“Absurdaverse”: GTA Co-Founder Dan Houser Unveils New Project

Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games and mastermind behind Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, has unveiled a first look at his new multimedia venture, Absurd Ventures. After leaving Rockstar in 2020, Houser’s new project is taking a dramatic turn away from his previous works. Absurd Ventures is launching the “Absurdaverse” IP, a universe that will extend beyond gaming, featuring an upcoming game, Absurdaverse, and a related animation project set to debut later this year — Forbes reports.

The first game set in the Absurdaverse will be a story-driven action-comedy where players will encounter "new kinds of heroes (and watch them suffer)." While Houser's previous work in GTA and Red Dead Redemption certainly involved action and comedy, this new direction seems to be a more playful, perhaps less gritty take. The universe won’t just include a game, but will also spawn an audio fiction series called A Better Paradise, which will get comic and animation projects this year as well.

Although it’s unusual to introduce a broad "IP" before showcasing a specific game, this move signals that Houser is aiming for a multimedia approach right out of the gate. Absurd Ventures is committed to crafting something beyond traditional gaming, a vision that includes novels, comics, and animation.

Interestingly, the Absurdaverse cast features a wild mix of characters, including what appears to be a Viking, a dwarf, a skeleton Viking, and a Grim Reaper. It’s unclear what exactly the tone and gameplay will be like, but with Houser’s history of storytelling, we can expect something narrative-driven and unique.

Houser’s past work has always been narrative-heavy, so while this might seem odd, it may be worth keeping an eye on as more details emerge. We don’t know exactly what form the game will take, but considering Houser’s legacy, it’s bound to be an intriguing, if unusual, project.