Absurd Ventures Unveils New Studio with Former Ascendant Studios Team

Absurd Ventures has officially launched Absurd Marin, a newly formed studio comprising the core team from Ascendant Studios. The San Rafael, California-based developer will be helmed by Bret Robbins, founder and game director of Ascendant Studios. According to a studio spokesperson, the team consists of approximately 20 developers who worked on Immortals of Aveum and will continue to expand as the project progresses. The new studio is currently working on a narrative-driven adventure game based on a previously unannounced intellectual property, separate from another project based on the A Better Paradise universe, both of which are in the early stages of development. Following the poor sales of Immortals of Aveum in 2023, Ascendant Studios laid off a significant portion of its workforce. In a previous conversation, Robbins expressed his hopes for the studio's future, but Ascendant ultimately furloughed most of its staff. Meanwhile, Absurd Ventures, founded by former Rockstar executive Dan Houser in June 2023, has been focusing on creating stories across various media, including games, animation, books, and podcasts. The company has recently launched its 12-part audio series A Better Paradise and is working on a graphic novel series titled American Caper.