Smilegate has announced a strategic investment in Absurd Ventures, a media and entertainment company founded by Dan Houser, known for his contributions to the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises. The partnership is aimed at leveraging Smilegate’s expertise in live-service games and the Asian gaming market, along with Absurd Ventures’ focus on narrative-driven content and multimedia intellectual properties (IP). This collaboration highlights a shared objective of creating new opportunities across various entertainment mediums, including video games and transmedia projects.
Absurd Ventures, established in 2024, has already made strides with its science-fiction audio series A Better Paradise, which debuted at the top of Apple’s Fiction charts. The company plans to release additional IPs, including a crime-fiction comic series titled American Caper in 2025. Through this partnership, Smilegate will collaborate on Absurd Ventures’ upcoming IPs, aiming to combine the strengths of both entities to develop content for global audiences while focusing on immersive and sustainable entertainment.
Smilegate, known for its popular franchises such as CROSSFIRE and Lost Ark, has positioned itself as a key player in the global gaming market. This collaboration marks a significant step in Smilegate's strategy to strengthen its presence in Western markets by aligning with a team experienced in AAA game development and transmedia storytelling. Both companies have expressed mutual goals of creating innovative projects that can appeal to a broad audience while utilizing each other’s specialized capabilities in gaming and entertainment.
