Former Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser has described his work on Max Payne 3 as a failure, admitting that the 2012 shooter did not fully capture what fans loved about the original games.

Despite receiving positive reviews and selling millions of copies, Max Payne 3 remains a complicated chapter in Rockstar Games’ history.

In a recent IGN interview, former Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser reflected on the game’s development and acknowledged that some creative decisions failed to meet fan expectations.

Dan Houser Admits He Got Max Payne 3 Wrong

Houser explained that he initially believed Rockstar had successfully continued the franchise after taking over from Remedy Entertainment.

However, he later recognized that many players missed the writing style established by Remedy’s Sam Lake.

“So I got that completely wrong,” Houser admitted.

He took personal responsibility for the game’s shortcomings, particularly his role as a writer and creative decision-maker.

“My bit was not a success. The game is beautifully made, and it wasn’t as successful as it should have been,” he explained.

Houser also recalled enjoying the game’s linear structure, cinematic presentation and noir-inspired storytelling, which made it feel like an interactive 12-hour movie.

Nevertheless, he believed the overall fan reception was more negative than Rockstar had anticipated.

Max Payne Remakes Are Returning to Remedy

Despite Houser’s criticism, Max Payne 3 shipped more than four million copies and received strong reviews from critics.

The franchise is now returning to its original developer, Remedy Entertainment, which is working on remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne in collaboration with Rockstar Games.

The upcoming remakes will bring the original stories to modern platforms, although an official release date has not been announced.

Houser, meanwhile, has moved on from Rockstar and founded his own entertainment company, Absurd Ventures.