Dan Houser’s Absurd Ventures is building original story worlds across different media—not making a new Grand Theft Auto. Its current slate spans the science-fiction universe A Better Paradise, the comedy-satire Absurdaverse and the crime-fiction comic American Caper. Two open-world games are officially in development; the comic and A Better Paradise stories already offer ways to encounter those worlds.
What is Absurd Ventures working on?
Absurd Ventures’ official games page lists two open-world action-adventure games in development: one set in A Better Paradise and one in the Absurdaverse. The company has not announced either game’s title or further specific details. These are original projects, not announced additions to the Grand Theft Auto series.
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The studio’s cross-media approach is clearest in how the worlds differ: A Better Paradise already exists as audio fiction and a book, American Caper is a comic, and the Absurdaverse is a comedy-satire setting with a game in development and animation projects described as forthcoming.
How do the three worlds differ?
| World | Tone and current formats | What is confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| A Better Paradise | Science-fiction story world; audio drama, audiobook, hardcover novel and a game in development. | Smilegate announced a global publishing agreement for the game on August 7, 2025, describing it as an AAA open-world science-fiction action-adventure in early development. The company said it planned to provide development funding. Its June 2026 update reiterated the agreement. Smilegate announcement · June 2026 update |
| Absurdaverse | Comedy-satire universe; an open-world game in development and animation projects forthcoming. | Absurd Ventures lists the game but has not provided its title, systems, platforms or release schedule on its games page. The page gives no animation titles or release details. Official games page |
| American Caper | Crime-fiction comic with satirical themes; first collected paperback available. | Dan Houser created and wrote the comic, with additional writing by Lazlow, in partnership with Dark Horse Comics. Volume 1, Red-Pilled Blues, collects issues #1–4. Houser has discussed a possible interactive story game, but said it was still being explored. Official comic page · The Guardian interview |
The practical distinction is status as much as genre: readers can already enter A Better Paradise through its stories and American Caper through its comic, while the two officially listed games remain in development without announced titles or detailed public specifications.
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What can readers experience now?
A Better Paradise: audio fiction and a novel
Absurd Ventures describes the first story, Volume One: An Aftermath, as available in three forms: a hardcover novel, an Audible-exclusive narrated audiobook, and an audio drama through podcast platforms. These are existing ways into the science-fiction setting connected to the game in development. Smilegate reports that the audio fiction debuted at the top of Apple’s Fiction charts and won the 2024 Signal Award for Best Episode of Scripted Fiction; it does not publish an audience count or sales figure in that announcement. Absurd Ventures · Smilegate
American Caper: the collected comic
Red-Pilled Blues, the first American Caper trade paperback, collects issues #1–4 and is listed by Absurd Ventures as available through Amazon and other booksellers. It is the most direct physical entry point into that crime-fiction story world. Official comic page
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Absurdaverse: game and planned animation
Absurd Ventures says its first Absurdaverse animation projects are forthcoming, but the games page does not name them or give release details. The open-world game is also in development, with its title and further specifics not yet announced. There is not yet a publicly described animation or game release to point to as a finished work. Official games page
What has Houser said about the games?
In a December 15, 2025 interview with The Guardian, Houser described the creative ambition as making new work with strong writing and enjoyable play. “We’re trying to be ambitious, to make new stuff,” he said. He also said the goal was to pair “good stories and fun dialogue” with gameplay that is “amazing and accessible” and fresh art direction. Speaking about both games, he said they should be “really strong on mechanics, really fun to play, accessible, but plenty of depth.” These are Houser’s stated aims, not a description of finished gameplay. The Guardian interview
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The Absurdaverse as a “living sitcom”
Houser called the Absurdaverse concept “a living sitcom” and said the team was “trying to use the memories of NPCs in a fun way.” He also described it as “a completely gamey game – very mechanics driven.” Those comments point to an interest in comedy and character behavior that persists in play, but the company has not disclosed the game’s specific systems or how NPC memory would work.
A Better Paradise as a new kind of story world
In Smilegate’s August 2025 announcement, Houser said Absurd Ventures was established “to tell new and different kinds of stories” and create original experiences. He described the game as an opportunity to go somewhere entirely different and take players on a new adventure. Smilegate’s June 2026 update characterized its role as both publishing partner and creative partner, but neither announcement supplies a game title or release date. August 2025 announcement · June 2026 update
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Is American Caper becoming a game?
Not as a confirmed project. In the Guardian interview, Houser said the team might do “more of a story game” based on American Caper, then qualified the idea: “We’re still kind of exploring it.” Absurd Ventures’ current games page lists only the A Better Paradise and Absurdaverse games. The comic is real and available; an adaptation remains exploratory, not an announced third game. The Guardian interview · Official games page
What makes Absurd Ventures’ approach distinctive?
The studio is developing separate story worlds with different tones and entry points, rather than extending one established game franchise. A Better Paradise has audio and book forms alongside its planned game; American Caper begins as a comic; the Absurdaverse is framed around comedy and game mechanics, with animation also planned. Houser’s comments explain the creative goal—strong stories, distinctive art direction, accessible play and depth—while the public project details remain limited until the games are further along.
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