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In today’s landscape, where digital and traditional media converge, few have influenced interactive storytelling as significantly as Dan Houser. The co-founder of Rockstar Games, Houser is renowned for creating vast immersive experiences through hit franchises like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. Now, he is making a shift to conventional publishing with his debut novel and a new imprint that aims to bridge the gap between the worlds of gaming and literature.
His inaugural novel, A Better Paradise Volume One: An Aftermath, draws inspiration from his highly acclaimed podcast, A Better Paradise, and will be launched under his entertainment venture Absurd Ventures’ new publishing label. With this move, Houser is poised to harness his storytelling expertise in a fresh format while continuing to build engaging narrative universes across various media. In a recent conversation, Houser discussed his transition from video games to publishing, the nuances of adapting audio narratives for print, and his innovative vision for cross-platform creative development.
As a leading figure in the gaming industry, what motivated you to transform A Better Paradise into a novel instead of first developing it as a game?
We are currently working on a game set in the A Better Paradise universe, which is a few years away from completion. The initial story, launched as an audio series last year, is now being adapted into a novel to deepen the narrative universe. This novel sets the foundation for the broader world and introduces pivotal characters, along with the backstory of the experimental video game project central to the tale. Although the audio fiction series was enjoyable to create, I discovered a narrative depth that warranted a novel. As someone who has always cherished books, presenting this tale in a traditional novel form feels fitting and genuinely humbling.
A Better Paradise delves into themes of artificial intelligence and virtual reality—territories frequently explored in gaming. Do you believe books provide distinct avenues for examining these technological ideas?
Absolutely. Interestingly, I began writing this story shortly before the current surge in interest surrounding AI. My writing coincided with the hype surrounding “metaverses” and the cryptographic boom of Silicon Valley, but the conception of A Better Paradise was largely a reaction to the lockdowns. At that time, AI was not the cultural focal point it has become today, and numerous narratives across various media have since emerged on the topic. Our story indeed involves an advanced form of AI set in a dystopian future, yet it also serves as a mythos about the video game industry and technology development overall. While I’ve incorporated literary elements into my game writing, the book’s format allows for rich exploration of multiple perspectives, timelines, and inner thoughts, something other media forms cannot achieve as effectively. That’s why the novel’s form remains timeless.
With your extensive narrative experience at Rockstar Games, how has your storytelling approach shifted when producing content for audio and now for print?
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Books provide a unique opportunity to explore multiple viewpoints, diverse timelines, and the depths of a character’s psyche in ways other media strive for, which is why novels remain relevant.
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I find joy in writing for games, and while I’ve dabbled in linear formats such as animation and comics, I’m currently thrilled to fully engage with novel and audio fiction writing. In video games, the process involves character development and world-building while ensuring the narrative enhances the gameplay experience. In contrast, non-interactive formats allow for greater freedom to explore structure and style without the need for gameplay balance. However, every story must create and release tension.
Your new publishing imprint aligns with a broader trans-media strategy that includes universes like Absurdaverse and American Caper. How do you decide which format is most suitable for each story’s universe?
It’s less about a strict strategy and more about instinctively understanding what aligns best with the story’s genre and tone. A Better Paradise is a serious science fiction narrative, albeit with touches of dark humor, making it suitable for a variety of formats like novels, audio series, and even television or games. Conversely, the Absurdaverse leans towards comedy and satire, rooted in animation, which makes that world ideally suited for an animated series, with a video game planned as well.
Nonetheless, I don’t consider these medium pairings to be rigid or absolute. Each medium holds immense potential for storytelling diversity. For instance, an intense science fiction narrative could just as easily transition to a comic book or animation, while a more comedic universe could find a home in podcasts or novels. Our American Caper universe, for example, is starting as a comic before evolving into a trade paperback, as it fits the tone of that world best, but future adaptations could explore other formats.
How do you foster fan communities across various media, particularly when audiences for books and games may have differing expectations?
At Absurd Ventures, we approach every project with deep respect for its medium. Our goal is to create the highest quality content possible, rather than having a novel function merely as a promotional tool for an upcoming game—there isn’t a game launch on the immediate horizon, in fact. Some projects, like American Caper, currently have no video game development planned at all. We recognize that the overlap among gaming, audio fiction, and literature audiences may be limited, so we do not expect everyone to engage with every project. Instead, we aim to build rich, immersive worlds and fill them with compelling stories in the formats that resonate best.
Our hope is that while writing the novel, it speaks to science fiction enthusiasts, and when crafting the audio series, addresses the interests of podcast audiences. Ultimately, our goal is to uphold the highest integrity in storytelling, allowing us to explore our worlds in as many intriguing and exciting ways as we can.
Dan Houser is scheduled to speak on the Main Stage at the London Book Fair today, Wednesday, March 12, from 10:15 to 10:45.
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