In a recent interview, Dan Houser, the renowned writer behind the Grand Theft Auto series, revealed the intriguing reasons behind the cancellation of Rockstar’s ambitious project, Agent. After five iterations, Houser concluded that the fast-paced, tightly woven narratives typical of spy films simply do not translate well into the open-world format that Rockstar is famous for. This insight raises questions about the fundamental design principles that govern successful video game storytelling.