After leaving Rockstar Games in 2020, Dan Houser teamed up with longtime collaborators to launch Absurd Ventures in 2023. The fledgling studio is already building a suite of original intellectual properties, ranging from graphic novels to podcasts, and is now preparing to release its first two video-game projects. Houser, who co-created the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series, describes the upcoming titles as an open-world comedy and a dystopian science-fiction adventure centered on a rogue artificial intelligence.
Two untitled games shape the new Absurd universe
The comedic project aims to push humor to the forefront of an expansive sandbox, leaning heavily on “character memory” to let players experience jokes that evolve based on past actions. Houser promises more specifics in the coming months, but he emphasizes that the game will differ from any previous Rockstar experience by treating comedy as a core mechanic rather than a side effect. The second game, meanwhile, is set within the world of “A Better Paradise,” a bleak future where a video-game development effort goes catastrophically wrong. Two antagonistic creators built an AI that attains sentience, only to despise its own existence, providing a narrative that blends techno-paranoia with moral ambiguity.
Transmedia strategy and creative team
Absurd Ventures is not limiting itself to interactive entertainment. The company has already rolled out graphic novels—such as the “American Caper” series—audio dramas, and a forthcoming animated series, all intended to flesh out the same universes that will host the games. Key figures include former Rockstar alumni Jeffrey “Lazlow” Jones, producer Michael Unsworth, and game chief Greg Borrud. By launching comics, books, and podcasts alongside the games, Houser hopes to offer a “full transmedia experience” where fans can engage with the stories across multiple formats, reinforcing brand identity long before the first controller is plugged in.
Why Houser refuses to play GTA 6 or other open-world titles
Even though his brother Sam still runs Rockstar and a Grand Theft Auto VI trailer premiered on Netflix in August, Houser admits he has deliberately avoided the reveal. “I haven’t seen it yet,” he told a recent podcast, adding that watching competitor content would only distract him from the creative challenges he is tackling at Absurd. He explains that playing contemporary open-world games tends to trigger a rapid deconstruction of the developers’ strengths and weaknesses, pulling his focus away from original design work. Instead, he relies on his team to stay current with industry trends while he concentrates on pioneering concepts that have not yet been explored.
Houser’s philosophy mirrors his approach during the development of Red Dead Redemption. He deliberately avoided watching other westerns until after the project was complete, only catching the final episode of “The Sopranos” with his wife during the COVID lockdown. This intentional isolation, he says, protects his creative instincts from external influence, allowing him to ask “what fresh ideas can we bring” rather than “how does this compare to what’s already out there.” The result, he believes, is a body of work judged on its own merit rather than its proximity to past successes.
Looking ahead, Houser is optimistic yet realistic. He acknowledges that any new release will inevitably be measured against the legacy of the GTA franchise, but he stresses that his personal goal remains the same: to craft experiences he can be proud of, regardless of commercial impact. As Absurd Ventures continues to populate “A Better Paradise,” “American Caper,” and the “Absurdaverse” with stories across media, the industry will be watching to see whether this unconventional, distraction-free methodology can generate the next generation of iconic game worlds.
