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Dan Houser is associated with two distinct game projects at Absurd Ventures: A Better Paradise, an open-world sci-fi action-adventure with Smilegate announced as global publisher, and an untitled story-driven open-world game in the Absurdaverse. Neither project has a confirmed release date or platform in the available announcements and reporting.
What games is Dan Houser making now?
Houser’s studio, Absurd Ventures, has two game projects described publicly. They are set in separate fictional universes and have different levels of disclosed detail.
| Project | What has been disclosed | Publishing and development details |
|---|---|---|
| A Better Paradise | AAA open-world sci-fi action-adventure set in the A Better Paradise universe. Houser says the game takes place in the novel’s world but is not the same story. Smilegate’s announcement and GamesRadar’s interview coverage. | Smilegate was announced as global publisher in August 2025; its announcement said development funding was planned from Smilegate. That announcement named Houser as writer and creative director alongside Absurd’s worldbuilding and creative team. |
| Untitled Absurdaverse game | Reported as an original AAA, story-driven open-world game. It is associated with the Absurdaverse, a comedy-satire universe that also has an animated series in development. GamesRadar’s April 2026 report. | The cited reporting does not establish a publisher, platform, release date, or detailed development status. |
What is confirmed about A Better Paradise?
Genre, setting, and publisher
Smilegate’s August 6, 2025 announcement described A Better Paradise as an AAA open-world sci-fi action-adventure and named Smilegate its global publisher. It said development funding was planned from Smilegate. The announcement also identified Dan Houser as writer and creative director, working alongside Absurd Ventures’ worldbuilding and creative team. It named longtime collaborators Lazlow and Michael Unsworth and said studio development was led by Greg Borrud. These are details from the announcement; its description of the game as being in early development is not a verified status update for October 2026. Smilegate’s announcement.
How the game relates to the novel
The game is not described as a direct adaptation of the novel. In a Sunday Brunch interview reported by GamesRadar, Houser said, “We are making a game set in the same world, but not exactly the same story.” He also said development had begun about 18 months earlier and would take “another few years.” Those relative estimates came from a 2025 interview; they do not establish a launch year or guarantee a schedule. GamesRadar’s interview coverage.
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What is known about the Absurdaverse game?
GamesRadar reported in April 2026 that Absurd Ventures was developing an untitled original AAA story-driven open-world game alongside an untitled animated series. Its report lists initial performers associated with the project, but does not establish the game’s platforms, release timing, or specific gameplay systems. The available detail supports describing it as an in-development project, not filling in unannounced story or mechanics. GamesRadar’s report.
An October 2026 summary from Absurd V Mag’ of a Variety podcast appearance said Absurdaverse information could arrive in the coming months. That is secondary reporting rather than a transcript, so it is not a firm announcement or a basis for a specific reveal date. Absurd V Mag’.
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When will Dan Houser’s new games come out, and what platforms will they use?
No confirmed release date or release window appears for either game in the cited material. Platforms and prices are also unannounced there. Smilegate’s A Better Paradise announcement said schedule and platform details would follow later; the cited report on the Absurdaverse project provides no such details. No cited source includes a gameplay trailer, concrete gameplay systems, or a complete plot synopsis. Until official details are published, treat dates or platform lists circulating without confirmation as speculation. Smilegate’s announcement; GamesRadar’s report.
Optional companion reading: American Caper
American Caper Volume 1: Red-Pilled Blues collects the comic’s first four issues and is described by Absurd Ventures as available through Amazon. It is a comic collection from Houser’s studio, not a game or a tie-in to either announced game; availability may vary. Absurd Ventures’ 2026 feed post.
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