dan Houser publicly confirmed long‑standing rumors about the add‑on. He said the content was “roughly halfway complete” when development was halted.
“People online already know as reported that we made a single‑player expansion for GTA V that never saw release. You could play as Trevor — reimagined as a secret agent. It was a charming concept. But the project was never finished; it was shelved when it was about half done.”
He noted that the decision to cancel the DLC boiled down to trade‑offs:
“If we’d carried on, we probably wouldn’t have been able to make Red Dead Redemption 2. So trade‑offs are always a part of the process.”
Houser admitted he has always liked the idea of story‑driven expansions:
“I’ve always enjoyed single‑player DLC. I think players appreciate them, and they’re rewarding to create. We still love single‑player experiences. When we launched Absurd Ventures, we spent a lot of time reflecting on our direction. Fortunately, if you want to pursue what we’re driven to do — and what I want, namely build new intellectual property — single‑player games are essential.”
Houser said his new studio, Absurd Ventures, plans to focus on single‑player narratives and build its projects around those foundations.
Source: iXBT.games