Smilegate and Absurd Ventures Share Global Vision for "A Better Paradise" at Tribeca Festival 2026 2026-06-15

■ Global creative partnership and IP expansion spotlighted at Dan Houser's "Luminaries" panel

■ Smilegate and Absurd Ventures underscore the synergy of their "A Better Paradise" collaboration

Smilegate took part as an official panelist in "Luminaries: Dan Houser's Absurd Ventures," a special session of the Storytelling Summit at Tribeca Festival 2026, held in New York on June 13 (local time), where it spotlighted its global creative partnership with Dan Houser.

The Tribeca Festival is a world-renowned storytelling celebration spanning film, television, music, games, and immersive content. As part of this year's 25th-anniversary edition, the special session brought together Dan Houser — the acclaimed creative force behind the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) and Red Dead Redemption series — and his longtime partner, musician Lazlow, for a conversation on worldbuilding and the evolution of storytelling beyond video games.

Absurd Ventures, founded by Dan Houser, creates original IP and expands it across a range of media, including audio fiction, games, comics, books, and screen. The session brought together Absurd's key partners across these media, including Smilegate alongside partners from the book and comics spaces.

Smilegate joined the session as Absurd Ventures' partner in the games space. Paul Lee, Vice President of GTM (Global Operation) at Smilegate, who oversees the identification and management of the company's global partners, took the stage to share Smilegate's perspective on new IP, its role as both a strategic investor and global publisher, and its transmedia strategy. Lee also voiced strong anticipation for what the collaboration with Absurd Ventures will achieve.

Last year, Smilegate signed a global publishing agreement for a AAA open-world action-adventure game based on "A Better Paradise," Absurd Ventures' original IP.

"It was a meaningful moment to share our vision for this partnership on the same stage as Dan Houser and Absurd Ventures, who have created globally beloved IP," said Paul Lee, Vice President of GTM at Smilegate. "We are delighted to join this bold and original challenge of growing distinctive stories together on the global stage. Beyond being a publishing partner, Smilegate will do its utmost as a true creative partner to help 'A Better Paradise' become a game loved by players around the world."