Rockstar Games co-founder, Dan Houser, left the company in early 2020, leaving many fans wondering how this would impact the studio’s future. Houser is known for writing every Grand Theft Auto title since GTA 2, as well as Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2, Bully, and more. Houser has now founded a new company called Absurd Ventures in 2021, but until recently, not much has been known about the company’s projects.
On March 9, 2023, Absurd Ventures revealed its first two “universes” – American Caper and A Better Paradise.
American Caper will debut as a graphic novel and centers on two normal, badly-damaged American families in a world of corrupt business, inept politics, and bungling crime.
A Better Paradise, on the other hand, is an existential suspense thriller set in the near future and will be released as a 12-episode audio fiction series.
Absurd Ventures recruited other former Rockstar Games employees, including Lazlow Jones, the voice behind the radio chatter in the GTA games, and Michael Unsworth, co-writer of the Red Dead Redemption games and L.A. Noire. Interestingly, Absurd Ventures’ hiring pages mention video games, hinting that interactive content may be in the works for the future.
The “first stories” set in the American Caper and A Better Paradise universes are scheduled for release in 2024, with more information promised in the coming months. For those interested in dipping into Dan Houser’s new worlds, stay tuned.
