Rockstar Games co-founder reveals why Niko Bellic survived and John Marston died

Former Rockstar Games CEO and lead writer Dan Houser shared details about the development of GTA 4, unexpectedly revealing that the original plan was for protagonist Niko Bellic to die at the game's conclusion. Speaking with Lex Friedman, he explained that this idea was abandoned due to the studio's inherent gameplay structure.

According to Houser, Rockstar's game worlds are designed so that after completing the main storyline, players can continue exploring locations, completing side missions, and striving for a full playthrough. The protagonist's death would have made this mechanic impossible, so the developers decided to spare Niko's life.

Nevertheless, the idea of ​​a tragic ending persisted and was later implemented in Red Dead Redemption. At the end of the first game in the series, John Marston is killed by government agents, but the player is given the opportunity to continue the story as his son, Jack Marston. Thus, the studio was able to realize the idea of ​​a dramatic ending without disrupting the familiar gameplay loop. This technique was later used in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Houser's revelations have reignited interest in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI. Fans speculate that in the new game, which features two protagonists, the studio may opt for a similar plot twist, allowing one character to die and the other to conclude the story while continuing to explore the world freely.