Dan Houser's still got it. Not many. Rockstar's been trying to fix this for years, and it's not like they haven't had time - GTA 3 dropped way back in 2001, and we're still talking about the same issue. Low story completion rates are a problem they've been wrestling with for decades, and it's clear that finding a solution is an uphill battle.
Low completion rates are a thing. It's not just Rockstar, you'll see this with many games. For instance, Grand Theft Auto has issues too. The numbers are telling - Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has a completion rate of 28.9%, which is pretty low. Avowed is even lower, at 23%, while Baldur's Gate 3 does a bit better, with 50% of players finishing the first act. We've known this for a while, it's not new. John Lee, a former exec at Capcom, THQ, and Sega, said years ago that only 20% of players finish a game, and that number hasn't changed much over time, which is key to understanding the problem Rockstar faces with games like GTA.
| Game | Completion Rate |
|---|---|
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 | 28.9% |
| Avowed | 23% |
| Baldur's Gate 3 (first act) | 50% |
Rockstar's $70 Storytelling Gamble
It's a fact. Rockstar made a change. Post-GTA 3, they focused on helping players get through the story, you'll see. Dan Houser said their goal was to keep the open-world feel, but guide players too. The real feel of their games is key. They want you to experience the story, with a better flow. From GTA 3 onwards, they tried to get more players to finish, it's what they've been aiming for, and the numbers did go up, they've improved over time, which is worth mentioning, as it shows their crossover of storytelling and gameplay is working, with honesty, they've found a way to make it work, and it's a key part of their success.
"The whole point of an open-world game is we provide guides. We want you to experience the story. Our goal was always — from GTA 3 onwards — to try and get more and more people to finish the story. And the numbers went up and up; they used to be pretty level."
Dan Houser, Rockstar co-founder and former GTA series writer
You'll see it in the numbers. Rockstar is onto something. It's a fact: Red Dead Redemption 2 got 38% of players to finish the epilogue with John Marston. The real feel is there. GTA 5 did pretty well too, with 29.42% completing "The Big Score" - that's key. We've seen better completion rates from these games, it's worth mentioning. They've made a crossover with honesty, for the players, and it shows in the stats.
| Game | Completion Rate |
|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 (Arthur's story) | 42% |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 (Epilogue) | 38% |
| GTA 5 ("The Big Score") | 29.42% |
The $200M GTA Bet Nobody Wants
You'll notice the appeal is there. It's in the world, not the story. Houser gets it - players enjoy messing with systems, doing whatever they want. The real fun is in the systems they've made, not the writing. He's right, it's the world that counts. We've seen this with GTA, where the interactive bits are key. For Rockstar, it's a challenge - getting players to follow the story in a world that's all about freedom, with you'll spend hours just exploring, it's the world that keeps you coming back, with a vast landscape to play in, that's what makes their games, like GTA, worth playing.
"The most fun thing about the game isn't any rubbish we write, it's the systems that we make. [What's] always going to be the most fun is being in this world, seeing what happens when you jump off this building, when you punch that person, you drive that car, when you interact with this thing, or that thing, whatever way. That's always gonna have a sort of magical quality to it, and we are on some level on the story side, just the icing on the cake."
Dan Houser, Rockstar co-founder and former GTA series writer
Why GTA's Story Sold Out to Completion Rates
It's a tough call. Rockstar's approach is the real feel. You'll notice it in Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 5. They've got guidance mechanisms. It works. The numbers show it. We've seen it with these games. They're a crossover of freedom and storytelling. For some players, the story is worth mentioning. It's a key part of the experience, with honesty from the developers being essential. Future titles will show us how they've managed to balance this dynamic, which is key to their success, and we'll be watching closely to see how it all plays out, with the next steps being critical in maintaining player interest in the narrative.
It's tough. GTA 3 was a key moment. You'll notice the difference in open-world games, for instance, Resident Evil Requiem has a high completion rate of 72.1%. Rockstar's games, they've got the real feel, with honesty in their narrative design, which is worth mentioning, making them stand out, we've seen this crossover in their titles, it's a key part of their success, with a focus on higher story completion rates, which is no easy feat, in games like GTA.
5 Reasons Players Abandon GTA Stories
- Rockstar aimed to increase story completion rates starting with GTA 3.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 saw 42% of players complete Arthur's story and 38% finish the epilogue.
- GTA 5's "The Big Score" was completed by 29.42% of players.
- Dan Houser emphasizes the allure of open-world systems over narrative.
- Industry-wide, completion rates remain low, with open-world games facing particular challenges.
The Bad Gamer Take
Rockstar will implement more guided storytelling in their future open-world games because they have been struggling with low story completion rates for decades. Dan Houser's approach to balancing open-world freedom with narrative guidance will be key to improving completion rates in games like GTA. WATCH for how Rockstar's upcoming titles address this issue and impact player engagement.
You'll see this a lot in GTA. Rockstar is key. The real feel of their games is what sets them apart. In GTA, they've managed to keep players engaged for 20 hours or more. It's no easy feat, with many studios struggling to keep the momentum going in open-world games like GTA, where honesty with the player is essential for a high story completion rate, we've seen Rockstar push for crossover with other genres to achieve this goal.
