Red Dead Redemption 2’s Arthur Might be Rockstar’s Best Lead Character, but it’s a ‘Toss Up’ with Niko, says Dan Houser

Rockstar has created many amazing characters over the course of Grand Theft Auto, Bully, and Red Dead Redemption, and Dan Houser believes that Arthur from Red Dead Redemption 2 is likely Rockstar’s “best lead character,” although he admits that it’s a “toss-up” with Niko from GTA 4.

The Rockstar co-founder and lead writer for Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption discussed Red Dead Redemption 2 and Arthur in a nearly 3-hours long podcast interview with Lex Fridman. Asked whether he thinks Arthur is the greatest character he’s ever created, Houser replied, “I think he’s the best lead character,” and this is because “lead characters are different from side characters,” and Arthur’s the “most rounded and works the best”.

However, at the same time, Houser admitted “it’s always sort of a toss-up” between Arthur and Niko as “they were the two most ambitious”. Further diving into Arthur, Houser praised the art team for coming up with the journal as well as all of the features that worked into Arthur’s character.

Houser also discussed the emotionally powerful redemption of Arthur and his untreatable sickness with tuberculosis. The Rockstar co-founder admitted that his “grandfather had TB before they invented antibiotics… [and was part of] only three out of 35 that survived” after being sent to a sanatorium. Because of this, Houser always had an interest in TB as an illness, and “felt it was an interesting thing to play around with” as literary device.

Both Fridman and Houser agreed that at the beginning of the game Arthur is essentially immortal because “as the protagonist in a video game he could not die,” but suddenly he becomes mortal and that “helps him see stuff”. This was a complete reversal of the typical video game narrative where a protagonist starts off weak and becomes more powerful over time.

Red Dead Redemption 2’s Arthur is the Greatest Video Game Character of all Time

While Dan Houser believes Arthur is Rockstar’s best ever lead character alongside Niko from GTA 4, there’s a strong argument that Arthur is the greatest video game character ever, period. There have been many amazing protagonists in the history of games such as Joel from The Last of Us, Geralt from The Witcher, Kratos from God of War, Shepard from Mass Effect etc., but Arthur is arguably the most compelling.

Not only is Arthur’s story emotionally gripping, but it all takes place in an incredibly immersive open world. Thanks to this level of immersion, you naturally start playing with more honour as Arthur gradually shifts from honourless crook to a self-reflective anti-hero wanting to do good before he leaves.

Naturally, there’s a lot of pressure on Jason and Lucia to be as well-written and acted for GTA 6. Dan Houser has confirmed he was not involved with GTA 6 at all, but he believes the game “will be great”. While Dan Houser’s lack of involvement might worry fans, he was just one of the lead writers for Red Dead Redemption 2. Rupert Humphries was part of the game’s main narrative also, and he is part of the team for GTA 6.

Right now, GTA 6 has a release date for May 26th next year. However, a game developer interviewer has shared there’s still the possibility GTA 6 might be delayed again as they have heard “conflicting reports internally” from different developers at different Rockstar Studios.

As for Red Dead Redemption 2, NateTheHate insists that a remaster/current-gen upgrade “exists,” but it is still yet to be announced. There has also been rumors of a current-gen port for GTA 4, but this hasn’t come to fruition either.