Veteran Red Dead Redemption writer leaves Rockstar after 16 years

(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

Michael Unsworth, whose work includes both Red Dead Redemption titles as well as GTA 5, has left Rockstar Games after 16 years (via VGC). A user on the GTA forums named Rucke found that Unsworth had updated his LinkedIn profile to show that he no longer works for Rockstar Games.

The veteran writer is one of only three people credited with work not only on Red Dead Redemption 2 but also on its original predecessor, making him a consistent part of the critically acclaimed series.

Unsworth is also credited with work on GTA 5, GTA 4, Max Payne 3, and LA Noire - an impressive range of titles spanning not only diverse settings but also a significant portion of Rockstar's 24 years of game development.

Rockstar has been no stranger to high-profile departures in recent years. One of the other three figures credited with work on both Red Dead Redemption titles, former creative lead and studio co-founder Dan Houser, left the company back in 2020. This year also saw the departure of Grand Theft Auto writer and producer Lazlow Jones, who was known for his dialogue work on both the series' characters and radio stations - an iconic part of GTA's soundscape.

That said, work continues on Rockstar's upcoming open-world crime simulator GTA 6. Last month, Rockstar also revealed a new Red Dead Redemption logo, prompting speculation as to whether or not a remake might be on the horizon.

Red Dead Redemption 2 and its predecessor have both made indelible marks on the gaming landscape, offering realistic, story-driven, and deeply emotional experiences that captivated players with heart-wrenching setpieces and true-to-life dialogue.

The loss of Unsworth signals the end of a chapter in Red Dead Redemption history, marking the end of a creative throughline between the series' two games. The work of Unsworth and his colleagues has done a great deal to uplift and enrich the tapestry of video game storytelling, We can only hope that the legacy of figures like Unsworth, Lazlow, and Houser is carried forward in Rockstar's future work.

Looking for more memorable titles? Try out our lists of the best single-player games as well as the best story games out there.

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An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

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