I think what people are afraid about is the uncertainty going forward, the fact that we don’t know what impact it will have. He was just one man, and Rockstar has so many other talented minds who if not are already great writers, have no doubt learned from the greats what it takes to make a good game. Still, it can’t be denied how integral he’s been to the company. And with Benzies already gone, and now Dan leaving, people are just afraid this is the start of something bigger and soon we might be seeing Sam and Lazlow and who knows who else leaving. If this were any other time in the history of gaming, I think people would be less worried. But looking at changes going on in the industry, and many franchises and studios seemingly selling out in favor of lower-quality work that can be exploited with microtransactions, it’s left people pretty shaken. Nobody wants to see people like him leave, because that changing of the guard could mean bad things in the industry’s current climate. A lot of companies these days don’t want these masterful writers anymore, they’d prefer a yes-man who will focus on cheap content that can make a quick buck.
It could just be that it’s just Dan leaving and the rest of Rockstar will live up to his legacy. And it could also be the beginning of a downward decline for the company. Nobody knows. I really hope you’re right, and Rockstar will stay the masters that they are. There are still a lot of people in that company who truly care about the games they make and the stories they want to tell. They’ve always put that first, and profits second, and in doing so they’ve managed to still make more money than the companies that do put profits first. Hopefully they stick with that mindset. We won’t truly know for years, at least until they release a new game and we see if quality has decreased since Dan’s departure. But I do have faith in Rockstar, more than any company, that they’ll still be just as great and dedicated as they were with Dan.
