Rockstar co-founder and former GTA lead Dan Houser is making an "open-world action-adventure game" of his own at his new studio

GamesOpen WorldRockstar co-founder and former GTA lead Dan Houser is making an “open-world action-adventure game” of his own at his new studioWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. GamesOpen WorldRockstar co-founder and former GTA lead Dan Houser is making an “open-world action-adventure game” of his own at his new studioWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Rockstar) Dan Houser, one of Rockstar’s co-founders and the former lead writer (among other roles) on both Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption,announced a new studio called Absurd Ventures last year. We now know at least one concrete thing that the studio, proudly dedicated to making “weird shit from desperate people,” is working on, and yes, it’s a game that sounds a bit like GTA on paper. Recent job listings at Absurd Ventures, likethis lead gameplay designer position, specify “an open world action-adventure game” in the works. This is a pretty broad description for the genre, but the clearly video game-y nature is especially relevant because Absurd Ventures itself is even broader. Per the blurb at the bottom of the above job listing: “Absurd Ventures is building narrative worlds, creating characters, and writing stories for a 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.” In other words, it’s not all games. Last November, the studiorevealedAmerican Caper and A Better Paradise, “two universes” with their first stories coming in 2024. It’s unclear whether this open-world game is connected to either, but it’s definitely not coming in 2024. That said, the studio is clearly staffing up for a true-blue video game. Interestingly, that lead gameplay designer listing seems to be the only one that clearly spells out “an open-world action-adventure game.” The rest, likethis listing for senior art director, are more general with their language, pointing to “the overall visual direction of our projects” and “visually stunning and cohesive game worlds that captivate players.” That lead gameplay designer listing also notes that “the person in this role will lead a team of multi-disciplinary specialists to deliver best-in-class combat and third-person action across multiple game modes.” Other details are thin on the ground, but this mystery project definitely sounds like something in Houser’s wheelhouse and, even if it is undoubtedly many years away, like something that GTA and Red Dead fans may want to put a pin in. As for the “weird shit from desperate people,” well, this is what the studio’s been up to on social media: pic.twitter.com/UOUCD0DkHRMay 14, 2024 pic.twitter.com/UOUCD0DkHRMay 14, 2024 GTA 3 dev says that the open-world game’s “hardest technical challenge” was partially solved with careful city planning and some extra windy weather. 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special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: 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show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 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misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”