Dan Houser, co-creator of the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption video game franchises, has formalized his book publishing operation with the launch of Absurd Ventures Press.
Houser initially started the imprint, which acts as the publishing arm of his entertainment company of the same name, last year as a home for his debut novel. A Better Paradise Volume One: An Aftermath, an adaptation of Houser's science fiction audio series, published in October 2025 as Absurd Ventures’ inaugural title.
The new announcement sees an expansion of Absurd Ventures into a full publishing operation that is actively seeking fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, plays, and short stories from outside writers.
In a statement, Houser said the imprint is looking for writers "who understand the value of a daring tale well told, who grasp the absurd but fascinating nature of our world, or simply believe that humor, satire or humanity itself can be found in the oddest situations."
His goal, he added, is to "curate an eclectic and intriguing list of books," citing James Baldwin, Dawn Powell, and William Gibson as touchstones.
In an unconventional arrangement, Absurd Ventures operates in partnership with the the Midas Group, a London-based publicity firm, which oversees commissioning of new work, handling submissions, and international market development. The Bks Agency, part of Midas Group, handles translation rights sales for Absurd Ventures' titles.
The portfolio of Houser's entertainment company also includes the crime fiction universe American Caper and the comedy satire universe Absurdaverse, with comics and animation projects planned within those properties. Houser founded the company after departing Rockstar Games, with a stated focus on storytelling across books, comics, audio fiction, animation, and video games.
Absurd Ventures is distributed by Simon & Schuster in the U.S. and Turnaround in the U.K.
