Smilegate has made a strategic investment in Dan Houser's company, Absurd Ventures

A collaboration has been announced between Smilegate and Absurd Ventures, initiated by a strategic investment from the former.

Dan Houser, best known as the co-founder of Rockstar Games and a key creative force behind many of its renowned titles, is at the helm of Absurd Ventures. The company is pursuing "ambitious new concepts with a variety of new intellectual property realms across numerous platforms," which includes both live-action and video game endeavors.

With this partnership, Smilegate, recognized for its work on Lost Ark with Amazon Games, plans to engage with Absurd Ventures' new intellectual properties. This alliance is expected to leverage Houser and his team's established expertise in storytelling and AAA game development in the Western markets, while Absurd Ventures stands to gain from Smilegate’s experience within Asian markets.

Houser stated, "This venture with Smilegate is rooted in a mutual admiration and shared vision with founder Kwon, along with their ardent commitment to creating AAA titles. Our common goal is to craft intriguing universes and unique player experiences."

Smilegate's CEO, Joonho Sung, remarked, "We are delighted to work alongside developers of globally acclaimed series, beloved by millions of fans. Our aim with Absurd Ventures is to create games that will captivate players worldwide. This partnership is a significant step for Smilegate in its pursuit to evolve into an influential global IP force."

In an extensive interview this year, Houser discussed the film industry and his new company's initiative to create fresh IPs that hold potential to become successful films and video games. More details can be found in his interview.