Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the very few games that makes even the hardest people cry like a baby towards the end. Well, truth be told, it’s all because of Arthur Morgan and the depth of writing behind the character. The way the game makes you fall in love with the character is a major reason why, even after so many years, Arthur remains iconic. But have you ever thought what went into the minds of the people who actually wrote the character? Well, if you did, then you’re in for a good read, as Dan Houser, one of the creators of the game, has discussed about his inspiration for Arthur Morgan!
Spoiler Warning: If you’re still one of those people who haven’t played Red Dead Redemption 2 till now, well, I’d like to warn you, as moving forward, this post will discuss heavy spoilers related to the ending of the game. Come back later, once you actually beat the game. Hope you have a fun time, and don’t worry, it’s okay to shed a tear sometimes.
Dan Houser Reveals The Story Behind Arthur Morgan
Arthur Morgan isn’t like any other normal character in video gaming history. Usually, the video game protagonists are immortal; there are very less games that kill off the main character. And this is where Arthur becomes different, as we see him dying from Tuberculosis, towards the end of the game. That aspect was a shocker for many, and also one of the major reasons why people got connected with Arthur in the first place.
While in his latest interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Dan Houser revealed a lot of interesting things. First off, we learned that Arthur’s TB disease was inspired by Dan’s own grandfather. He revealed that his own grandfather had TB. He said, “I’d always been obsessed by TB. As diseases go, it’s a great literary device.” Furthermore, he added, “My grandfather actually had TB before they invented antibiotics and was sent to a sanatorium just after he’d had his child, my father, and survived, but only three of them out of like 35 survived. So I was always captivated by TB as an illness.”
One important thing to note is that this was not the first time Dan was inspired by his own life for a video game character. In the same interview, he revealed that, while writing the original Red Dead Redemption, Dan’s girlfriend had gotten pregnant, so he wrote John as sort of that family man stepping up and taking the lead in raising his son, while taking care of his wife.
Not only that, but he also revealed that GTA 4 was written with a dark and depressing tone because Dan himself was an immigrant in New York struggling heavily with life. Not only was he dealing with loneliness, as he was new to the City, but also because he was uncertain about Rockstar’s future after the infamous Hot Coffee scandal back in 2005.
Also Read: Dan Houser Reveals Why Agent Trevor DLC For GTA 5 Was Cancelled
Safe to say, Dan Houser is a legend when it comes to story writing and telling. And learning that he would not be involved in GTA 6 does make every Rockstar fan a bit sad. But with that said, what is your favourite game made by Dan Houser? Do let us know, by tagging us on X and Instagram. Make sure you follow us too, for the latest updates related to Rockstar Games!
