10 Hugely Influential People In Gaming You Need To Know About

4. Sam Houser - President, Rockstar Games

(Sam's on the left) Rockstar Games has to count as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Who knew, when the company chose a name, that they would turn out to be one of the first in the industry to reach something like rock star status - the presence of the Rockstar logo is often enough to drive sales on the strength of the brand alone. It's a trust thing, and it's based on past experience - like Pavlov's dog, gamers have learned to expect good things from these chaps, and so salivate at the mere mention of something new from their stable of developers. Sam Houser didn't found Rockstar Games, but his impact on the company - and the industry as a whole - has been profound. As a past alumni of the TIME 100 list of most influential people, along with his brother Dan, his efforts have clearly not gone unnoticed despite keeping a relatively low personal profile. He may not be as outspoken as some of his peers, but he doesn't need to be. As president of Rockstar Games, Houser sits comfortably at the top of what many consider the most important firm in the industry. When a new Grand Theft Auto appears on the horizon you can almost feel the air tingling with excitement, such is the pull of the biggest name in gaming right now. Sam Houser might not get stuck in with the minutiae of the development program, but he, along with the rest of the Rockstar executives, has a huge role in steering that unstoppable ship to glory.