Variety’s interview with the rockstar of Grand Theft Auto IV

Dan Houser is one of the rockstars at game development house Rockstar Games, which makes the controversial Grand Theft Auto game series.

The game is known for pushing the envelope on things like violence and sexually explicit imagery.

The Manhattan-based subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive will be the magnet of attention again during the next week as it launches the new title in the raunchy yet humorous GTA series: Grand Theft Auto IV.

Here’s an enlightening interview by Variety’s The Cut Scene with Houser on the making of the new title, which debuts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on April 29.

Houser rarely gives interviews but talks about a wide range of topics from “sex and violence” to why he considers GTA IV to be the first truly original game in the series. I find it interesting what he doesn’t talk about: namely, the Electronic Arts offer to buy his parent company, Take-Two Interactive. Clearly, he considers himself an artist whose main occupation is creativity, not controversy. And his measure of success isn’t business but how a game takes root in the cultural fabric. Meanwhile, here’s a link to a GTA IV multiplayer preview.