Smilegate makes strategic investment in Absurd Ventures

As a gaming enthusiast with a soft spot for immersive storytelling and captivating worlds, I am beyond thrilled about Smilegate’s strategic investment in Absurd Ventures! With Dan Houser, the mastermind behind iconic characters like Tommy Vercetti and Arthur Morgan, joining forces with Smilegate, we are in store for a unique blend of Eastern and Western gaming expertise.

According to their official statement, South Korean publishing and development company Smilegate has decided to invest strategically in Absurd Ventures, a U.S.-based media and entertainment firm established by Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games. As a result of this deal, Smilegate will be able to collaborate with Absurd Ventures on their upcoming intellectual properties.

Through collaboration, both Smilegate and Absurd Ventures aim to capitalize on each other’s unique abilities to create fresh business ventures. Smilegate stands to gain from Houser and the team’s storytelling prowess, AAA game development skills, and knowledge of the western market, while Absurd Ventures will profit from Smilegate’s expertise in the Asian market. Both parties will also leverage each other’s strengths in online and live service sectors, with Smilegate’s achievements in CROSSFIRE and the team behind Grand Theft Auto Online’s experience overseeing Grand Theft Auto Online.

According to a statement released by Absurd Ventures’ founder Dan Houser, this partnership with Smilegate originated from a shared admiration and philosophical compatibility with the company’s founder Kwon, as well as their mutual enthusiasm for creating AAA games. In simpler terms, we both aim to construct captivating game worlds and unique player experiences.

As a passionate supporter, I can’t help but express my excitement! I’m ecstatic about our upcoming collaboration with the talented creators behind some of the world’s most beloved series. Alongside Absurd Ventures, we at Smilegate are working tirelessly to bring games that will captivate players everywhere. This partnership is a significant step forward in our mission to establish ourselves as a global powerhouse for iconic intellectual properties.

Here is an overview of each company, via Smilegate:

Absurd Ventures

Under Dan Houser’s leadership, Absurd Ventures was established. His creative influence at Rockstar Games spanned over two decades, propelling series like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, along with several others, to amass sales of over 550 million units globally.

As a passionate admirer, I can’t help but marvel at the creative genius of Dan Houser. He masterfully guided globally acclaimed intellectual properties that have become cultural pillars, deeply rooted in captivating narratives. In his role as Creative Director and Lead Writer for Rockstar Games’ most prominent titles, he crafted intricately detailed universes, weaving stories that are both compelling and at times emotionally poignant. Characters like Tommy Vercetti, Arthur Morgan, Trevor Phillips, and John Marston were born from his imagination, leaving lasting impressions on countless gamers worldwide.

Houseman’s team at Absurd Ventures comprises top executives and skilled personnel who had previously worked with him at Rockstar Games, along with experienced game developers who contributed to titles like Call of Duty, Pokemon Go!, and numerous other AAA series. At present, Absurd Ventures is actively developing a groundbreaking concept that encompasses fresh intellectual property universes spanning various formats, such as video games, live-action and animated TV and movies, audio fiction podcasts, literature, comic books, and beyond.

As a gamer excitedly following Absurd Ventures’ progress, I can’t help but feel thrilled about their achievements so far! Back in 2024, they rocked the audio fiction scene with their smash hit series, A Better Paradise, which took over Apple’s Fiction charts. Next up, in 2025, they’re diving headfirst into the crime-fiction world with an original comic book series called American Caper. And guess what? There’s more to come from Absurd Ventures – they’re about to unveil a third intellectual property universe soon!

Smilegate

Smilegate, a company renowned for its blockbuster video game franchises such as Crossfire, Lost Ark, and Epic Seven, has gained immense popularity in the global market. Among these, Crossfire, introduced in 2007, is a first-person shooting game enjoyed by over one billion players in more than 80 countries. Concurrently, Smilegate’s massively multiplayer online RPG, Lost Ark, boasts a player base of 1.32 million active users across 160 nations. By consistently strengthening its status as a global intellectual property powerhouse, Smilegate continues to captivate gamers worldwide.

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2024-12-03 18:01