Dan Houser's studio received investments from Smilegate
The South Korean company Smilegate, known for Lost Ark and Crossfire, has made strategic investments. It has invested in Absurd Ventures — the studio of Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser.
The size of the investment is not disclosed. It seems that the funds will be used for the creation of games and other projects by Absurd Ventures. It is known that the studio will collaborate with Smilegate on its IPs, although the details of the partnership agreement have not been publicly announced.
In a press release, Smilegate stated that the partnership would expand the company's influence in the West, while Absurd Ventures will benefit from Smilegate's expertise in the Asian market.
Absurd Ventures officially opened in 2023, although information about Houser registering the studio appeared online two years before its announcement. In addition to games, it works on books, graphic novels, narrative podcasts, films, and several other entertainment ventures. Notably, in June 2024, Absurd Ventures debuted with an audio series titled "A Better Paradise," and plans to release the comic "American Caper" the following year.
In September 2024, Absurd Ventures launched a division called Absurd Marin, composed of former Ascendant Studios employees. They are working on an unannounced narrative action-adventure game.
