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Houser is honored to be hated by 'creeps with weird agendas' photo

Rockstar's Sam Houser has talked about the negative press he has received since becoming the evil mastermind who forced Grand Theft Auto IV into the screaming, refusing hands of innocent persecuted children. The game developer and part-time murderer has been talking about his many critics, offering this interesting response:

I think we probably read most of [the criticism] – if you turn on a computer this stuff reaches you, usually forwarded by an old friend laughing at you. 

No [I don't pay attention to critics] – I think [he and brother Dan] are both depressed at how boring we really are and how unexciting even the worse fabrications and exaggerations are when you read about them. None of it seems very rock and roll...

Most of the people who hate us are people it is truly an honor to be hated by – reactionary creeps with strange agendas – and the Daily Mail.  Most people who know about modern pop culture know about GTA and like or dislike it on its own merits.
I've often said that the quality of a man can be measured by the number and stupidity of his critics, and this is certainly true of the brothers Houser. That their detractors are mostly compiled of confused reactionaries and the intellectually dishonest definitely speaks in their favor. Being despised by The Daily Mail can only be a compliment.

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10 comments | showing # 1 to 10

Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 08/14/2008 10:09
This guy really knows how to brush his shoulders off and make people feel like idiots. Go Houser!
Mr B Natural's Avatar
Mr B Natural at 08/14/2008 10:11
This probably the right "strategy" for him to use. He's already at the state of "sale" or "no sale." So, you might as well push those two things as apart as possible. That creates a passionate fanbase that will buy your game out of "principle" AND a hardy strong enemy that creates free and useful "buzz" for every game you make!
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 08/14/2008 10:42
The only group of people it is better to be hated by are the bona fide fanboys of anything. If I make it in directing or anything related, I'm going to make it my goal to troll fanboys of everything ever in my interviews.
ace of knaves's Avatar
ace of knaves at 08/14/2008 10:49
Remember when The Daily Mail had a couple articles defending video games because they saw doing so as a fun new bandwagon to try hopping on? Good times.
protomark's Avatar
protomark at 08/14/2008 11:01
Tell it like it is, Houser!!

The problem with Rockstar North's situation, though, is that the large amount of hilarious negative press tends to discourage and/or drown out any sort of honest intellectual discourse about the games. There's a lot to be said for the GTA series both as a
technical achievement and as a concept... people tend to forget that these games are made by scots, not americans. Grand Theft Auto is as much about satire and cultural absurdity as it is about american gangster romance.
randombullseye's Avatar
randombullseye at 08/14/2008 11:51
As a creepy guy with an agenda, I for one like Sam Houser.
TrailerParkJesus's Avatar
TrailerParkJesus at 08/14/2008 13:25
"the quality of a man can be measured by the number and stupidity of his critics"

I like that.
Eschatos's Avatar
Eschatos at 08/14/2008 13:28
Nothing wrong with being hated by a few people.
fetusmilk's Avatar
fetusmilk at 08/14/2008 13:47
dont discriminate, hate everybody
Rabite's Avatar
Rabite at 08/14/2008 23:08
"dont discriminate, hate everybody"

Says the guy with the exploding Hitler head avatar.
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