- European Commission weighs windfall taxes on oil and gas profits amid crisis
- EU poised to reduce funding to Serbia by €1.5 billion over democracy concerns
- China Conducts Military Exercises Near Taiwan Amid Rising Tensions
- Met Police’s crackdown leaves Enfield sex workers in fear | News UK
- Pakistan exhibits evidence suggesting Mohenjo-daro’s origins date back to 3300 BC
- UNGA president criticises member states for failing to uphold peace
- Eric Swalwell Faces Multiple Sexual Assault Allegations Amid Campaign
- Uganda observes first-ever civil war among Ngogo chimpanzee group
UK News
UK MORNING BRIEFING
Operation Pisces continues to impact sex workers in Enfield this morning, forcing many into isolated areas for safety. Concerns regarding increased violence and diminished police support are being raised by local advocacy groups.
UK MORNING BRIEFING
Albert Bridge in London has reopened to pedestrians and cyclists this morning after an emergency closure due to structural movement. Repairs, estimated at £8.5 million, are planned to fully restore the bridge for traffic in the coming months.
UK MORNING BRIEFING
A child has tragically died following a dog attack in Redcar, North Yorkshire, overnight. Armed police responded, and one dog was shot at the scene as an investigation is now underway.
Israeli police said two Palestinians were behind the violence, but they were both killed by security forces and an armed civilian.
The 34-year-old is out of contract next summer.
Omid Scobie has given his first UK television interview since his book Endgame was released where he insists he had nothing to do with the Dutch translation error.
Have you got yours?
Lucy Leahy was three days away from learning she’d passed her last Chartered Accountancy exams.
This could be the start of something big (Picture: Absurd Ventures)
The first two releases from Absurd Ventures are a graphical novel and an audio fiction series but they could become games in time.
Although a GTA 6 reveal trailer is imminent, it’s been so long since GTA 5 first released that many of the people involved have since moved on, most obviously Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser and fellow writers Lazlow Jones and Michael Unsworth.
Earlier in the week it was revealed that the latter two had joined Houser at his new company Absurd Ventures, which is not a game developer exactly but a transmedia company that also intends to make live action content, books, comics, and scripted podcasts.
They’ve now announced their first two projects and while neither of them are video games they are described as ‘universes’, implying that more projects will result from both – potentially including games.
Nobody’s expecting a GTA clone from the studio, but Houser set up a separate company at the same time called Absurd Ventures in Games, so they’re certainly at the forefront of his mind.
For now though the first universe is called American Caper and will debut as a graphic novel by comic book artist Simon Bisley, famed for his 90s works with 2000 AD and Lobo.
Although his subject matter is usually more fantastical, American Caper will focus on ‘two normal, badly-damaged American families in a world of corrupt business, inept politics and bungling crime.’
That makes it sound very much like GTA, so it’s not unreasonable to expect some similar characters and dialogue, and another scathing critique of modern America.
AMERICAN CAPER centers on two normal, badly-damaged American families in a world of corrupt business, inept politics and bungling crime. AMERICAN CAPER will debut as a graphic novel that is being illustrated by renowned comic book artist, Simon Bisley. pic.twitter.com/k6Lcr1IEhA— Absurd Ventures (@AbsurdVentures) November 29, 2023
The other universe will start life as an ‘audio fiction’, aka scripted podcast, and doesn’t seem to have much in common with anything Rockstar has ever done before.
It’s described as a 12-part ‘existential suspense thriller, set in the near future’, with the title in particular making it sound like something along the lines of Black Mirror.
Although GTA 2 was technically set in the near future, science fiction is not something Rockstar has ever really tackled in the modern era, so it’s going to be interesting to see what Houser and the others come up with.
More: TrendingMonster Hunter: World 2 reveal at The Game Awards hints Capcom insiderStudent paid to stream 240 hours in 26 days dies after working five nights in a rowAssassin’s Creed Nexus VR review – historical realityDave The Diver wins Black Friday with 270% more people playing it
It’s not clear when either project will be released, with A Better Paradise described only as ‘in production’, so that in particular might be a while.
If and when any new games will be released, that are set in either universe, is impossible to guess but much will no doubt depend on how these first projects are received.
The Absurd Ventures website has sections devoted to American Caper and A Better Paradise but at the moment they’re just animated logos, so it may be a while till we get more information.
A BETTER PARADISE is an existential suspense thriller, set in the near future. A 12-episode audio fiction series based on the A BETTER PARADISE universe is currently in production. Absurd Ventures is partnering with @QCODEmedia to co-produce the audio series. pic.twitter.com/JxgKauK5JS— Absurd Ventures (@AbsurdVentures) November 29, 2023
Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, and follow us on Twitter.
MORE : GTA writers Lazlow Jones and Michael Unsworth join Dan Houser’s new company
MORE : Rockstar Social Club has been discontinued as GTA 6 reveal looms
MORE : GTA 5 single-player DLC and Bully 2 referenced in leaked code
Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk
To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
Sign up to all the exclusive gaming content, latest releases before they’re seen on the site.Sign upPrivacy Policy »This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
From our sponsors
Subscribe to News
Get the latest news from WTX News Summarised in your inbox; News for busy people.
Advertisement
Subscribe to Updates
Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

