Rockstar Games cofounder Dan Houser has launched a new media company, Absurd Ventures, which aims to create IP across media in games, film, books, graphics novels and podcasts. The move comes three years after Houser left the landmark “Grand Theft Auto” video game developer.
“Finally, an American institution everybody can hate,” reads the Absurd Ventures website, which went live Thursday. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica.
“Absurd Ventures is building narrative worlds, creating characters and writing stories for a diverse variety of genres, without regard to medium, to be produced for live-action and animation; video games and other interactive content; books, graphic novels, and scripted podcasts,” per a press release from the company. Users can now register at Absurd Ventures’ site for exclusive content and updates.
Houser is famous for cofounding Rockstar Games, the home of gaming mega franchises such as “Grand Theft Auto” and “Red Dead Redemption.” Houser was the lead writer and creative director for the franchises.
To date, “Grand Theft Auto V is the most successful entertainment release of any kind, grossing more than $1 billion in its first three days and selling more than 175 million copies to date,” read the release.
Few game franchises have been able to rival the kind of success of those created by Rockstar, and by extension Houser. “Grand Theft Auto 6” is a massively anticipated title, despite the fifth installment being a decade old.
