Rockstar Games’ co-founder and the lead writer on several GTA and Red Dead Redemption games, Dan Houser, has finally shared what his new studio is currently working on. At the beginning of 2020, Dan left Rockstar Games after the launch of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Later, in June 2023, he announced his new studio called Absurd Ventures and shared that the studio’s goal is to create multimedia projects that are spread across movies, comics, TV, and video games. Lazlow Jones and Michael Unsworth, who also used to work at Rockstar Games left the company after Houser’s departure and became a part of his studio.
Now, we finally know what the first projects are going to be for Absurd Ventures, and unfortunately, it isn’t any game similar to either GTA or Bully, as many believed. On November 29, Houser announced that his new studio is working on American Caper and A Better Paradise.
Absurd Ventures describes the two projects as “original storytelling universes.” The studio’s plan is to take characters and stories from these universes in order to debut in audio comic books and audio dramas, respectively.
What are Dan Houser’s latest projects about?
Absurd Ventures describes A Better Paradise as an “existential suspense thriller” that’s set in the “near future.” This particular project is set to be a 12-episode “audio fiction series” that is currently in production. On the other hand, American Caper focuses on two “normal, badly damaged” American families that found themselves wound up in a world of “corrupt business,” crime, and “inept” politicians.
This particular project is set to be a graphic novel that’s illustrated by comic book artist Simon Bisley. Both American Caper and A Better Paradise are scheduled for a 2024 release so far. In a press release where Houser announced the two projects, he said:
We are excited to introduce these two universes, and their characters and lore. They represent our approach to storytelling and media. These initial releases will allow us to introduce these universes at the same time as we are working on other iterations and expansions. This is just the beginning.
As per a press release, Houser’s new studio is working on various projects, including video games, audio fiction, animation, and much more. Absurd Ventures has confirmed that more details regarding these new franchises will be revealed in the upcoming months. Players who were excited to learn what Houser and his team’s next epic game project would be following GTA and RDR are disappointed.
However, American Caper’s description of its universe makes it sound quite similar to GTA, and perhaps Absurd Ventures might develop an open-world game someday after all. But for now, we will only be getting comic books and podcasts. Meanwhile, when it comes to Rockstar Games, it’s currently busy preparing for the release of GTA 6’s reveal trailer, their next biggest GTA title!
