Smilegate has partnered with Dan Houser’s Absurd Ventures with a strategic investment.
Houser, of course, co-founded Rockstar Games and worked as creative director and lead writer across some of the studio’s most iconic games. Absurd is currently working on “a bold new visions with diverse new IP universes across a wide array of mediums,” including live-action and video game projects.
Through the agreement, Smilegate – the company behind Amazon Game’s MMORPG, Lost Ark – will work with Absurd Ventures’ new IP. The company said it will “benefit from Houser and his team’s proven narrative, AAA game and business expertise in the Western market, while Absurd will benefit from Smilegate’s expertise in the Asian market.”
“This collaboration with Smilegate was borne from a mutual respect and a philosophical alignment with founder Kwon, and the great passion he and his team bring to making AAA games,” Houser said. “We both want to build interesting worlds and new player experiences.”
Joonho Sung, CEO of Smilegate, added: “We are thrilled to collaborate with the developers behind globally renowned series that have millions of fans worldwide. Together with Absurd Ventures, Smilegate aims to deliver games that players across the globe will love. This partnership marks a critical milestone in Smilegate’s journey toward becoming a global IP powerhouse.”
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview earlier this year, the former Rockstar leader discussed the state of Hollywood and his new company’s efforts to develop new IP that could eventually turn into blockbuster movies and games.